The MARVEL project will develop over two years an innovative methodology based on spatial data to prioritise marine areas of high ecological value and improve the planning of maritime space in the Levantine-Balearic demarcation.
The MARVEL project (Integrated regional network of MARine zones of high Ecological Value in the Levantine-Balearic demarcation) has officially started its activities to develop a scientific, transparent, and reproducible mechanism to identify priority marine areas for conservation in waters of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Spanish Levant. With this, the initiative aims to strengthen an integrated regional network of marine protected areas.
The general objective of the project is to create a tool that allows identifying in an objective and reviewable way the marine zones of greatest ecological value, thus contributing to improving marine spatial planning and reinforcing public policies destined for the protection of biodiversity and the sustainable use of marine resources. According to the scientific team, in a context marked by the increase of human pressures on marine ecosystems, this information is key to guiding management decisions based on scientific evidence.
Marine scientific innovation
One of MARVEL's primary advances will be the development of its own quantitative methodology for identifying priority conservation zones. Unlike many current approaches, which rely heavily on qualitative assessments or poorly systematised criteria, the project will integrate multiple layers of spatially explicit quantitative information to evaluate the ecological value of different marine areas.
To achieve this, the research team will use advanced geospatial analysis tools, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and multi-criteria prioritisation methods to combine data on biodiversity, habitats, species of fishing interest, human activity pressure, and environmental stability. This integration will generate spatial prioritisation maps with a high level of detail, providing a solid scientific basis for identifying the most relevant zones for conservation.
"MARVEL's innovation lies in its proposal of a quantifiable, transparent, and reproducible system for identifying priority marine areas," explains researcher María Bas, the project's lead investigator. "Until now, many marine planning decisions have been based on qualitative approaches. With this methodology, we will be able to analyse large volumes of ecological and socio-economic information to prioritise zones more objectively and with a holistic approach."
In addition to its scientific value, the methodology is designed to be replicable and adaptable to other marine regions, opening the door for its application in other Spanish coastal districts or international contexts.
Conservation and sustainability
The Levantine-Balearic district, which encompasses the waters of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Spanish Levant, hosts a vast diversity of marine habitats and species, many of high ecological value or fishing interest. However, this biological wealth coexists with intense human activity, including fishing, maritime transport, tourism, and other economic activities.
In this context, MARVEL seeks to contribute to a more integrated management of the marine environment, capable of balancing ecosystem conservation with the sustainable use of resources. The project will incorporate both ecological and sector-specific variables into its analysis, allowing for the identification of areas where biodiversity protection can be compatible with the economic viability of the fishing sector.
"Fishing sustainability depends directly on the good health of marine ecosystems," notes researcher Francisco Ramírez, a member of the team. "Our goal is to identify those areas where conservation can strengthen ecosystem resilience while contributing to the long-term sustainability of fishing activities."
The project will also consider the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems. To this end, it will incorporate indicators of environmental stability and climate vulnerability into spatial analyses to identify key zones for ecological resilience.
MARVEL’s results could contribute to the fulfilment of various international and European marine conservation commitments, including the target to protect at least 30% of marine areas by 2030. The developed tool will enable the identification of new zones that could be incorporated into marine protected area networks or managed through other conservation frameworks.
Collaboration and governance
The project involves collaboration with the Directorate General for Maritime Policy and Sustainable Fisheries of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the MED-MSP-CoP community of practice, alongside the planned participation of various stakeholders from the fishing sector, NGOs, and the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO).
Researcher Marta Coll indicates that "this participatory approach is a fundamental part of the project. Defining analysis criteria and validating results will be carried out through dialogue with different actors involved in marine governance, aiming to ensure the tool is useful, applicable, and socially legitimate."
Thus, MARVEL aspires to generate applied scientific knowledge that contributes to both improving marine environment management and strengthening cooperation between administrations, the scientific community, and economic sectors.
With a two-year duration and an innovative data-driven, participatory approach, the project aims to lay the foundations for a new generation of marine planning tools. Its results could become a benchmark for future ocean conservation and sustainable management strategies in Spain and Europe.
This project is developed in collaboration with the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, through the Pleamar Programme, and is co-financed by the European Union through the EMFAF (European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund).