In the framework of cooperation established between the governments of Spain and Portugal, more than 30 marine experts will address the state of health of the ocean’s food chains

The headquarters of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography in the Canary Islands hosts the first seminar of MISTIC SEAS 3, a project that seeks to define a common approach for the development of descriptor 4 (food webs) within the framework of the Framework Directive for Marine Strategies in Macaronesia (Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands). The fundamental objective of this European directive is to achieve the good environmental status of the marine environment, for which 11 indicators, called descriptors, are defined for the evaluation of their status, and monitoring programmes are established, as well as measures to improve the conservation status of marine habitats and species.

For two days we will work with Spanish and Portuguese scientists to advance the knowledge of marine biodiversity in Macaronesia. Within the framework of cooperation established between the governments of Spain and Portugal, more than 30 marine experts will address the state of health of the ocean’s food chains.

The objectives of the seminar focus on deciding which are the best indicators to assess the state of these food chains and whether they are applicable for this marine region, evaluating the most useful tools and methodologies for this and identifying data gaps and, where appropriate, proposing research programs to collect this information.

The inauguration of the seminar, co-organised by the Higher Council for Scientific Research and the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition, was attended by the Deputy Minister for the Fight against Climate Change of the Government of the Canary Islands, Miguel Ángel Pérez, who highlighted his support for this project due to its interest for the archipelago and with a view to future actions that may be developed in other parts of Macaronesia.

Want to know more about MISTIC SEAS 3?

MISTIC SEAS 3 aims to address the assessment of the environmental status of the marine environment based on descriptor 4 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, food webs, which are the set of food chains of an ecosystem.

The project aims to define a common subregional approach between Spain and Portugal for the development of this descriptor 4 in the Macaronesian subregion (Canary Islands, Azores and Madeira) and to strengthen cooperation with other subregions of the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean.

The project, which runs from March 2019 to March 2021, has a total budget of €1,085,601, 80% of which is co-financed by the European Commission (EC) (DG ENV/MSFD 2018). It is coordinated by the Regional Fund for Science and Technology (Regional Government of the Azores, Portugal), and has as partners the Regional Directorate for Marine Affairs, Regional Government of the Azores (Portugal); the Regional Secretariat for Environment and Natural Resources, Regional Government of Madeira, Portugal; the Regional Agency for the Development of Research and Technology and Innovation of   Madeira (ARDITI);  the General Directorate of Natural Resources, Security and Maritime Services of the Ministry of the Sea of Portugal; the General Directorate of Sustainability of the Coast and the Sea, the Biodiversity Foundation, both of the Ministry for Ecological Transition of the Government of Spain; the Spanish National Research Council (Spain), and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography.

You can consult the misticseas3.com website, where you will find all the information about the project, follow the @misticseas3 project’s twitter, and through the hashtag #MisticSeas3 find out all its news.