An oceanographic campaign begins to explore the seabed of the Columbretes Islands, an archipelago of seven islets located between the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands. On this occasion, we will go to depths close to 100 meters with the aim of improving the knowledge of this marine space, which is part of two areas declared Sites of Community Importance (SCI). The cartography and data obtained will be used to develop management plans, based on a solid scientific basis.

Within the framework of LIFE INTEMARES, scientists from the Balearic Islands, Malaga and Canary Islands centres of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) will study until 17 February the spatial cover and the types of deep habitats of the archipelago, in which there are indications of the presence of areas with gaseous upwellings, shallow areas from which columns of gas bubbles emanate.

Associated with these escapes is an algae endemic to the western Mediterranean, Laminaria rodriguezii, common at depths below 70 metres, but in Columbretes it occurs exceptionally at a depth of 40 metres. These carbon dioxide emanations acidify the waters and limit the growth of calcareous species but, on the contrary, it has been observed that they favor significant densities of this algae, which is in regression in the Mediterranean basin.

This oceanographic campaign will provide a greater knowledge of the types of habitats of the Columbretes Islands, among which gorgonians and brown algae have also been observed. The information obtained in this new campaign will serve to develop an extensive cartography and will complement previous scientific studies, including the LIFE +INDEMARES project, which focused on other areas of this space.

To obtain data, various techniques and methodologies will be used, such as filming using remote cameras, sampling, geophysical systems to study the water column and the bottom, as well as non-invasive methods through diving for the study of the shallowest habitats.

The archipelago of the Columbretes Islands, declared a marine reserve more than 20 years ago, is considered a natural laboratory to learn about the response of ecosystems and the evolution of species to the effect of protection. In this area there are habitats of high interest for conservation and it is one of the areas with the greatest interest. A jewel of the marine reserves of the Spanish state.

Science and active participation

The LIFE IP INTEMARES project, coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, aims to achieve effective management of the marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network, with science and the active participation of the sectors involved.

The General Directorate of the Coast and the Sea of the Ministry itself, the IEO, the Spanish Fisheries Confederation, SEO/BirdLife and WWF-Spain participate as partners. It has the financial contribution of the European Union’s LIFE programme, among other sources of funding.

Do you want to know more about the oceanographic campaigns of LIFE IP INTEMARES?

You can follow our twitter profile @LifeIntemares, the hashtag #INTEMARES and consult the intemares.es website, where we inform you of the latest news on the actions of the project and marine news.