- Malaga has hosted the first seminar on the transfer of experiences, with the participation of some thirty representatives from the scientific field, the fishing sector, NGOs and public administrations
- The meeting, organized by the Biodiversity Foundation of MITECO, has aimed to transfer the pioneering marine restoration strategies applied in LIFE ECOREST so that they can be applied in Andalusia
- The project is moving forward with the aim of restoring nearly 30,000 hectares of deep marine habitats in Catalonia, with the active participation of the fishing sector
The LIFE ECOREST project, coordinated by the Institute of Sea Sciences (ICM-CSIC), is committed to the transfer of pioneering methodologies and strategies for marine restoration of deep habitats applied in Catalonia to other regions of the Mediterranean.
To promote replicability, the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) is organising a series of participatory seminars, in coordination with the rest of the project partners, with the aim of favouring that the experiences acquired within the framework of the project can be transferred and replicated in other regions of the Mediterranean and potentially to other marine contexts facing similar challenges. It also seeks to foster interregional and international collaboration, provide tools and resources, and establish a framework for cooperation.
The first of these seminars, which took place at the Oceanographic Centre of Malaga of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC), was attended by nearly 30 representatives from the scientific field, the fishing sector, public administrations and NGOs.
During the meeting, the importance of the restoration of marine habitats to improve biodiversity and the state of fisheries resources was highlighted, in line with the objectives of the Regulation and the National Plan for Nature Restoration, presented by the General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification of MITECO. By restoring ecosystems such as coral bottoms, gorgonians, and sponges, vital habitats are created that serve as feeding, breeding, and sheltering areas for numerous associated species. Not only do these habitats help connect previously isolated populations of marine species, promoting gene flow and resilience, but they also facilitate the recovery of threatened species.
During the course of the seminar, other experiences in marine restoration carried out by Soldecocos, the HyT Association and Coral Soul were also shared. Subsequently, a group work space has been opened to analyse technical and scientific aspects, governance, sustainability of the actions and sources of funding for the replicability of the LIFE ECOREST strategies to other areas of Andalusia.
THE BADMINTON
METHODThe LIFE ECOREST project advances in the restoration of nearly 30,000 hectares of deep marine habitats in Catalonia in an area of high ecological value along the coast of Girona and Barcelona, with the active participation of the fishing sector.
To do this, it applies an innovative active restoration methodology known as the “Badminton Method”. The fishermen rescue corals, gorgonians and sponges that are trapped from the fishing nets, to deposit them in aquariums located in the participating fishermen’s guilds. When organisms are in optimal conditions, they are prepared to be returned to the sea by anchoring them to a boulder that favors them to remain upright on the seabed.
The project encourages the release of numerous organisms together, in order to also promote the creation of high-density nuclei, which improves the survival of these organisms and the better recovery of their functions. Thanks to the collaboration of the fishing sector and the work of the project’s research staff, more than 7,500 organisms have been returned to the sea.
The methodology is simple to apply, and is economical and replicable, which helps to establish its sustainability over time, another of the objectives of the LIFE ECOREST project, together with the empowerment of fishermen to carry out restoration work. In addition, it allows you to cover larger restoration areas than other methods.
Through direct collaboration between the scientific community, the fishing sector, public administrations and non-governmental organizations, the project not only seeks to recover the biodiversity of the seabed, but also to strengthen the knowledge and management of these valuable ecosystems.
THE LIFE ECOREST
PROJECTThis initiative, coordinated by the ICM-CSIC, has as partners the Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds of Girona, the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the University of Barcelona and WWF Spain, as well as the financial contribution of the LIFE Program of the European Union.
