Author: Manuela Coci

Plastic Reborn is an initiative and a documentary that shows concrete and innovative solutions to stop plastic pollution. The goal is to show how young minds and researchers in the field are creating an alliance between the environment and business to face a global challenge and transform it into a rebirth opportunity. One of the stories at the heart of this project is the one that comes to life in the port of Ancona, where, at 2 a.m., the fishing boat Barracuda I sets sail for a special mission. For an entire day, the boat becomes an open-air laboratory that unites maritime tradition with scientific research. On board are the fishermen, two researchers from the CNR IRBIM of Ancona, and the director and producer. Every time the nets come up from the seabed, the waste of our time emerges along with the fish: bottles, ropes, and styrofoam remnants. In just ten months, only two boats have brought about three tons of debris ashore, 80% of which is plastic.

Questo è il cuore del progetto di Fishing for Litter, coordinato dal CNR IRBIM all’interno dello Spoke 2 del NBFC – National Biodiversity Future Center. The initiative also transforms fishermen into guardians of the sea. Each piece of plastic waste is cataloged, analyzed, and, when possible, sent for recycling, despite obstacles like encrustations and wear and tear. L’IRBIM CNR di Ancona è partner scientifico e patrocinatore del progetto, con il grande impegno delle colleghe Elisa Punzo e Maria Chiara Catta

Il documentario, dal titolo completo “Plastic Reborn, how young minds turn river waste into new beginnings” è prodotto da Carlo Mameli Video Agency, e racconta il conflitto tra un futuro possibile e un presente che resiste. The documentary, with the full title “Plastic Reborn, how young minds turn river waste into new beginnings,” is produced by Carlo Mameli Video Agency and tells the story of the conflict between a possible future and a present that resists.L’obiettivo è mostrare che la speranza è fatta di preparazione, ingegno, nuove tecnologie e nuovi cicli di vita, mettendo in luce il valore dell’intera filiera: dal degrado alla rinascita della plastica. The stories, faces, hands, and courage of those who don’t look the other way will be part of a film intended for international platforms and environmental-themed festivals.

To know more about the project Fishing for Litter and the stories presented by images collected on the field here the link to the page. Here the link to the video interview to Elisa Punzo.

For general information: https://plasticreborn.com

On April 24, 2025, the MABIK International Symposiumwas held in the auditorium of the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK) and in the exhibition space called SeaQrium. It was attended by the director of CNR IRBIM Gian Marco Luna with the presentation entitled “Frontiers and challenges for marine biological research in the 21st century“. MABIK is the Korean Institute dedicated to research on Marine Biodiversity. Directed by Kim Hyun-tae, the Mabik aims to contribute to the conservation of marine biological resources and the development of the marine fishing industry through the collection, conservation, exhibition and systematic research of biological resources. Since its opening in 2015, MABIK has achieved significant results in the field of Korean marine biodiversity: it has acquired about 10,000 marine species and a collection of over 600,000 specimens; this allows it to manage a considerable part of the country’s marine biodiversity, precisely 63% of the marine species officially registered in Korea. He also developed the Marine Biodiversity Information System (MBRIS), through which he contributed to the standardization and global sharing of marine biological data. Finally, it led to practical applications, such as the development of commercialised products in the areas of cosmetics and treatments for metabolic diseases, carried out in collaboration with private companies. On this page you can consult the program of the symposium.

The Conference of the Department of Earth System Science and Technologies for the Environment (DSSTTA) will take place on 29 and 30 May 2025, in Ancona, at the Mole Vanvitelliana

The conference will address the challenges and opportunities that research will have to face and seize, also in the face of the changes that are happening at European and international level. It will be an opportunity to discuss and reflect on the future of the strategic areas of the DSSTTA, as well as on the paths and initiatives that can contribute to giving science a fundamental role in the renewed political, social and economic context. In those days it will be possible to visit the CNR Research Ship “Gaia Blu“.

The conference program and how to participate and register are available on the dedicated page.

The episode of Linea Verde Italia made a stop in the Marche region, and in particular in the lively city of Ancona. Researchers from CNR-IRBIM and the Polytechnic University of Marche were also involved in the discovery of the wonders and activities of the area.
The shots at sea were led by colleagues who illustrated some activities carried out within the NBFC – National Biodiversity Future Centre , the research center dedicated to the in-depth study of marine biodiversity and the development of innovative strategies for its preservation, a crucial issue for the health of our planet. Here is the link to watch the episode again

On Tuesday, December 11, in the magnificent setting of the Mole Vanvitelliana in Ancona, the final meeting of the project Life+ Delfi, an European project that addresses the issue of interactions between dolphins and fishing activities, developing sustainable management solutions and models for dolphin-fishing interactions, was held. The day was an opportunity to showcase the work of the Life Delfi team, make a final assessment, and most importantly, think about the future. Life Delfi has produced research, monitoring, and has also built a close collaboration with fishermen to promote sustainable fishing practices. The experimentation of solutions to keep dolphins away from fishing nets included the installation of acoustic and visual deterrents on fishing gear, the promotion of alternative fishing gear, and the development of dolphin observation activities. The project also invested heavily in raising awareness among fishermen and the public about the importance of dolphin conservation, generating a great deal of information. Coordinated by Alessandro Lucchetti, with Massimo Virgili, Andrea Petetta, Daniel Li Veli from CNR IRBIM, Life Delfi was built with numerous partners: the Marine Protected Areas of Egadi Islands, Torre del Cerrano, Punta Campanella, and Tavolara, Filicudi WildLife Conservation, Legambiente Onlus
University of Siena, Blue World Marine Research and Conservation Institute (Croatia), Marine Research Institute of Rovinj (Croatia), Marine Research Institute of Split (Croatia), Marine Research Institute of Dubrovnik (Croatia), National Association of Professional Fishermen (Italy), National Association of Sport Fishermen (Italy), National Association of Amateur Fishermen (Italy), and National Association of Amateur Fishermen (Croatia). On the LifeDelfi website, you can find numerous videos and documentary material produced over the 5 years of the project; the official recording of the final day is visible here.