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It is with profound sadness that the Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (IRBIM) and the entire scientific community bid farewell to Professor Serena Fonda Umani, former Full Professor at the University of Trieste. Her passing leaves a significant void in the national and international marine research landscape, and in all those who had the honor of knowing and collaborating with her.
Professor Fonda Umani was a scientist of exceptional expertise and undisputed renown in the field of Marine Microbial Ecology. Her dedication to scientific inquiry led her to become one of the early female pioneers in Italian oceanography, embarking on expeditions that saw her operating from the Mediterranean Sea to Antarctica.
Beyond her prolific scientific contributions, Professor Fonda Umani served as a cornerstone for the entire community. Her conduct was always marked by loyalty, integrity, and professional ethics—qualities that enriched every workplace and made her a role model for future generations. Only a few months ago, the scientific community had the privilege of paying tribute to her with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the Biodiversity Forum organized by the NBFC – National Biodiversity Future Center in Milan.
In this moment of grief, IRBIM wishes to remember her through her own words and passion, sharing this interview given a few years ago. In it, she speaks with clarity and love about the beauty of being a marine biologist and the crucial importance of studying the ‘infinitely small’ within our seas and oceans.

On November 20, 2025, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) gathered experts, institutions, and political representatives in Rome at the MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Arts for the conference “ISPRA: the Sea for the common well-being.”
The event took place in the MAXXI Auditorium, offering a splendid setting and reinforcing the thematic link with the marine environment. The day was also developed from the collaboration born for the creation of the installation “ENTRATE: Nacho Carbonell, Memory, in practice” which welcomed participants and Museum visitors, and in which nets recovered from the Mediterranean and tree trunks find a second artistic life.
The conference was structured into five thematic sessions: knowing the state of health of the seas, protecting biodiversity, the blue economy, the One Health principle, and communicating the sea. It offered a fundamental platform for defining shared strategies for a sustainable future for our Mediterranean. The conclusions were entrusted to Luigi Ricci, ISPRA’s Director.
IRBIM was a protagonist in two key moments of the day, testifying to its commitment to research and dissemination. The Director, Gian Marco Luna, took part in the panel titled “Blue Economy: sustainability and innovation for the future of the sea.” The debate focused on crucial topics such as fishing, aquaculture, bioeconomy, renewable energy, and climate, underscoring the role of scientific research in guiding the sustainable growth of economic activities linked to the sea.
Furthermore, Prof. Donato Giovannelli of the University of Naples Federico II, an IRBIM associate, spoke during the panel dedicated to communication, aptly called “Communicating the Sea.” The panel, moderated by Donatella Bianchi (RAI), focused attention on scientific communication and environmental education for the Sea, highlighting how dissemination is fundamental for raising citizen awareness on the themes of protecting and maintaining the health of marine ecosystems.

The National Research Council (CNR) participated in and sponsored the XIV Edition of the China-Italy Science, Technology and Innovation Week, an internationally recognized event that took place from November 13 to 15, 2025, in the cities of Beijing and Hangzhou. The event confirmed its status as a consolidated model for boosting innovation and building a sustainable future together between the two countries. This edition held particular significance, falling in the year of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and China, an occasion that underscores their cooperation founded on shared growth and cultural exchange. The centrality of institutional dialogue was further reinforced by the Action Plan for Strengthening the Italy-China Global Strategic Partnership 2024–2027, with the aim of boosting relations between the research and innovation systems to enhance national excellence. The event, promoted in Italy by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and coordinated by the IDIS Foundation-Città della Scienza, was organized by the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and the Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park, in collaboration with the International Technology Transfer Network. he Week was inaugurated on Thursday, November 13, in Beijing with an Institutional Ceremony attended by the Italian Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, and the Minister of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, Yin Hejun. This official moment culminated in the signing of Cooperation Agreements between institutions, universities, research bodies, and companies from the two countries, designed to launch new joint projects. Subsequently, the day continued with thematic sessions focused on Advanced Manufacturing, Ethics and Law of Artificial Intelligence, and Life and Health Sciences, followed by One-to-One meetings and visits to Research Centers and Laboratories. The activities moved to Hangzhou for the day of Friday, November 14, where the focus shifted to key themes such as Cultural Heritage Preservation and Artificial Intelligence, Tropical Agriculture, and, particularly, Marine and Polar Sciences, which include biodiversity and climate change. The forum dedicated to Marine and Polar Sciences represented a significant moment for the Italian research system, with the participation of prominent figures from various institutions. Among the Italian speakers present, Roberto Bassi, President of the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, presented “Italian Research in Marine Biology.” The CNR contributed with a presentation by Gian Marco Luna, Director of the Institute of Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies, on the “Frontiers and challenges of marine biological research in the 21st century,” and with an intervention by Luca Bolognini on experiences related to the “Value of Biodiversity and Health of Marine Ecosystems” for the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC). The polar dimension was addressed by the Director of the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics, Fausto Ferraccioli, who updated participants on “Recent Italian contributions to polar research.” The XIV China-Italy Week concluded on Saturday, November 15, with visits and experiences dedicated to traditional Chinese craftsmanship and intangible cultural heritage, thus consolidating the link between scientific innovation and cultural enhancement.

The National Research Council – Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (CNR-IRBIM) in Mazara del Vallo and Ancona has recently completed the operational phase of a project carried out in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).

In light of the indications contained in GFCM Recommendation 42/2018/5, which emphasizes the need to identify and develop measures aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of bottom trawling on the juveniles of the main commercial species, the initiative is finalized for the identification and experimentation of innovative technical solutions for the reduction of by-catch and unwanted catches in multi-species trawling in the Strait of Sicily, contributing to the conservation of marine biological resources and the promotion of sustainable fishing practices.

In this context, two experimental studies were conducted in GSA 16 (Southern Sicily) in the spring of 2023 and the summer of 2025. The experimental activities at sea concerned two species of high commercial value, Merluccius merluccius (European hake) and Parapenaeus longirostris (deep-water rose shrimp), both managed under a GFCM multiannual plan and currently considered at risk of overexploitation.

The sea trials were conducted using three different commercial vessels, characterized by the same technical specifications and operating in parallel, during the same period and in the same fishing area. Each unit employed a different net configuration: a standard commercial net, used as a control; a net equipped with a selection grid for the juveniles of the two species; and a net called “T90” characterized by the meshes of a commercial net rotated by 90° compared to the traditional rhomboidal meshes. The three systems were used simultaneously to compare the abundance and composition of the catches between the commercial net and the selective devices.

On board the three vessels, CNR-IRBIM researchers Vincenzo Garozzo, Michele Luca Geraci, Khalil Besbes, Giacomo Sardo, Andrea Petetta, and Giorgio Vianson conducted sampling activities and quantitative and qualitative analysis of the catches, with the objective of evaluating the effectiveness of the different systems in reducing the capture of juvenile specimens and non-target species.

Underwater filming of the selection grids was also carried out in order to evaluate the vitality of the hake and other commercial species, as part of the analysis on the post-capture survival rate.

The project, financed by the European Union, represents a continuation of the regional cooperation initiatives promoted by the GFCM( General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean), aimed at fostering increasingly selective, sustainable, and responsible fishing. More information is available at the following link:
https://www.fao.org/gfcm/news/detail/en/c/1641477/

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