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
The disappearance of Gianna Fabi
With deep sorrow, the Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology (CNR-IRBIM) announces the death of Gianna Fabi who has dedicated over 40 years of his career to marine research. In the words of the director: “Gianna was an esteemed colleague and a passionate researcher, whose scientific contribution has enriched not only our Institute, with particular reference to Ancona, but also the wider marine scientific community. She has always participated with dedication in the Working Group on Artificial Reefs; she has also contributed as an expert to prestigious working groups such as GFCM, CITES, EFARO and STECF and has built and conducted dozens and dozens of research projects”. Her death leaves a deep void in the scientific community, which will miss her strongly.
ICES/FAO Working Group on Fishing Technology and Fish Behaviour (WGFTFB25)
IRBIM CNR Mazara del Vallo is pleased to announce the next annual meeting of the ICES-FAO Working Group on Fisheries Technology and Fish Behavior (WGFTFB), which will be held in Mazara del Vallo, Italy, from Thursday 15 May to Tuesday 20 May. The working group is an excellent opportunity to discuss all aspects of fisheries technology and fish behaviour, including recent developments at Mediterranean level. Topics to be discussed will include:
- The use of indicators to describe and compare the performance of fishing gear (Indicators);
- Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG);
- Operational and technical constraints of fishing gear to support coexistence with offshore wind energy and open water aquaculture (Multiple Use).
Thematic sessions will include:
- Collection and standardization of the parameters of mobile fishing gear in contact with the bottom and their fuel consumption;
- Advances in sustainable fishing practices and their impact on marine ecosystems.
Registration for the meeting is open until April 11. For more information about the event and the topics that will be covered, please visit the official website of the meeting: https://wgftfb.org/annual-meeting/meeting-information/ . Abstract submission is now open! Submit your abstract here: https://wgftfb.org/annual-meeting/abstract-submission/ . We look forward to welcoming you to Mazara del Vallo.
IRBIM and YACademy Collaboration
The collaboration between CNR-IRBIM and YAC- Young Architects Competitions continues successfully. Following the support for the competition “Iron Island” to write the future of ancient oil platforms, the Advanced Training Course “Concept Design for Architecture” will be held in 2025 to encourage research in design by providing concrete themes and generating solutions for modern challenges. The course includes participation as lecturers by colleagues Gian Marco Luna and Pierluigi Penna from IRBIM in Ancona for the module “Climate Change and Environmental Challenges – Habitats in the Post-Anthropocene”. The goal is to offer a structured criterion with content from various disciplines to stimulate creativity and guide designers in generating original and successful architectural ideas with an innovative approach. As sea professionals, the colleagues will illustrate the changes in marine space caused by human interaction and the scientific questions that require, for example, the creation of low-impact infrastructures. Climate change entails increasingly pressing challenges that require innovative and sustainable solutions to mitigate the effects of global warming and build a more sustainable future, even for marine ecosystems. All these challenges must be addressed with multi-disciplinarity and the meeting of professionals from different sectors. For information and dissemination of the initiative, it is possible to consult the Yacademy website. It is possible to watch presentation videos of the past competition Iron Island; and the official presentation video of the course “Concept Design for Architecture”.
IRBIM Mazara del Vallo at the G7 agriculture and fisheries
On the occasion of the G7 Agriculture and Fisheries, held from 21 to 29 September 2024 in the evocative setting of Syracuse-Ortigia, colleagues from IRBIM Mazara del Vallo attended conferences and round tables with contributions of knowledge and ideas to make Italian fishing in the changing Mediterranean more sustainable and resilient.
The G7 in Syracuse, in line with the work carried out in previous G7 Agriculture ministerial meetings, focused on the resilience and sustainability of agriculture and fisheries through the following thematic priority areas: science and innovation for adaptation to climate change and the contribution of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture to food security.
In particular, the research carried out by researchers from IRBIM Mazara del Vallo and related during the G7 focused on current issues such as the management of invasive species such as blue crabgrass and thermophilic species such as worm, the development of recovery plans for threatened resources such as sea urchins, climate change and relationship with biological resources with a focus on the management issues of special fisheries by Fabio Fiorentino; of “Strategies for the evaluation of catches and reduction of the fraction discarded in trawling” and of the “latest assessments on the state of resources in the Strait of Sicily” for the optimization of fishing practices and safeguard biodiversity by Sergio Vitale while Germana Garofalo He spoke of “natural capital and assessment of cumulative impacts”.
These contributions demonstrate how cooperation between scientific research, technological innovation and management policies is essential for a sustainable future of fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean.
The initiatives presented during the G7 in Syracuse represent a tangible example of how science can offer innovative solutions for the management of fish species and the protection of marine habitats, which are essential to face the challenges posed by climate change.
Moby Litter, workshop on plastic pollution in the oceans
On September 24th at the Aula Azzurra “Mario Giordano” of the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DISVA) of the Polytechnic University of Marche, the fifth edition of the annual workshop “Moby Litter“. The event, which focused on the persistent problem of plastic pollution in the oceans, offered an important platform for discussion between researchers, government bodies, civil society, innovative companies and educational institutions. The freediving champion Ilaria Molinari inaugurated the workshop with a touching speech entitled “Deep Plastic”, emphasizing the profound impact of this environmental problem. The Rector, Prof. Gian Luca Gregori, reiterated the strategic importance of “Moby Litter” for the University, underlining how the event stimulates an in-depth reflection on the causes, effects and possible solutions to plastic pollution, promoting a transdisciplinary approach.
This year, the workshop took an even broader approach, integrating scientific research with art and concrete action.
Among the speakers, Daniele Silvetti (Mayor of Ancona), Vincenzo Vitale (Maritime Director of the Marche and Commander of the Port Authority of Ancona) and many other representatives of academic and research institutions.
For the CNR-IRBIM , the director Gian Marco Luna opened with institutional greetings and his colleague Elisa Punzo of the Ancona office, held a presentation entitled: “Marine Litter, challenges and opportunities in the field of Blue Growth”.
The event, part of the SHARPER – European Researchers’ Night programme, funded by the European Commission, offered a unique opportunity to deepen knowledge on plastic pollution and to discuss possible mitigation strategies. At this link the poster of the event with the details of the interventions.
FARO Campaign – Fishing impacts on Isidella elongata vulnerable marine ecosystems
September 18, 2024. The oceanographic campaign FARO (Fishing impacts on Isidella elongata vulnerable marine ecosystems) on board the research ship “Gaia Blu” of the National Research Council has started. The campaign aimed at the protection and enhancement of deep marine ecosystems: its primary objective is the identification and mapping of the so-called “soft-bottom coral gardens”, valuable habitats characterized by the presence of the black coral Isidella elongata, a species classified as “critically threatened” by the IUCN.
Through the use of advanced underwater telemetry systems, researchers on board the ship will explore the seabed of the Strait of Sicily, collecting crucial data for understanding the biodiversity associated with these delicate ecosystems and for assessing the impact of human activities.
In particular, predictive models will be used to identify areas of potential presence of black coral and high-resolution bathymetric surveys will be carried out to obtain detailed images of the seabed.
The FARO campaign, coordinated by Giorgio Castellan of CNR-ISMAR, and Valentina Lauria of CNR IRBIM in Mazara del Vallo, sees the participation of a multidisciplinary team of experts from various Italian research institutes, including CNR-Ismar, the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station in Naples and the University of Bari. For CNR IRBIM also Vincent Georges was on board.
The planned activities are part of the context of European policies for the conservation of marine biodiversity, in line with the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and with the recent approval of the Nature Restoration Law.
The campaign is supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), as part of the activities of the National Centre for Biodiversity (NBFC).
PELASeam campaign on the CNR-Gaia Blu ship
On Monday, July 23, 2024, the “PELASeam” Pelagic Sea Mountain campaign began. The campaign is coordinated by Fabio Campanella together with Andrea Miccoli of the CNR-Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology in Ancona. It will last about two weeks with the aim of exploring the pelagic productivity, biodiversity and ecological roles of two seamounts in the Tyrrhenian Sea, “Vercelli” and “Vavilov”. Numerous researchers from the various CNR IRBIM centres are involved in the campaign, namely: Martina Scanu, Daniel Li Veli, Federico Calí, Sara Bonanomi, Alessandra Campanelli, Giuseppe Caccamo, Rocco De Marco, Claudia Sacchetti, Gaspare Avanzati, Monica Panfili, Luca Bolognini, Deborah D’Angelo and Maria Chiara Catta. The campaign is the result of the collaboration with the CNR-ISMAR – Institute of Marine Sciences, CNR-ISP of Polar Sciences, the Polytechnic University of Marche, the University of Palermo and the OGS – National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics, thanks also to the technical support of the University of Padua. In the vicinity of the two submerged mountains, water samples will be collected for the analysis of the chemical and physical component and biological samples will be collected through plankton net, to examine biodiversity at various levels of the marine food chain. On board the Gaia Blu, acoustic, optical and visual observations will be carried out to study the marine fauna and its interactions, and large volumes of water will be filtered on board for the study of the animal community present in the immediate vicinity of the mountains, through environmental DNA analysis. The information will contribute to a greater understanding of seamounts and their role in supporting marine biodiversity: this will also allow the development of strategies for the sustainable management of resources, all under the auspices of the NBFC-National Biodiversity Future Centre.
Sustainability and resilience of Italian fisheries in the changing Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea, characterized by unique biodiversity and a long fishing history, today faces a series of environmental and socio-economic pressures. Climate change is altering the distribution patterns of marine species, with significant impacts on their abundance and availability. Overfishing, coastal pollution and urbanisation of marine areas are additional threats that threaten the health of marine ecosystems and the sustainability of fisheries. Italy, which has one of the oldest fishing traditions in the Mediterranean, is at the heart of these changes, trying to balance the conservation of marine resources with the needs of fishing that is both economical and sustainable. IRBIM researchers have been engaged for years in the assessment of fisheries resources to ensure the long-term resilience of the sector and the sustainability of key species. During the 53rd SIBM congress held at the CNR headquarters in Rome, during the session dedicated to “Environmental Impacts”, Fabio Fiorentino (research manager at IRBIM CNR in Mazara del Vallo) presented a presentation on the topic “Sustainability and resilience of Italian fisheries in the changing Mediterranean”. Given the topic of interest and thanks to the permission of Dr. Fabio Fiorentino, the slides are published at the previous link to make them available to all IRBIM researchers and other interested parties.
IRBIM course on scientific writing and management of bibliographic elements
From 28 to 30 May 2024, the IRBIM-Lesina hosted the first edition of the “Practical course on scientific writing and management of bibliographic elements” designed and dedicated to members of the Institute. The course, lasting a total of 16 hours, combined theoretical lessons (4 hours) with practical exercises (12 hours), offering participants a complete and up-to-date overview of best practices for the effective management of bibliographic sources and citations in the drafting of scientific reports and articles. The course was divided into three main modules, structured to provide participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to deal with each phase of the scientific writing process:
- pre-writing, with research and management of the bibliography, use of keywords and Boleani operators to make the search effective;
- writing, with the creation of a solid and original bibliography, Cite-while-writing in word and Latex, plagiarism self-assessment;
- post-writing, evaluation of scientific journals and selection of the most suitable publication venue, analysis of metrics and impact indicators.
In addition to lectures and practical exercises, the course included moments of sharing and discussion among the participants, with lunches and coffee breaks organized by the staff of the Lesina office, to encourage interaction between participants from different IRBIM locations, creating a collaborative and stimulating learning environment. The Scientific and Organizational Committee was composed of: Manuela Coci, Andrea Miccoli, Paolo Pezzutto, Antonella Specchiulli, Primiano Schiavone, Marco D’Adduzio and Gian Marco Luna. The course was a valuable opportunity for IRBIM researchers to deepen their knowledge and skills in the field of science communication. The course also provided participants with the necessary tools to produce high-quality scientific articles, compliant with international publication standards and to increase their chances of success in the competitive research landscape. It is possible to download the program and contact the organizers for interest, information and any other editions.