DTO-BioFlow (FSTP)

Updating Mediterranean exotic fish occurrences for the European Digital Twin of the Ocean

The Mediterranean Sea is widely acknowledged as the most invaded marine region in the world and the existing geo-referenced observations of exotic species often remain scattered in scientific literature and are not easily accessible. To fill this gap, the ORMEF (Occurrence Records of Mediterranean Exotic Fish) database comprises 4,015 geo-referenced occurrences distributed across the territorial waters of 20 Mediterranean countries, sourced from 670 scientific publications. It includes data on 188 fish taxa, of which 106 species entered via the Suez Canal, 256 were introduced through human activities and 576 are of Atlantic origin (www.ormef.eu), enabling users to explore the geo-referenced data on exotic fish occurrences.

Additionally, it features animated reconstructions and customizable time interval filters, allowing for a dynamic temporal exploration of the data. The ORMEF database, besides the homonym web platform, serves as an authoritative reference for Mediterranean bio-invasion research, providing a living archive to inform management strategies and support policymakers in addressing rapid environmental changes.

Regular updates are essential to ensure the continued effectiveness and meet the requirements of ingestion in the Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO), integrating a new series of data already available through the ORMEF web platform, identifying and integrating the ORMEF database with the fragmented and unstructured information on non-indigenous fish in the Mediterranean available in the scientific literature published after 2022. Metadata and data will be made available through EMODnet Biology, laying the foundation for establishing semi-automated workflows to enable sustained data ingestion into the EU Digital Twin Ocean (DTO).

PARTNERS

Referent:

Ernesto Azzurro

Senior Researcher

Ancona

SCOPRI DI PIÙ

Duration: October 27, 2025 - April 26, 2026

Budget: 36.649,38 €

Budget IRBIM: 21.875,16 €

Areas of Research:

TEAM
Ernesto Azzurro

Senior Researcher

Ancona

Research Projects



Research Projects

The research activities of the Institute are carried out in the context of research, development and innovation projects, both national and international, based on regional funding programs (POR FEAMPA - Regional Operational Program of the European Maritime Affairs Fisheries Fund and Aquaculture and POR FESR - Regional Operational Program of the European Regional Development Fund) or ministerial (PRIN - Projects of relevant national interest, PNRA - National Research Program in Antarctica, PO FEAMPA - National Operational Program European Maritime Affairs Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund) , programs for European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg), direct funding programs of the European Commission (Horizon2020 and Horizon Europe, Life, JPI - Joint Programming Initiatives, ERA-NET Cofund) and thematic collaboration initiatives managed by international organizations such as, for example , the FAO - GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean). The Institute also develops funded projects in the context of collaborations with private companies in the sectors of the blue economy as well as technology transfer and research results. Research projects, mainly of a collaborative nature, are developed through a wide network of partners that include major Italian and foreign research institutions and universities.

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