Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) are the most important species for mollusc production in Italy. In recent years, both farmed and wild mussels have shown problems in terms of reduced meat yield and increased shell fragility, which negatively affect their quality and, consequently, their market value. Since farming techniques have not been substantially modified over time and the changes also affect wild populations, these impacts are inevitably caused by environmental phenomena that have occurred in recent years. ENDRIMUS will assess which environmental factors mainly influence the growth and quality of farmed and wild mussel populations along the Italian Adriatic coast along a latitudinal gradient. To this end, the physical and biochemical characteristics, as well as the biological variables of the water column, will be investigated, together with the abundance and composition of the phytoplankton community, which represent an important source of food for these filter feeders. Biological analyses related to growth and meat content and an in-depth study of the shell characteristics at macro, micro and nanoscale will be carried out on samples of farmed and wild mussels collected from different sites, in order to evaluate how this bivalve species is sensitive to changes in environmental conditions.
The project is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Co4SSF develops new approaches for fisheries management to support the integrated management of the coastal strip and maritime compartments where protected habitats fall, with particular reference to the Small Scale Fisheries sector.
The Northern Adriatic Sea (NAS) represents an area heavily impacted by maritime traffic, tourism, and resource exploitation. The project aims to create cross-border technical, scientific and institutional cooperation to address the challenge of assessing the impact of underwater environmental noise on marine wildlife and the NAS ecosystem in general, useful for ensuring effective protection of marine biodiversity and ecosystems and developing more sustainable use of marine and coastal resources. The objectives of the project are pursued through the construction of a shared monitoring network for underwater noise assessment, evaluation of acoustic impact on marine biological resources, and development of a planning and management tool.
To provide key information on the biodiversity and marine ecosystems of the Central Mediterranean Sea - Strait of Sicily, the ecosystem services provided, human activities and pressures due to humans and climate change.
Antibiotic-resistant and metal-resistant bacteria in seawater, marine sediments and in association with specimens of Trematomus bernacchii in Antarctica
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.