The UNDERSEA project’s main goals are to monitor, evaluate, and tackle the underwater noise pollution caused by human activities. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea recognizes underwater noise as an internationally significant pollutant, while the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires EU member states to monitor and mitigate it to achieve good environmental status in the sea. Marine pollution stems from various human activities like shipping, tourism, fishing, and resource exploitation. These sounds can harm marine life, and noise levels in EU waters, especially in the Adriatic Sea, have doubled between 2014 and 2019. Addressing and reducing marine noise pollution is a cross-border challenge, and UNDERSEA will build on the groundwork laid by the SOUNDSCAPE project, expanding the monitoring network to cover the entire Adriatic Sea. The project introduces crucial innovations to develop effective monitoring and comprehensive noise mapping, including studying small boats and fishing vessels, which are common but understudied in the Adriatic. The project introduces crucial innovations to develop effective monitoring and comprehensive noise mapping, including studying small boats and fishing vessels, which are common but understudied in the Adriatic. Fishing is a significant activity throughout the Adriatic Sea. However, so far, only AIS-equipped fishing boats have been considered as potential noise sources, excluding medium-small vessels typical of local fishing fleets. Additionally, noise modeling has relied on noise produced during navigation, while noise during fishing activities might differ. Dedicated experiments will assess noise levels directly at the source from different types of fishing vessels during various fishing activities. Satellite data will aid in mapping the geographic distribution of these vessels and small leisure boats, facilitating the development of tools for a comprehensive assessment of Adriatic noise. Small boats have never been evaluated in any European underwater noise study, offering new management tools for the sea, coastal environment, and shared natural resources. The project will also utilize data collected since 2020 by the MS_Conero fixed station developed by IRBIM for the SOUNDSCAPE project within the Adriatic monitoring network.
The project, coordinated by CNR under the guidance of the Marine Science Institute, involves the participation of 7 partners and 2 associated partners.
Project partners:
1. National Research Council (Lead Partner)
2. Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation (Croatia)
3. Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (Croatia)
4. ARPA Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy)
5. Fondazione Cetacea (Italy)
6. ARPA Puglia (Italy)
7. Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of Dubrovnik-Neretva County (Croatia)
8. Croatian Museum of Natural History (Croatia)
In addition to the participation of some associated partners such as:
A sampling campaign of study and observations involving marine scientists and citizens in the common effort to produce a series of snapshots from the sea during lockdown.
WATERCARE aims to improve bathing water quality by reducing microbial contamination and using innovative tools for wastewater management and treatment.
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.
ITACA addresses the competitiveness of the fisheries sector in the Adriatic by fostering blue innovation and improving the sustainability of fisheries.
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.