The institute's projects focus on protected species and the impact of fisheries on them. Collaboration and information exchange within the EU Blue Parks Community help support their efforts.
The Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology of the National Research Council of Italy (IRBIM CNR) has been an active member of the EU Blue Parks Community, contributing to community workshops and collaborating with other members to create solutions for marine protection. In an interview with Alessandro Lucchetti, marine biologist and senior scientist at the institute, we delve deeper into the challenges of marine protection and how joining the EU Blue Parks Community has helped their cause.
Founded more than fifty years ago, the IRBIM CNR conducts fundamental and applied research to study marine organisms, biodiversity, ecosystems, and their evolution in relation to global change and the anthropogenic impact. ‘We are based in Ancona, where we have a big fishing harbour; therefore, the institute was founded to support fishing management. The most important research activity at IRBIM CNR is on marine biology, ecology and efficient technology. We support the local authorities with data and the management of fishing activities. We work on fishing technology and study fishing gear with the intention of making it more sustainable,’ - explains Lucchetti.
Engaging fishers as project partners
The institute’s projects, TartaLife and Life DELFI, focus on protected species and fisheries’ impact on them. Under the LIFE programme, financed by the European Commission, the projects aim to reduce sea turtle bycatching in professional fishing and to limit interactions between fishing activities and dolphin life. Lucchetti explains that the projects face similar problems – the harmful effects of fisheries on turtles and dolphins, as shown by high bycatch rates.
The implications of fishing activities go beyond marine protection, he adds. ‘Dolphins are important for the ecosystem, and we have millions of people interested in dolphin conservation. These people also provide an economy. For example, we have partners working with tourists, where the main activity is to show the presence of dolphins and turtles. Therefore, it’s important to protect the species not only from an ecological point of view, but because they are also important for the local economy.’
According to the scientist, the solution for these projects was to establish a strong relationship with the fishers and make them project partners, taking into account their aims and challenges. ‘We are aware of their problems – they have to profit from their business. That's why the solution that we introduced with Life DELFI, for instance, was a compromise between the economic and socio-economic needs of fishers and the environmental needs.’
Life DELFI supplies fishers with alternative economic opportunities such as dolphin watching. ‘The idea is not to ask these businesses to completely change their activity, but to propose activities with less impact,’ Lucchetti explains. The project also suggests alternative solutions, such as using the dolphin-safe label. This way, the fishers can add value to their products, showing that they contribute to saving the environment and are trying to make a difference.
The importance of the EU Blue Parks Community
Lucchetti says that the most important feature of the community is the exchange of practical information and solutions among its members. This was clear from the very first workshop he attended. ‘I really like the practical approach that informs people of what has been done in other areas and in other countries. It gives insight into solutions that are already being implemented. For example, I was able to see restoration actions from the Nordic countries, where they cover vast areas, showing different restoration actions.’
Collaboration within the community is another important point. ‘At the workshop, I met people from different backgrounds; for example, directors of marine protected areas, and I had a chance to hear their point of view. I really like these opportunities to have different stakeholders at the same table.’ Through the community, the institute has also found new partners, with whom they have applied for a Horizon project. ‘The approach is practical: not only sharing problem-solving solutions but also promoting projects. It is a good platform for finding financial opportunities and partners. That’s why we have decided to be part of the community’.
The EU Blue Parks Community is constantly growing and evolving into a collaborative space for authorities, institutions, researchers and practitioners to protect marine areas under Mission Ocean and Waters. Join the community today and don’t miss the next workshop on 12 November 2024.
To learn more about our community members' work and how they benefit from the EU Blue Parks Community, read our interview with Ivana Stojanovic, Team Lead MSP, MPA and MU from the SUBMARINER Network.