Demonstrations
Atlantic Ocean
Enabling Partners: MARINE INSTITUTE (IE)
Challenge/Motivation:
Investigate how individual Nephrops interact with a specific burrow in a medium density population within the inshore mud patch of Galway Bay. Monitoring this interaction can refine the stock survey assumption of “one animal, one burrow”.
Location:
The SmartBay area in Galway Bay, Ireland, is a large semi-diurnal tidal bay shielded from the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean by the Aran Islands.
Approach:
Utilize standalone imaging systems installed on the cabled observatory for local observation of burrow systems and individual counting. This approach enables tracking the behavioural patterns of a particular group of individuals over time.
Mediterranean Sea Demonstration
Challenge/Motivation:
Investigate the impacts of climatic and human influences on coastal fish communities in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on commercially important species like Sparidae fishes and dolphins.
Approach:
Utilize time-lapse video-imaging and environmental data collection to study species richness and understand how behavioural patterns and environmental factors influence biodiversity sampling at different time scales. The OBSEA network enables local abundance calculations based on fish counts over time. Fish counts will be correlated with apex predator presence (e.g., dolphins) and the impact of maritime noise through PAM monitoring.
Location:
1. OBSEA area (CollS i Mira el Peix Marine Reserve NATURA2000), Spain: The OBSEA Seafloor Observatory was established in May 2009 at a depth of 20m in the marine reserve Colls Miralpeix, 4 km offshore of Vilanova i la Geltrú (Catalan Coast, western Mediterranean).
2. PLACE area (Ancona harbour, Adriatic Sea, Italy): The Adriatic Sea is a semi-enclosed basin with varying depths. The northern area is shallow, while the central part can reach depths of up to 270 meters. The continental slope separates the central and southern basins, where depths can reach 1200 meters.
North (Baltic) Sea Demonstration
Challenge/Motivation:
The marine transition zones in the North (Baltic) Sea are under-studied. These areas serve as crucial spots for species reproduction and juvenile sheltering, making them nursery areas. However, they face increasing industrial threats, such as fisheries. Monitoring actions in this region can set a precedent for oceanic conservation efforts.
Location:
Located in Gullmarsfjorden on the west coast of Sweden, this 25 km long and 1-3 km wide area lies approximately 100 km North of Göteborg. It is a threshold fjord with a maximum depth of about 120 m. Gullmarsfjorden is Sweden’s first marine nature reserve and falls under the EU’s Natura 2000 protected areas network. It is also part of the OSPAR network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) designated for threatened species and habitats.
Approach:
To analyse the impact of fishing activities on coastal rocky reef areas and soft sediments, a network of pelagic and benthic platforms will be utilized. This will involve collecting time series oceanographic data, images, and footage to study the behaviour of Nephrops norvegicus, its predators, preys, and the disturbances caused by maritime noise and creel fishing.
