Once recovered, the animals will be returned to the sea thanks to the collaboration of the fishing sector in the framework of the LIFE ECOREST Project, which aims to restore about 30,000 hectares of deep sea habitats in Catalonia.
The LIFE ECOREST project coordinated by the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) has installed in Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona) the first of a total of 18 aquariums that will be set up during the next year in different guilds of the Catalan coast for the recovery of by-catch organisms, among which are gorgonians, corals, sponges and other structuring organisms.
Once recovered, they will be returned to the sea thanks to the collaboration of the fishing sector, and several oceanographic campaigns will be carried out to know the evolution of the recovered organisms, among other research studies.
The ultimate goal of the project, which also involves the Federation of Fishermen's Guilds of Girona, the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the University of Barcelona and WWF Spain, is to restore about 30,000 hectares of deep marine habitats in Catalonia. To this end, researchers will receive funding from the European Union's LIFE Program.
Meeting with journalists
The presentation of the first of the aquariums installed took place this morning at the fishermen's guild of Vilanova i la Geltrú, where a meeting with journalists of the project was held. During the event, the partners presented the main advances of the initiative, emphasizing the benefits of marine restoration and marine reserves to regenerate habitats and key species such as corals and gorgonians, which act as architects of the seabed. They also stressed the fundamental role of the fishing sector in this work and in ensuring the sustainability of fisheries.
In the final part of the meeting, some organisms from deep sea habitats that have been recovered in aquariums through the badminton method, a technique whereby corals and gorgonians are attached to a rocky substrate that keeps them upright and are thrown into the sea directly from the boats, were returned to the sea.
Finally, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), through the Biodiversity Foundation and the National Focal Point of the LIFE program, managed by the Ministry's Budget Office, commemorated the 30th anniversary of the European Union's LIFE program at an event in which the successes achieved thanks to this financial instrument, which in Spain has supported more than 920 projects with an economic contribution of close to 830 million euros, were shared.
Restoration benefits
Marine restoration accelerates the natural recovery capacity of marine communities, some of which are in a poor state of conservation after decades of human impacts. Specifically, in the project area, it is estimated that more than 90% of the seabed between 50 and 800 meters’ deep shows signs of degradation, which hinders the regeneration of natural resources.
This area is considered a point of great ecological importance due to the high concentration of endangered, threatened or vulnerable species, including corals and gorgonians. Therefore, until 2026, the LIFE ECOREST program of actions will serve to try to improve the conservation status of deep-sea habitats and demonstrate the effectiveness of participatory management of the fishing sector.
In this sense, among other actions, spaces for dialogue will be provided and the development of capacities and governance schemes for the main users and managers will be encouraged. In fact, a first workshop will be held tomorrow to lay these foundations.