Project title: Towards coast to coast networks of marine protected areas (from the shore to the high and deep sea), coupled with sea-based wind energy potential
Acronym: CoCoNET
Program: The VII Programme in the framework of research, technological development and demonstration (FP7) - KE
Duration: 48 months
Project initiation:2012
End of the project:2016
Summary:
CoCoNET has two main themes:
1 – Identify prospective networks of existing or potential MPAs in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas, shifting from a local perspective to the regional level (network of MPAs) and finally the basin scale. The identification of the physical and biological connections among MPAs will elucidate the patterns and processes of biodiversity distribution. Measures to improve protection schemes will be suggested based on maintaining effective exchanges (biological and hydrological) between protected areas. The national coastal focus of existing MPAs will be widened to both offshore and deepsea habitats, incorporating them into the networks through examination of current legislation, to find legal solutions to setup trans-boundary MPAs.
2 - Explore and identify where Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) might be established, producing an enriched wind atlas both for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Enriched wind atlas is very important in the present situation due to global warming. OWF locations will avoid too sensitive habitats but the possibility for them to act as stepping-stones through MPAs, without interfering much with human activities, will be evaluated.
Socioeconomic studies employing ecosystem services valuation methods to develop sustainable approaches for both MPA and OWF development will also be carried out, to complement the ecological and technological parts of the project, so as to provide guidelines to design manage and monitor networks of MPAs and OWF. Two pilot projects (one in the Mediterranean Sea and one in the Black Sea) will test in the field the assumptions of theoretical approaches, based on previous knowledge, to find emerging properties in what we already know, in the light of the needs of the project. The pilot project in the Mediterranean Sea was run by the Catholic University “Our Lady of Good Counsel”.
Leader: National Council of Research CNR-ISMAR – Italy
Partners: Foundation/Catholic University “Our Lady of Good Counsel”,CLU srl – Italy, 3E N.V. – Belgium, National Council of Research CNRS – France, Technology & Research Scarl COISPA – Italy, Interuniversity National Consortium for sea research CoNISMa – Italy, State Agency Superior Council of Scientific Research CSIC – Spain, Denmark Technological University DTU AQUA – Denmark, Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare Pentru Geologie Si Geoecologie Marina Geoecomar – Romania, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research HCMR-IOO – Greece, INSTITUTE OF OCEANOLOGY - BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES IO-BAS - Bulgaria, JAVNA USTANOVA UNIVERZITET CRNE GORE PODGORICA IBMK - Montenegro, A.O. Kovalevskiy Institute of Biology of Southern Seas IBSS NASU – Ukraine, Spanish Institute of Oceanography IEO – Spain, University of Cantabria IH Cantabria – Spain, Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie INAT – Tunis, Institute of Oceanology - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences IO-BAS – Bulgaria, IOLR – Israel, University Mohammed V-Agdal ISRabat Morocco ISRABAT – Marok, Istanbul University – Turkey, Middle East Technical University METU – Turkey, Marine Hydrophysical Institute - Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences MHI – Ukraine, Naturebureau Limited NCB – United Kingdom, The National Environmental Agency NEA – Georgia, NENUPHAR SARL – France, Stiftelsen Nansen Senter for Fjernmåling NERSC – Norvegia, NIMRD – Rumania, Odessa Branch Institute of Biology of Southerns Seas National Academy of Science of Ukraine OBIBSS - Ukraine,Russian State Hydrometeorological University RSHU – Rusi, Sinop University SNU-FF – Turqi, P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences SIO RAS – Rusi, Ukrainian Scientific Centre of Ecology of the Sea UkrSCES – Ukrainë, Universita ta Malta UoM – Malta, University of Rostock – Germany, University of the Aegean – Greece, University of Zadar UNIZD – Croacia, Sofiiski Universitet Sveti Kliment Ohridski USOF – Bulgaria, Universite du Sud Toulon VAR USTV – France.
Scientific Advisor: Prof. Edmond Hajdëri [email protected]
Follow CoCoNet on:
Website: http://www.coconet-fp7.eu/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Coconet-530266773692862/
Poster in Albanian: Download
Leaflet in Albanian: Download
