The partners of the project “Coordinated strategy for the assessment, monitoring and management of cetaceans in the sub-region of the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast” (CetAMBICion) have organised an informative meeting to inform social agents from the fishing and conservation sectors in Spain about the project, as well as its actions and first... Read more »

The partners of the project “Coordinated strategy for the assessment, monitoring and management of cetaceans in the sub-region of the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast” (CetAMBICion) have organised an informative meeting to inform social agents from the fishing and conservation sectors in Spain about the project, as well as its actions and first advances, with the aim of gathering suggestions and contributions for its implementation.

During the meeting, the progress of the first stage of the project’s implementation was presented. Specifically, the state of implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive with regard to cetaceans is being comprehensively analysed, as well as the information available on the abundance and distribution of this group of species in the sub-region. Work has also started on a common approach to address the problem of by-catch, through a risk analysis and the study of assessment and monitoring methodologies. Coordination and sectoral participation has also been strengthened and communication tools, such as the website and other information materials, have been put in place.

This session was attended by 50 participants from organisations linked to the fisheries and conservation sector, such as fisheries administrations, fishermen’s guilds and federations, as well as from the field of port management, NGOs, universities and research centres with special activity in the autonomous communities of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country.

The collaboration of the fishing sector and related organisations is one of the key elements of this European project to achieve the objective of contributing to the estimation and reduction of cetacean by-catches in the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast.

PARTNERS OF THE PROJECT

Until 2023, this initiative, involving 15 partners from France, Portugal and Spain, will strengthen collaboration and scientific work between the three countries, with the participation of the fisheries sector and NGOs.

The project, coordinated by the Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC), involves as Spanish partners the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, through the Biodiversity Foundation and the General Directorates of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification and of the Coast and the Sea; the General Secretariat of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA); as well as the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) and AZTI.

On the French side, the University of La Rochelle, the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the French Biodiversity Office are represented as partners.

Portugal participates through the Directorate General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services; the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere; the Portuguese Institute for Natural Conservation and Forests; the Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research and the University of the Algarve. 

The project is part of the European Commission’s DG ENV/MSFD 2020 (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) call and is also developed in line with the requirements of the Habitats Directive and the Common Fisheries Policy.