ALAS is a three-year long research project being conducted in Greece by the Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management Lab of the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of the Aegean. ALAS will fill many knowledge gaps on the impacts of marine invasive alien species and the spatial extent and variation of such impacts, and will contribute in improving our understanding of the mechanisms of impacts of invasive alien species on marine ecosystems. The project focuses on under-studied alien-native interactions, priority and vulnerable habitats (such as marine caves and shallow forests of canopy algae), and applies a multitude of approaches (such as field experiments, large-scale surveys, satellite imaging and remote sensing, species distribution modelling, and cumulative impacts assessments). It aims to provide answers to important ecological questions on the mechanisms of alien species impacts that will assist marine managers in better decisions of actions for marine conservation and halting biodiversity loss in the region.

Funding: Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation under the “First Call for H.F.R.I. Research Projects to support Faculty members and Researchers and the procurement of high-cost research equipment grant”.

Project webpage

The Mediterranean Sea endemic fan mussel Pinna nobilis has suffered from an ongoing Mass Mortality Event due to pathogen infection, since 2016. PinnaSOS aims to protect the remaining Pinna nobilis populations in the Aegean Sea, with a focus on the population of Kalloni Gulf, which is the most important population of the species in the eastern Mediterranean, with an estimate of ~1,000,000 live individuals. Based on 2020 data, the fan mussel population of Kalloni Gulf is the only known important remaining population of the species in the Aegean Sea.

Funding: Internal funding from the Department of Marine Sciences and the Research Unit of the University of the Aegean.

Project webpage

The MarCons COST Action CA15121 will consolidate a network of scientists and stakeholders who are involved in marine conservation in European and contiguous seas. By advancing the science of integrated conservation planning, promoting regional coordination and transboundary conservation, proposing specific conservation actions, accounting for climatic change and biological invasions, and providing guidance for assessing governance issues to make marine spatially managed areas more effective, this COST Action aims to bridge the gap between conservation science and policy makers and substantially contribute to the challenge of halting biodiversity loss in the European Seas by 2020.

Partners: UAegean (coordinator). Tens of scientists and research institutions from 26 European countries participate in the network's actions.

Funding: European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)

Project webpage

The project will develop and implement an operational multi-sensor system for real-time monitoring of aquaculture sea cages using optical and acoustic systems.

Partners: HCMR (coordinator), Technical Univ. of Crete, UAegean, Kefalonia Fisheries

Funding: European Maritime and Fisheries Fund

The research project MODIAS aims to advance our state of knowledge regarding the cumulative impacts of biological invasions, fisheries and Climate Change in the South Aegean Sea by the development of the first ecosystem models for the study area. These models will be used to assess for the first time the historical effects of these stressors on the study ecosystem and also make predictions under different scenarios regarding the invasion regime, fisheries management, and Climate Change. The results of the project are expected to advance our knowledge regarding the process of biological invasions in the Eastern Mediterranean and also inform fisheries management and systematic planning of marine conservation of the significantly impacted marine ecosystem of the region.

Partners: UAegean (coordinator), Institute of Marine Sciences in Barcelona - Spain (ICM-CSIC), Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research

Funding: Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation, General Secretariat for Research and Technology

Project webpage

The project aims to develop new methodologies for the study of the structure and function of coastal hard substrate food webs. Underwater visual surveys will be used for the quantification of food webs, in areas ofvarying fishing pressure. The project is expected to provide valuable tools for the systematic assessment of the marine ecosystem, in the framework of an ecosystem-based approach.

Partners: UAegean

Funding: European Social Fund, Youth Employment Initiative

The project aims to contribute towards the protection and conservation of biodiversity in the context of an integrated Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) in the Aegean Sea. A network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and protection zones will be proposed for the conservation of all important and vulnerable habitats and species, as defined by national and community legislation and international agreements. The study area covers the coastal and marine ecosystems of the Aegean Sea, Greece.

Partners: UAegean (coordinator), HCMR, IMR

Funding: EEA GRANTS 2009-2014, Public Investments Programme of the Hellenic Republic

Project webpage

The project's ultimate goal is to design a Marine Protected Area (MPA) network in the study areas, taking into account the protection of ecological characteristics and Essential Fish Habitats (EFH), significant areas for fisheries, as well as their socio-economic impacts through a participatory bottom-up process. More specifically, the project focuses on proposing MPA networks aiming to achieve the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy. Within this context, mapping of existing MPAs and EFHs is foreseen, while the development of ECOPATH models in selected MPAs will be considered, using previous and new data, in order to assess the current overall contribution of MPAs in fisheries sustainability. Additionally, what-if scenarios of MPAs’ impacts on MSY and ECOPATH/ECOSPACE models will be evaluated and discussed with a wide range of stakeholders in order to propose commonly agreed and more effective MPAs in the study areas. Moreover, different management schemes will be developed and examined in order to support the optimization of fisheries management. The project focuses on two study areas including the Greek territorial and international waters in the Aegean Sea and Cyprus’s territorial waters (up to 12 nm from the coast).

Partners: HCMR (coordinator), UAegean, Aristotle Univ. of Thessaloniki, CNR, Enalia, Univ. of Cyprus

Funding: European Maritime Affairs and Fisheres Directorate General (DG MARE)

Project webpage

The project assessed the conservation status of key marine habitats and protected species within two sites of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, which form part of the wider European Natura 2000 Network of protected areas, namely site GR2210002 'Kolpos Lagana Zakynthou (Akr. Geraki - Keri) kai nisides Marathonisi kai Pelouzo' and site GR2210003 'Nisoi Strafdes'. The project developed and applied protocols for the systematic assessment and monitoring of the Mediterranean Monk seal (Monachus monachus) population, the cetacean populations, coastal icthyofauna and benthic megafauna commuties, as well as of several key marine habitats, such as Posidonia oceanica, rocky reefs, marine caves, and soft substrates.  The results were used to update the Natura 2000 Network database and to define favourable reference values under the European Habitats Directive (92/43/ΕEC).

Partners: Aristotle Univ. of Thessaloniki (coordinator of Part 1 - species), HCMR (coordinator of Part 2 - habitats), UAegean

Funding: European Regional Development Fund

The project’s goal is to understand the links between natural and anthropogenic pressures and ecosystem functioning to define and maintain the Good Environmental Status (GES) of the Mediterranean Sea, by studying the typical, complex and not well known habitats built by calcareous encrusting algea, the coralligen. An integrated approach of complexity of coralligen will permit to mutualize and visualize large data collections, and manage knowledge to study ecosystems. Indicators, from communities to infra-specific level (DNA), will be co-constructed and tested by scientists, marine natural parks and reserves, and through the implementation of a “citizen science” network. The use of trees of knowledge as tools to sort, organize and illustrate very large heterogeneous sets of data will constitute an original approach. The outcome will be an integrative assessment of the GES within the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Partners: CNRS (coordinator), IFREMER, EGE, HCMR, NMPZ - UAegean (subcontractor)

Funding: Agence nationale de la recherche, General Sectretariat for Research and Technology, Turkiye Bilimsel Ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu

Project webpage

The area including the marine are of Nisiopi islet and the neighboring Gulf of Sigri forms part of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos. It is thus protected as a Natural History Monument under the Presidential Decree 443/85, as well as a Special Area of Conservation (code number GR4110003) under the Natura 2000 Network of European protected areas. The aim of the project was to assess the current status of the coastal marine environment, based on a detailed bionomic study of the spatial distribution of benthic flora and fauna, and of the associated anthropotenic pressures detected in the wider area. The data produced through this work can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing protection regime in conserving all important ecological components, and help improve management practices within an ecosystem-based approach.

Partners: UAegean (coordinator)

Funding: European Regional Development Fund, Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest

The project aimed to assess the status of coastal marine fisheries resources in sites of variable fishing pressure located inside and outside the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. A number of different methodological approaches was utilised for the gathering of information, including underwater visual census, sampling on-board commercial small-scale fisheries boats, application of interviews with local fisherment and stakeholders). The results showed that regardless the relatively recent establishment of the management agency and the subsequent implementation of management actions within a well-defined zone system, fisheries resources appear to have a positive response to conservation measures, as their status was found to be better inside the NMPZ compared to sites located outside of it.

Partners: UAegean (coordinator), NMPZ

Funding: MedPAN North (MED Programme), European Regional Development Fund

The project investigate the quality of the coastal ecosystems, along with the multiple effects of the associated human activities, and to establish scientific criteria for the evaluation of environmental quality. The sampling protocols and the developed bioic indices were applied in selected sites located at the Islands of Lesvos and Cyprus, which represented gradients of habitat degradation due to a variety of human activities.

Partners: UAegean (coordinator), Department of Fisheries and Marine Research Cyprus

Funding: European Regional Development Fund - INTERREG III

The project investigated a number of marine sites within the study area, and proposed the most suitable ones for the establishment of a network of underwater parks for diving and other marine-related ecotouristic activities, based on a specific set of environmetal and social criteria. It also addressed the possibity of spatially associating this network to existing marine protected areas, in order to enhance conservation efforts and the respective ecological benefits. 

Partners: APC Advanced (coordinator), UAegean

Funding: Agency for the Local Development of Lesvos, ETAL SA

Η ωκεανογραφική και αλιευτική μελέτη είχε ως κύριο στόχο την καταγραφή των αλιευτικών δραστηριοτήτων της περιοχής των Ψαρών Χίου, της κατάστασης των ενδιαιτημάτων, και τον εντοπισμό ευαίσθητων περιοχών που παίζουν σημαντικό ρόλο στη βιωσιμότητα των αλιευτικών αποθεμάτων. Προτάθηκε ένα διαχειριστικό σχέδιο προστασίας και βιώσιμης ανάπτυξης στα Ψαρά και στα γειτονικά τους Αντίψαρα, με κύριο γνώμονα τη μελλοντική ανάπτυξη θαλάσσιου πάρκου, αξιολογώντας την καταλληλότητα εναλλακτικών σεναρίων ως προς τη σημαντικότητα και ιδιομορφία των διάφορων περιοχών των νησιών.

Partners: UAegean

Funding: Chios Prefecture

Ο κύριος στόχος της μελέτης ήταν μια προκαταρκτική καταγραφή των βιολογικών παραμέτρων των πληθυσμών του κοινού χταποδιού στην περιοχή του Στενού Μυτιλήνης της Λέσβου, με έμφαση στην αναπαραγωγική βιολογία του είδους. Στα πλαίσια της μελέτης επιχειρήθηκε επίσης μια πρώτη καταγραφή δεδομένων που αφορούν την αλιεία του είδους αυτού στη Λέσβο. Με βάση την ανάλυση των στοιχείων που συλλέχθηκαν στα πλαίσια της μελέτης αυτής, οδήγησαν στην πρόταση για την διατήρηση ενός θεσμικού πλαισίου που στοχεύει στην μείωση της αλιευτικής πίεσης στα αποθέματα του χταποδιού κατά την περίοδο αναπαραγωγής του (Άνοιξη-Καλοκαίρι) στη Λέσβο.

Partners: UAegean

Funding: Lesvos Prefecture

Tropical pelagic species, such as tunas, are known to aggregate around drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs). The objective of this project is to define specifications and develop prototypes of: (a) autonomous buoys equipped with omnidirectional multi-beam sonars to observe fish aggregations associated with FADs, b) data loggers to detect individuals carrying electronic tags and satellite uplinks, c) new electronic tags with ecological sensors. Also, a model of aggregation processes will be developed for interpreting data collected by currently available downward-looking echosounders mounted on buoys. Various field experiments will be conducted to assist in development of specifications for the autonomous sonars. In the same way that oceanographers have historically used instrumented buoys to study the physical dynamics of the oceans, these autonomous pelagic observatories will contribute to a reduction in the use of research vessels and represent a new concept in the study of ocean life.

Partners: IRD (coordinator), Univ. of Hawaii, AZTI, IFREMER, Univ. de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SERPE, IMR, UAegean, Univ. Libre de Bruxelles

Funding: European Commision - Research Directorates General

Project webpage

The project focused on the collection and analysis of fishing effort data of commercially important medium and large pelagic species of the Aegean (Sarda sarda, Euthynnus sp, Auxis sp, Thunnus thynnus, Xiphias gladius), combined with satellite images and in situ oceanographic data. The results were used for modelling the migration patterns of the studied species and for improving the precision of their abundance estimates.

Partners: UAegean (coordinator), HCMR

Funding: European Maritime and Fisheries Fund

The objective of the project is to organize an integrated system, based on the existing fisheries data, which will be able to provide the appropriate information to be used for supporting the sustainable management of living resources in the Greek Seas. An important part of program is the evaluation of the existing series of biological and fishing effort data collected during the last 15 years from National and International Research projects, concerning demersal and pelagic fish stocks. These data will be assessed and improved and will constitute the base for establishing an integrated fisheries database.

Partners: HCMR (coordinator), UAegean, Univ. of Thessaly, Q&R, INFOMAP, LAMANS

Funding: General Secretariat for Research and Technology

Project webpage

The project objectives are to: (a) review and synthesise current knowledge on European cephalopod resources, (b) develop common databases and GIS, supporting new analysis of environmental interactions, (c) use available data for new stock assessments and provide recommendations for sustainable management, (d) facilitate dissemination and use of outputs from previous EU and current national RTD activities. The pan-European consortium (21 institutions in 7 European countries) represents all member states with major cephalopod fisheries, encompassing Atlantic and Mediterranean fisheries, with required cross-disciplinary expertise. It will work by correspondence with regular co-ordination meetings and workshops over 36 months. The synthesis of demographic, genetic, physiological, environmental and socio-economic data will lead to 50 deliverables including review papers, reports, and new RTD proposals.

Partners: Univ. of Aberdeen (coordinator), FRS, Imperial College, Univ. de Caen, UCNW, AZTI, RH.BNC, UKIEL.IM, IPIMAR, Univ. DIPTERIS, ICRAM, CSIC, IMBC (HCMR), UAegean

Funding: European Commision - Research Directorate General XIV

Project webpage

Ο κύριος στόχος του έργου ήταν να δώσει την δυνατότητα για έρευνα σε νέους ερευνητές στις θαλάσσιες Βιολογικές, Φυσικές και Οικονομικές επιστήμες και ιδιαίτερα στο αντικείμενο της ορθολογικής διαχείρισης των θαλάσσιων βιολογικών πόρων και των ενδιαιτημάτων τους. Οι ερευνητικές δραστηριότητες στις οποίες συμμετείχαν οι νέοι ερευνητές καλύπτουν ένα ευρύ φάσμα δραστηριοτήτων με βάση αναφοράς τους θαλάσσιους βιολογικούς πόρους όπως για παράδειγμα την βιολογία και τον κύκλο ζωής τους, την διερεύνηση του γενετικού πολυμορφισμού, την δυναμική των πληθυσμών, την ηθολογία και την συμπεριφορά, την οικλογία των ενδιαιτημάτων τους, την αλιευτική διαχείριση. Στα πλαίσια του έργου οι νέοι ερευνητές είχαν την δυνατότητα να πραγματοποιήσουν έρευνα που οδηγεί σε λήψη διδακτορικού διπλώματος ή μικρής διάρκειας έρευνα σε οποιοδήποτε από τους συνεργαζόμενους Επιστημονικούς Φορείς.

Partners: Univ. of Aberdeen (coordinator), Fisheries Research Services, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Univ. de Vigo, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, HCMR, UAegean

Funding: European Commission - Marie Curie Actions (Human Resources and Mobility)

Ο κύριος στόχος της Ωκεανογραφικής Περιβαλλοντικής προκαταρκτικής μελέτης είναι η διερεύνηση και καταγραφή του θαλάσσιου περιβάλλοντος και των κύριων παραμέτρων του, με την χρήση σύγχρονου ωκεανογραφικού εξοπλισμού, σε επιλεγμένες περιοχές της Λέσβου που θα μπορούσαν να αποτελέσουν περιοχές-στόχος για δημιουργία καταδυτικών πάρκων (Π.Ο.Α.Κ.Π. – Περιοχές Οργανωμένης Ανάπτυξης Καταδυτικών Πάρκων, Νόμος 3409, ΦΕΚ 273, 04/11/2005). Οι πληροφορίες για το θαλάσσιο περιβάλλον θα αποθηκευθούν σε χωρική βάση δεδομένων που θα αναπτυχθεί με την χρήση ΓΣΠ. Με τον τρόπο αυτό θα είναι διαθέσιμες οι πληροφορίες εκείνες σε Φορείς Διαχείρισης και Λήψης Αποφάσεων σε οποιαδήποτε σχέδια και κινήσεις για μελλοντική ανάπτυξη εναλλακτικού τουρισμού στο νησί που σχετίζεται με καταδυτικό τουρισμό.

Partners: UAegean

Funding: Lesvos Prefecture

The project aims at providing tools to intercept and manage sea-originated threats to the coastal zone. It is comprised of: a) Identification and mapping of tsunami and other extreme sea level hazards for Eastern Mediterranean coasts. b) Actions for public education and awareness for responsive actions. c) Development of tools and methodologies for managing and minimizing the impact of coastal pollution events. d) Development and application of a pilot plan for coastal prevention and response to accidental marine pollution events. The Eastern Mediterranean Sea, characterized by the highest earthquake potential of Europe, has repeatedly been hit by tsunamis, as the instrumental, historical and geological records reveal. Lately the tsunami-related threat is more ominous than before due to the rise of tourism and population concentration in coastal areas. Other emerging threats to coastal communities include chemical, microbial and even radioactive pollution, while the frequency and size of extreme sea-level events is expected to rise in the future, possibly causing sea-originated floods. The project aims to provide tools and methodologies to intercept and/or manage a number of sea originated threats to the coastal zone and to increase the security of coastal regions against these threats.

Partners: UAegean (coordinator), HCMR, Aristotle Univ. of Thessaloniki, Oceanography Center of the Univ. of Cyprus

Funding: European Regional Development Fund - INTERREG III

Project webpage

Αντικείμενο του έργου ήταν η εμπεριστατωμένη διερεύνηση των χαρακτηριστικών του φυσικού και ανθρωπογενούς περιβάλλοντος και η διαμόρφωση/εξειδίκευση διαχειριστικών μέτρων των περιοχών που έχουν προταθεί για ένταξη στο Δίκτυο Natura 2000 με κωδικούς 'GR 2550001 – Φαράγγι Νέδωνα', 'GR 2550003 – Σαπιέντζα και Σχίζα, Ακρωτήρι Ακρίτας', και 'GR 2550007 – Θαλάσσια περιοχή Στενού Μεθώνης' του Νομού Μεσσηνίας, στα πλαίσια εφαρμογής ενός ολοκληρωμένου προγράμματος διαχείρισης και λειτουργίας των περιοχών αυτών.

Partners: UAegean

Funding: Messinia Prefecture

The project is a research-network, linking Greek Universities and Research Institutions working in the field of underwater acoustics. The project objectives are: (a) the dissemination of results obtained through participation in research activities, and (b) the training of people involved in applications related to this particular research area.

Partners: Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH) - Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (coordinator), HCMR, UAegean, PELAGOS Cetacean Research Institute, MARAC Electronics SA

Funding: General Secretariat for Research and Technology

Project webpage (in greek)

The project had three major strategic objectives: a) to ameliorate conservation of transitional water natural heritage health in the CADSES area, by deepening knowledge, producing technological innovation, reinforcing regulation and overcoming fragmentation of expertise and activities, of scientific, socio-economic and decision-maker competencies; b) to reinforce territorial integration in the CADSES area on the environmental policy conservation strategies, according to the UE Directives (e.g., Nature 2000, Water Framework Directives); c) to encourage socio-economic development in NMS coastal areas, by translating the efforts on conservation into sustainable development strategies, creation of new jobs opportunities and improvement of quality of life. Common field research activities addressed topic within the first two project objectives, representing the larges compelling intercalibration exercise currently existing at the European scale on transitional water ecosystems. In fact, one of the project work-packages was designed in order to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in th Mediterranean and Black Sea Eco-Regions.

Partners: Univ. of Lecce (coordinator), Univ. of Bologna, Univ, of Trieste, Institute of Oceanology of Varna, Galati Univ., HCMR, National and Kapodistrian Univ. of Athens, Univ. of Ioannina, Fisheries Research Institute (FRI), UAegean

Funding: European Regional Development Fund - INTERREG III