NEWS: Connecting Efforts Across Borders: A Shared Model for Marine Species Monitoring

Activity 1.2 of SAMESEA aimed to create a common coordination model for regional and local monitoring practices of sentinel species, with the goal of promoting an effective and standardized model of collaboration.

In order to implement this activity, Project Partners were asked to organize local Round Tables in seven Countries (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece), to examine the monitoring systems for sentinel species on stranding events, free-ranging animal observation, and sea turtle nesting. They identify current legislative frameworks, monitoring techniques and practices with the aim to highlighting strengths, gaps, opportunities, and recommendations for enhanced conservation efforts through improved collaboration, standardized methodologies, and data-sharing mechanisms.

Round table Bosnia and Herzegovina

Round table Italy

Round table Montenegro

Round table Albania

Round table Croatia

The main outputs of the round table discussion were reported in Deliverable 1.2.1 .

From the document emerges that the monitoring and conservation of dolphins, monk seals, and sea turtles vary widely across the EUSAIR region and that there is the need to standardize monitoring protocols among the countries, establishing national formal networks with centralized databases which are open to the stakeholders.

In the following tables a schematic resume of the Round Table result is reported:

Following the implementation of this first part of Activity 1.2, Deliverable 1.2.2 has been developed. It contains a coordination model capable of activating local short networks and joining them with transnational long networks, in addition to a set of guidelines on the use of innovative and sustainable methodologies and monitoring best practices capitalized from other projects.