NEWS: Capacity Building on Methodological approaches to assess PET species–fishery interactions in support of Ecosystem-Based Management

On 13th, 14th and 15th May 2026, within the framework of the Activity 3.2 “Ideation and implementation of capacity building series for sustainable marine ecosystem management” of SAMESEA Project, a Capacity Building event was held at the Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment of the University of Bari. The initiative, which focused on methodological approaches to assess interactions between protected, endangered, and threatened (PET) species and fisheries, contributed to disseminating and strengthening knowledge about the methodological frameworks implemented in various scientific contexts within the ADRION region.

The first day presented case studies focusing on the spatial overlap between PET species and fisheries, with presentations on the case study developed within the SAMESEA project (human interaction with T. truncatus, C. caretta and M. monachus) and the case studies related to modeling the distribution of cetaceans in the Northern Ionian Sea, integrating behavioral data, and the distribution of elasmobranch species throughout the Mediterranean (LIFE PROMETHEUS).

The second day was dedicated to ecological food web modeling approaches (Ecopath with Ecosim and Ecospace), which involved modeling human pressures (primarily fishery) on cetaceans and commercial fisheries resources, considering the contribution of climate change.

The third and final day addressed conservation strategies for PET species and operational measures, presenting management and conservation approaches for elasmobranchs in the Adriatic Sea and post-mortem diagnostic frameworks for assessing interactions between dolphins and fisheries (LIFE DELFI).

The event also provided an opportunity to highlight valuable synergies with other EU-funded projects. The contributions of LIFE PROMETHEUS and LIFE DELFI projects demonstrated how knowledge and tools generated across different projects can be effectively combined and further advanced.