Taking advantage of the sampling campaign in Croatia, conducted within the project FishMPABlue 2, Ecomers researchers participated to a meeting with local small scale fishermen. The more appropriate governance tools to enhance management of small scale fisheries in the MPAs have been discussed together. In collaboration with international experts (Nathan Bennett, David Gill, Federico Niccolini), Ecomers developed a questionnaire in order to investigate the human dimension of small scale fisheries in the 11 Mediterranean MPAs included in the project.

In the framework of the Med Project FishMPABlue 2 Ecomers lab, together with Conisma (Italy), started in June a sampling campaign covering 11 Mediterranean MPAs: Cap Roux, Cote Bleue, Bonifacio (France), Torre Guaceto, Egadi, Portofino (Italy), Es Freus, Cabo de Palos (Spain), Telascica (Croatia) and Strunjan (Slovenia).

During the campaign, lasting 3 months, researchers from the two institutions carried out underwater visual census, diver operated videos (DOV), baited underwater videos (BUV) and squid-pop to investigate the ecological effectiveness of the 11 MPAs, by comparing fish density, biomass and predation intensity between MPAs and control sites.

In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, as from 2009, 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as “World Oceans Day” (resolution 63/111, paragraph 171).  Many countries have celebrated World Oceans Day following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

The oceans cover about two-thirds of the surface of the Earth and are the very foundations of life. They generate most of the oxygen we breathe, absorb a large share of carbon dioxide emissions, provide food and nutrients and regulate climate. They are important economically for countries that rely on tourism, fishing and other marine resources for income and serve as the backbone of international trade.

Unfortunately, human pressures, including overexploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, destructive fishing, as well as unsustainable aquaculture practices, marine pollution, habitat destruction, alien species, climate change and ocean acidification are taking a significant toll on the world’s oceans and seas.

Peace and security are also critical to the full enjoyment of the benefits that can be derived from the oceans and for their sustainable development. As has been remarked by the Secretary-General: “There will be no development without security and no security without development.” To know more http://www.un.org/en/events/oceansday/

This year’s theme for the Day is “Our oceans, our future” and is connected to the Ocean Conference taking place from 5 to 9 June at United Nations headquarters in New York, where ECOMERS is represented as a part of the French delegation.

To know more about the Ocean Conference http://www.un.org/en/conf/ocean/index.shtml