Prof. Patrick J. Schembri (UoM-DoB) delivered a presentation entitled ‘The deep sea around Malta: a biodiversity hotspot?’ at an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation / Agence Française des Aires Marines Protégées (AFAMP) meeting on ‘Mediterranean Deep-Sea Ecosystems’ on 9 -10 September, 2015, which was held at the Station Marine D‘Endoume – IMBE, Marseille, France. Please find presentation here.
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An outdoor photographic exhibition was held this August as part of the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project. The aim of the exhibition was to increase the public’s appreciation for the marine environment, thereby increasing public participation in the promotion, conservation and management of marine habitats.
This will help to create a sense of ownership among the general public for the marine environment in the Maltese Islands, strengthening the Maltese people’s ability to identify with their natural heritage. This is important to ensure cooperation and compliance with conservation measures for the protected areas, when these are in place.
The exhibition commenced on Monday 10th August 2015 in St George’s Square Valletta, displaying 20 different local marine photographs, consisting of various themes such as people-sea interaction, marine biodiversity and seascapes. The exhibition remained on display in Valletta until Sunday 16th August 2015, and was subsequently displayed in two other localities: Sliema promenade (17th – 23rd August 2015) and Qawra, next to the Malta National Aquarium (24th – 30th August 2015). Public talks were held at the Malta National Aquarium and at the St Paul’s Bay Local Council on the 25th and 26th August 2015 respectively, to provide information about the project, marine habitats and the Natura 2000 network.
The official opening of the photographic exhibition was on Tuesday 11th August 2015, at St George’s Square Valletta. Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) Ecosystems Management Unit Manager, Mr Darrin T. Stevens, opened the launch, introducing the LIFE BaĦAR project and providing details about the aim of the photographic exhibition. The Hon. Dr Ian Borg – Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds, highlighted the EU LIFE contribution to the project and mentioned that the 2015 call for proposals for LIFE grants is currently open, closing on the 1st October 2015, in which Malta has €12 million allocated for the period of 2014-2017. The Hon. Dr Michael Falzon – Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Simplification of Administrative Processes, noted with pleasure how different entities are working together to carry out the project and the importance of marine research to learn more about the habitats around the Maltese islands. The Hon. Mr Leo Brincat – Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change, highlighted the importance of these exhibitions, since they communicate the environmental message more effectively.
The exhibition will be held in another three localities next summer.
Click here to view pictures.
MEPA is organising a street photographic exhibition which will present an interesting range of local marine photos which will offer a better understanding of the diverse marine habitats found within the Maltese marine protected areas and the roles played by different stakeholders.
This exhibition will be held in the following venues:
- Pjazza San Ġorġ – Valletta, from August 10th till August 16th, 2015
- Għar id-Dud – Sliema, from August 17th till August 23rd, 2015
- Malta National Aquarium – Qawra, from August 24th till August 30th, 2015
Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, visited the research catamaran Oceana Ranger last Friday to learn about the scientific expeditions carried out by the international marine conservation organisation. A Maltese native, Mr Vella had the chance to get acquainted with the underwater research currently being conducted in Malta by Oceana, including filming deep-sea marine habitats and species.
“We are very grateful to Commissioner Vella for his interest in Oceana’s efforts to improve the protection and management of European seas. The findings of our marine research will support the Maltese authorities and help them create new marine protected areas. Marine protected areas are important for the safeguard of valuable underwater sites, and also contribute to fish recovery,” stated Lasse Gustavsson, executive director for Oceana in Europe.
Commissioner Vella’s trip to Malta coincided with a two-month expedition that Oceana is currently carrying out to survey deep-sea areas and underwater caves in the archipelago. This expedition is part of the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project, which aims to extend existing marine Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and to identify new SCIs in Maltese waters for inclusion within the Natura 2000 network. Currently, this network of protected areas only covers 4% of EU seas, the Maltese government have committed to protect 10% of their coastal and marine areas before 2020
As part of his visit, Commissioner Vella had the chance to visit the Oceana Ranger, which was moored in Valletta. The 21 metre-long catamaran is a functional vessel equipped with an ROV (Remotedly Operated Vehicle) able to film in high resolution, and it serves as a working platform for marine researchers and divers. During this expedition, scientists from the Department of Biology of the University of Malta have joined Oceana staff and have managed to research previously unknown areas of the sea bottom.
Oceana is a pioneering non-profit organisation in the use of ROVs to study deep-sea areas, which are commonly neglected in marine conservation initiatives. With the help of this first-hand research, Oceana prepares proposals envisaging a sustainable use of fishing resources and the preservation of marine biodiversity.
The LIFE BaĦAR for N2K (LIFE12 NAT/MT/000845) Project is 50% co-financed by the EU LIFE+ Funding Programme. It is coordinated by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in association with the Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the University of Malta and Oceana.
Press Release Date 19 July 2015
Link to Oceana Press Release
The actress and her husband, Chris Hemsworth, join an Oceana expedition to explore the depths of Malta
Elsa Pataky and her husband, Chris Hemsworth, spent a day with an ongoing expedition currently being carried out by Oceana to document previously unexplored the depths off the Maltese coast. It is the first time Oceana ambassador Elsa and her husband have visited the Oceana Ranger – the catamaran belonging to the international marine conservation organisation. Both Elsa and Chris were eager to help out with the on-board research and were particularly fascinated with the work carried out using the remote underwater robot, which can reach depths of up to 1000 metres.
“It’s amazing how little the sea bed has been studied, even in the Mediterranean sea, which is so close to civilization. Most people are unaware of the incredible marine life hundreds of metres below the surface of the water. One thing that shocked me whilst glimpsing the sea floor using the remote camera was the trash and impact of human activities in areas that should be protected. We must listen to scientists more and intensify our conservation efforts so we don’t lose such valuable biodiversity before we even know about it,” said Elsa Pataki, ambassador of Oceana since 2012.
Over the course of a busy day, Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth participated in life onboard with the team of scientists, ROV (remotely operated vehicle) operators and crew. After sending the ROV down, they observed the relatively unexplored sea bed close to the island of Gozo (Malta) first hand. Important footage was captured which will be analysed intensively over the coming months in order to evaluate the most suitable forms of protection.
The Oceana expedition got under way on 1st June and will survey the unexplored Maltese sea floor, particularly the submerged caves, sandbanks and reefs. The expedition is part of the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project, co-financed by the European Commission. The research aims to uncover important geological and ecological regions to be protected as Sites of Community Importance within the Red Natura 2000 network.
Elsa Pataky & Chris Hemsworth on board: Watch the video and photos
Press Release Date 22 June 2015
Link to Oceana Press Release
Oceana launched the first survey expedition on 1st June 2015. The campaign will take place over two months and will collect information on marine habitats and species. Many of these areas will be surveyed for the first time ever.
Visit the expedition page for more information and regular updates!
08/06/2015
Il-proġett ser jinvestiga reġjuni f’Malta li għadhom qatt ma ġew esplorati s’issa permezz ta’ ROV u tagħmir avvanzat ta’ immappjar
Oceana se tniedi spedizzjoni ta’ xahrejn biex tistudja żoni ta’ baħar fond u għerien taħt l-ilma f’Malta. Il-kampanja, inkluża fil-proġett LIFE BaĦAR for N2K, se tiġbor informazzjoni dwar ambjenti u speċi tal-baħar sabiex Siti ta’ Importanza Komunitarja ġodda jkunu jistgħu jiġu protetti taħt in-netwerk Natura 2000. Ħafna minn dawn iż-żoni se jiġu riċerkati għall-ewwel darba.
Il-proġett huwa parzjalment iffinanzjat mill-fond LIFE+ ta’ Unjoni Ewropea u mmexxi mill-Awtorità ta’ Malta dwar l-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar (MEPA), b’kollaborazzjoni mal-Ministeru għall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli, l-Ambjent u t-Tibdil fil-Klima, id-Dipartiment tas-Sajd u l-Akkwakultura, l-Università ta’ Malta u Fundación Oceana. Ambjenti tal-baħar importanti se jiġu studjati f’żoni partikolari bejn il-kosta Maltija u l-konfini ta’ 25 mil nawtiku u f’fond ’l isfel sa 1000m taħt il-livell tal-baħar.
Ricardo Aguilar, id-direttur tal-kampanja u l-mexxej tal-ispedizzjoni ta’ Oceana fl-Ewropa jispjega li: “Ftit li xejn baħar fond f’Malta ġie dokumentat minħabba l-kumplessità teknoloġika tar-riċerka f’dan l-ambjent. Fil-fatt, l-istudji marittimi mwettqa minn Oceana għall-proġett LIFE BaĦAR for N2K se jkunu l-uniċi immaġini ta’ taħt l-ilma li jeżistu ta’ ħafna miż-żoni riċerkati”. “Ninsabu eċitati ħafna dwar din l-ispedizzjoni għax esplorazzjonijiet li saru qabel fil-Mediterran wasslu għal skoperti sinifikanti u kienu fundamentali fix-xogħol tagħna biex inħarsu siti marittimi importanti.”
Se jsiru riċerka u studji abbord il-katamaran ta’ riċerka Oceana Ranger permezz ta’ ROV li jinżel sa 1000 metru fil-fond u jirrekordja b’HD komplut. Ix-xjentisti marittimi abbord ir-Ranger se jagħtu prijorità lir-riċerka tas-sikek, l-imfierex tar-ramel u l-għerien tal-baħar, peress li dawn il-karatteristiċi tal-baħar għandhom jiġu protetti taħt id-Direttiva dwar il-Habitats. Se jittieħdu vidjows, ritratti u kampjuni minn qiegħ il-baħar biex jiżguraw li wieħed jifhem sew iż-żoni studjati.
Noti lill-editur
LIFE BaĦAR for N2K huwa t-tieni proġett LIFE+ bi sħab ma’ Oceana. Aktar kmieni din is-sena, LIFE+ INDEMARES konkluż fi Spanja, wassal biex jiġu miżjuda 73,000 km2 man-netwerk Natura 2000. Oceana kienet responsabbli biex tirriċerka għolja fil-baħar b’teknoloġija simili bħal dik li se tintuża f’Malta, u tat informazzjoni dwar xi wħud miż-żoni studjati fi ħdan il-proġett.
Natura 2000 huwa netwerk ta’ żoni protetti fl-UE u huwa meqjus bħala l-akbar grupp koerenti ta’ żoni protetti fid-dinja. In-netwerk Natura 2000 ġie stabbilit fl-1992 taħt id-Direttiva dwar il-Ħabitats, bil-għan fit-tul li jipproteġi l-ispeċijiet u l-ħabitats l-iktar vulnerabbli u mhedda fl-Ewropa.
The project will map out previously unexplored regions in Malta using an ROV and advanced mapping equipment
Oceana launches a two-month expedition to survey deep sea areas and underwater caves in Malta. The at-sea campaign, included within the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project, will garner documentation on marine habitats and species so that new Sites of Community Importance can be protected under the Natura 2000 network. Many of these areas will be researched for the first time ever.
The project is co-financed by the EU LIFE+ Funding Programme and led by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA), in collaboration with the Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the University of Malta and Fundación Oceana. Important marine habitats will be surveyed in selected areas between the Maltese coastline and the 25 nautical mile boundary and down to depths of 1000m below sea level.
“Very little of the deep sea in Malta has been documented due to the technological complexity of researching this environment. In fact, the marine surveys Oceana are conducting for the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project will be the only existing underwater images of many of the researched areas” explains Ricardo Aguilar, campaign director and expedition leader at Oceana in Europe. “We are very excited about this expedition because previous explorations into the Mediterranean have resulted in significant discoveries and have been fundamental in our pursuit of protecting important marine sites.”
Research and surveys will be carried out onboard the research catamaran Oceana Ranger using an ROV which reaches depths of up to 1000 metres recording in full HD. Marine scientists onboard the Ranger will prioritise the research of reefs, sandbanks and submarine caves, as these marine features must be protected under the Habitats Directive. Video, photos and seabed samples will be taken to ensure a better understanding of the areas surveyed.
Notes to the editor
LIFE BaĦAR for N2K is the second LIFE+ project partnered by Oceana. Earlier this year, LIFE+ INDEMARES concluded in Spain, resulting in 73,000 sqkm included under Natura 2000 network. Oceana was responsible for researching a seamount with similar technology as that to be used in Malta, and contributed information on some of the surveyed areas within the project.
The Natura 2000 is a network of protected areas throughout the EU and considered the largest coherent group of protected areas in the world. The Natura 2000 network was established in 1992 under the Habitats Directive, with the long term aim of protecting Europe’s most vulnerable and threatened species and habitats.
Press Release Date 4 June 2016
Link to Oceana Press Release
Link to Press Release in Maltese
Areas of interest within Malta’s Fisheries Management Zone will be surveyed in the coming months with the intent of mapping out the distribution of sandbanks, reefs and marine caves with the potential of designating new areas as Sites of Community Importance to eventually form part of the Natura 2000 network.
The €2.6 million LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project, which is 50% co-financed by the EU LIFE Funding Programme, is being led and co-ordinated by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) in collaboration with the Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change (MSDEC), the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA), the Department of Biology of the University of Malta (UoM) and Fundación Oceana. The project seeks to make available new data and knowledge on the location and conservation status of the targeted marine habitats and others in the Maltese Islands, which up until today is very limited.
While various international agreements and legal instruments have been enacted to manage multiple human pressures and to protect the most vulnerable or ecologically important habitats, as an EU Member State, Malta, is obliged, under the Habitats Directive, to designate those habitats specified in Annex I of the Directive as, Sites of Community Importance.
Marine surveys, covering an estimated 200,000 hectares, will be carried out by Oceana, which will be working closely with the Maltese Partners. Oceana, is the largest international advocacy organisation focused solely on marine conservation. The surveys will be made by using a research vessel equipped with Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) as well as by the use of scuba diving. These will be complemented by bathymetric surveys using multibeam echosounder and sediment sampling, which work is currently subject to an international open call for tender. Benthic habitats will be surveyed in selected areas between the Maltese coastline and a 25 nautical mile boundary and down to depths of 1000m below sea level.
This project also ensures the active involvement and participation between all stakeholders during and after the whole project is final ised while it is also paving the way for conservation objectives and a platform that will guide the management of Marine Natura 2000 sites.
The Natura 2000 is a network of protected areas throughout the EU and it is considered the largest coherent group of protected areas in the world. The Natura 2000 network was established in 1992 under the Habitats Directive, with the long term aim of protecting Europe’s most vulnerable and threatened species and habitats.
The LIFE BaĦAR for N2K aims to extend existing marine Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and identify new SCIs in Maltese waters for inclusion within the Natura 2000 network. The project is coordinated by MEPA in association with the Ministry for Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the University of Malta and Oceana. The LIFE BaĦAR for N2K (LIFE12 NAT/MT/000845) Project is 50% co-financed by the EU LIFE Funding Programme.
Press Release Date 21 May 2015
Link to MEPA Press Release
This tender has been issued in relation to the public awareness activities of the Project. The note calendar will serve to promote the project, LIFE+ funding and the Natura 2000 network. The calendar will help to showcase the diverse marine habitats found in the Maltese Islands and increase the public’s appreciation for the marine environment.
Link: https://www.mepa.org.mt/info-tender
Update: This tender is now closed and has been awarded to JP Advertising Ltd.
