JPI Oceans is pleased to announce the successful kick-off meeting of its five innovative projects, focused on the effects of noise pollution on marine ecosystems and the development of innovative seismic sources as quieter and effective alternatives to conventional marine geophysical exploration.
The meeting, which took place on February 14th at the University Foundation in Brussels, was the first opportunity for the projects to introduce themselves, to cooperate, coordinate and align their activities, and to discuss common challenges.
It connected the different projects to an ongoing policy process, in this case, the implementation of the EU marine strategy framework directive, giving the consortia a better picture on how their scientific results can be taken up at the policy level. Projects further had the chance to discuss synergies and complementarities and agreed to have several joint activities organized. This includes a joint database, regular meetings between coordinators, joint communication activities, and harmonisation of methods for measuring and generating soundscapes.
Underwater Noise Projects
The selected projects and their coordinators are summarized in the following booklet. Presentations of the meeting can be found below:
Welcome and Introduction, Dr. Benjamin Kürten, Vice-Chair JPI Oceans Management Board – Co-lead JPI Oceans Joint Action on Underwater Noise in the Marine Environment and Prof. Dr. Angelo Camerlenghi, Vice Chairs – JPI Oceans Management Board
Introduction, Yasmine Iollo, Call Secretariat, Ministry of Universities and Research, Italy
Policy context, Maud Casier, European Commission, DG Environment
ORCHESTRA | ecOsystem Responses to Constant offsHorE Sound specTRA | Karen de Jong, Institute of Marine Research (Norway)
DeuteroNoise | Characterization of maritime noise in different European basins and its impact on ecological relevant deuterostome invertebrates | Coordinator: Lucia Manni, University of Padua (Italy)
DIAPHONIA | DIagnostic framework to Assess and Predict tHe impact Of underwater NoIse on mArine species | Coordinator: Sandro Mazzariol, University of Padua (Italy)
SONORA | Filling the gap: Thresholds assessment and impact beyond acoustic pressure level linked to emerging blue-growth activities | Coordinator: Jaime Ramis Soriano, Universitydad ofde Alicante (Spain)
PURE WIND | Impact of sound on marine ecosystems from offshore wind energy generation | Coordinator: Ana Širović, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, (Norway)
Communication and outreach – JPI Oceans, Willem De Moor, Deputy Director, JPI Oceans
Background of the Projects
The projects are a result of a unique collaboration between Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania and Spain together with BANOS, BlueMed, NOAA and the UN Ocean Decade. The call offered a concrete opportunity to systematically approach ocean challenges, support policy and governance, and carry out experimental research activities on the emerging issue of the acoustic pollution of ocean and seas. In the first phase, thirteen project proposals involving partners from all eight participating countries were received. The proposals were evaluated by independent, international peer reviewers and ranked by an evaluation panel. On this basis, the Call Steering Committee selected five projects for funding.
***
Article originally published here.