LIFE MareNatura (101113792-LIFE22-NAT-EL-MareNatura)
Initially launched in July 2023 in Greece and Italy, the LIFE MareNatura project is expected to be completed until June 2029. With a total budget of almost 11 million euros, co-funded by the European Union (75%), the project brings together 11 partners from 3 countries and it will cover an extensive marine area from the Aegean to the Ionian Sea and the Southern Adriatic, thus constituting the largest European marine biodiversity protection project ever implemented in Greece.
The project aims to mitigate the threats that affect nine (9) of the most threatened EU priority species of seabirds, marine turtles and marine mammals. These species are the Mediterranean Monk seal, the Loggerhead turtle, the Green turtle, the Sperm whale, the Harbour porpoise, the Cuvier’s beaked whale, the Common dolphin, the Yelkouan shearwater and the Audouin’s gull.
So far, the majority of the conservation efforts have targeted the breeding areas of these species and thus their offshore habitats (feeding grounds, congregation sites and migration corridors) remained to a large degree unexplored. The goal of the LIFE MareNatura Project is to significantly contribute to the conservation of these offshore habitats, through the identification of biodiversity hotspots in the Ionian, Southern Adriatic and Aegean Seas, strongholds of the target species populations, by employing a massive multidisciplinary survey effort through innovative technologies and methods.
Subsequently, the identified biodiversity hotspots will be proposed for designation as Natura 2000 sites in Greek waters and the exclusive economic zone. The designation of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) will enlarge the EU Natura 2000 network, implementing the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which sets under protection at least 30% of the EU’s land and sea areas (30×30).
The project‘s concrete methodology consists of research (data collection), conservation, policy and awareness raising activities that work in a complementary way to address the threats that affect marine vulnerable species like bycatch, underwater noise, intensive marine traffic, uncontrolled coastal development, pressures from tourism, hydrocarbon platforms, underwater gas pipelines, offshore wind farms etc.
The project's actions include the implementation of a systematic monitoring mechanism to identify marine biodiversity hotspots, the development of a support tool that will facilitate the identification of marine spatial zones and the provision of data for the regular assessment of the conservation status of the targeted species, and an early warning system for threats.
In addition, targeted communication activities will contribute to the awareness raising of marine biodiversity conservation, while policy actions will focus on policymakers in Greece, Italy and the EU that can support the official designation of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and put into effect the 2030 EU Biodiversity Strategy.
Learn more on the official website of the project
The program LIFE22-NAT-EL-101113792 “Conservation of priority species of marine megafauna in Greece and Italy” – LIFE MareNatura is implemented with the contribution of 75% of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Commission and the co-financing of the A.G. Foundation. Leventis.
