Tlet’s keep this Mare nostrum tight. Only 0.82 percent of the total surface area of the oceans is small – and it is almost closed. But it is a precious concentration of biodiversity, because 7.5 percent of the world’s total species live in its watersand not all are in good health.
Its coasts are bordered by 15 countries to the north and 13 to the south, and we are well aware that international relations are not always idyllic. If we then add climate change, pollution, traffic, overfishing (excessive and uncontrolled fishing), we see that the impact of us humans is strong, at all levels. We must fix it as soon as possible. A couple of months ago at the UN, after years of debates, the historic “30×30” agreement was reached, which provides for the protection of 30 percent of the oceans by 2030. Let’s hope it becomes a reality.
The defenders of the Mediterranean
In the meantime, let’s worry about the Mediterranean. “He has many problems, starting with plastic and microplastic pollution, which reach concentrations among the highest in the world,” says Giulio Magni, chief operating officer of One Ocean Foundationestablished by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda for its 50th anniversary, in 2017. «98 percent of plastic ends up in the sea, breaks down over time but never disappears. It sinks to the bottom but then, thanks to the currents and eddies, it emerges. We have found traces of it in the fish that end up on our plates and even in the human placenta. But we still don’t know what long-term consequences it can have in our body, it is a topic that needs to be studied.
A second problem is global warming: the summer of 2022 was the hottest ever for the waters, also because there is not a great turnover in the Mediterranean and some species are feeling the effects”.
But it’s not just the animals that suffer. Posidonia oceanica is among the suffering plants, indigenous despite its name: «It is an underwater forest that protects biodiversity. Also, just like a forest, it absorbs CO2 and generates oxygen, purifying the water. Since it grows along the coast, it is also very affected by human activities».
SEA: the mapping of the Mediterranean
In short, the picture is complex. But something is being done, starting from new research using innovative methodologies. The project is dealing with the protection of Posidonia in the Adriatic SEA for the mapping of the Italian coastsan idea of the CVC-Centro Velico Caprera Foundation, in collaboration with One Ocean Foundation. After a first edition in 2022, which lasted three months and dedicated to the Tyrrhenian Sea, the mission on board a catamaran is precisely exploring the Adriatic along a 1400-mile route. An all-round monitoring, with cutting-edge methodologies such as environmental DNAwhich analyzes the traces of DNA left by the organisms in the water samples taken.
The data will be available to scientists
“It is a recent tool that allows us to search for specific species thanks to a primer, that is, a code that binds to the DNA of our target” explains Ginevra Boldrocchi, scientific coordinator of the foundation. “If we want to defend biodiversity and protect endangered animals, we need to know where they are. For example, we didn’t know where the basking shark reproduces or feeds. The data was missing. Thanks to some primers created by us we have found both the basking shark and the Risso’s dolphin, sia other species at risk of extinction or for which data was lacking.
The method works, it is not invasive, it saves fuel and time. Furthermore, the primers created by MARE will be made available to the international scientific community for future research on marine biodiversity. Already during the navigation of the catamaran, researchers from Italian and foreign universities will come on board, with whom we will collaborate”.
Less insecticide in the waters
The project also monitors pollution, not just from microplastics (for which the Mediterranean is the sixth most impacted area in the world), but also from DDT and heavy metals. A complete, long-range analysis that no one had ever done. In this case, the easy to recover plankton at the base of the food chain goes under the magnifying glass. From plankton, the contaminants travel up to predators, such as tuna or swordfish, and we find them on our plate. The same goes for DDT, an insecticide created in a laboratory at the end of the 19th century and used in large quantities until the 1970s. Here’s some good news: “Despite the long degradation times, DDT is clearly declining, as shown by comparison with previous research.”
The analysis of the 15 heavy metals under observation is more difficult, «because they exist in nature. For example, some underwater volcanic canyons emit mercury. In addition to atmospheric emissions and industrial discharges» continues Boldrocchi. «You can’t generalize, it depends on the areas and sources. Our goal is to monitor and catalogue. Then, in the future, compare the data to see the trend.”
Samples of fabrics will also be collected to analyze the amount of microplastics they contain; here too, there is still a lot to discover: «It seems that the most harmful to the environment are garments with a mixed composition, for example wool linked to synthetic fibers, while not all technical garments release microplastics. But it is still too early to say for sure» clarifies Magni.
The return of the monk seal to the Mediterranean
A specimen of monk seal, a species returned to our seas.
A recent certainty, however, is e good news, is the discovery that the monk sealalmost extinct, is returning to repopulate some seas, in particular the Caprer Canyonto. The project Spot the Monkconducted by the University of Milan Bicocca and supported by One Ocean Foundationfound traces of it thanks to the environmental DNA.
Still in the Caprera canyon, so deep that it reaches 1500 meters below sea level and rich in biodiversity, another project concerns cetaceans, i.e. dolphins and whales. Here the foundation collaborates with the Cmre (Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation), a NATO research center in La Spezia. «Defending predators is important, because they maintain balance by controlling the number of preys and eating the weakest ones» explains Boldrocchi. «The first step, however, is to scientifically demonstrate that they exist. Only in this way will we be able to effectively protect the area.
In Caprera, in addition to visual monitoring with the boat – the most traditional but useless method for identifying species that remain underwater such as the beaked whale – anduse of genetic analyses, we also use bioacoustics. We have positioned underwater acoustic buoys that record the sounds emitted by cetaceans, each species has its own, in order to monitor their presence and movements. The methodology has existed for years, but the buoys are new tools, created ad hoc».
It is necessary to raise business awareness
In addition to projects in the area and the necessary awareness of citizens to adopt virtuous daily behaviour, the other indispensable element for safeguarding the Mediterranean is to involve large companies, which have a strong impact on biodiversity. “To the Blue Economy Summitwhich will take place during the One Ocean Week, we will launch a tool that will help companies evaluate, measure and reduce their impact on the sea» anticipates Giulio Magni. «Today the most aware companies plant trees to offset CO2 emissions. Some, on the other hand, are starting to plant Posidonia meadows, we have an ongoing project and there are others. Marine biodiversity is just as important as terrestrial but still little known. The technologies are there, sensitivity and a network between public and private are still lacking. The path is long, Milan can be the flagship city of change».
Appointment at One Ocean Week
The second edition of the widespread event starts on 8 June, on the occasion of World Oceans Day, and will go on until 12 with debates, guided tours and shows.
Protection of the seas and biodiversity but also great attention to the Blue Economy and its prospects for the future. In Milan, the Italian economic capital born on the water of rivers and canals, the second edition of One Ocean Week takes place from 8 to 12 Junewith the patronage of the Municipality, the Lombardy Region and the Navy, to raise awareness, but also to make concrete proposals on the protection of the marine ecosystem, sustainability, the commitment of individuals and that of large companies.
“This topic is close to our hearts because the health of marine and coastal ecosystems is an absolute priority, not only for ecological reasons, but also for social and economic ones” says Riccardo Bonadeo, president of One Ocean Foundation. “Our oceans are increasingly at risk and we need to mobilize them businesses, associations, the scientific community and the general public to find a common mission and protect them».
The appointments not to be missed
Three main appointments planned, accessible to allin three symbolic places of the city: «It starts on June 8th, World Oceans Day, with a great Summit on the Blue Economy to be held at the Bocconi University and will see the participation of the most eminent experts and scholars of these issues from all over the world» continues Bonadeo. Expected guests will include Torsten Thiele, founder of Global Ocean Trust and expert on sustainable blue finance, oceanographer Sylvia Earle and economist Ralph Chami, co-founder of Blue Green Future. It will not be just a conference, but an opportunity to bring together institutions and large companies that will take stock of the Blue Economy and make proposals.
At the Museum of Science and Technology, from 9 to 11 June, the “educational” scientists will make it clear – in the course of workshops open to young people and families – how water, which we take for granted, is a precious resource to be protected.
It closes on June 12 at the Bagni Misteriosi of the Parenti theater with Aquatheater, a show dedicated to the culture of water in history, with readings of poems and excerpts from novels on the subject. “We have kept the promise made last year to make this event a regular appointment in Milan, to strengthen the city’s reputation as a center of excellence in environmental sustainability also at an international level,” concludes Bonadeo. info: 1ocean.org.
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