MARSW

The operation MARSW will develop an information and monitoring system of the marine biodiversity in the classified area of the Southwest Alentejano and Vicentina Coast to monitor the state of conservation of species and habitats occurring there.

MARSW | POSEUR-03-2215-FC-000046

Main goal

Protect the environment and promote resources’ efficiency

Intervention region

Protected Marine Area of the Southwest Alentejano and Vicentina Coast

Beneficiary entity

League for the Protection of Nature

Approval date 23-12-2016

Start date 24-03-2017

End date 31-01-2020

Total eligible cost: 1,051,891.92 EUROS    

Financial support of the European Union: 894,108.13 EUROS

Website: https://marsw.pt/

Goal

The MARSW Project will develop a marine biodiversity information and monitoring system in the marine area of the Southwest Alentejano and Vicentina Coast Natural Park, also classified under Nature 2000 as Site of Community Importance of the Southwest Coast to monitor the state of conservation of the species and habitats occurring there. The result will be a geoportal (SIMARSW) and monitoring models that will provide a strong information base for the adequate management and conservation of this classified area in the long term.

The project has the following specific goals:

1. Creation and implementation of a marine and coastal biodiversity integrated information system, ensuring its interoperability with other existing systems or systems being developed;
2. Development and implementation of monitoring models of the state of conservation of protected natural species and habitats and Nature 2000, including the assessment of its boundaries in the sea;
3. Gathering of scientific knowledge to support the sustainable use of resources and the management of classified areas;
4. Contribution to the consolation of the marine environment information system;
5. Creation, compilation and harmonization of physical and biological maps of natural marine habitats;
6. Definition of a communication plan with the development of contents and communication and information actions about marine biodiversity related to the operation with the communities, local agents, and the general public at regional and national levels of implementation.

Description

MARSW Project will develop an information and monitoring system to respond to the periodic assessment needs of the management and planning goals of the classified marine area of the Southwest Alentejano and Vicentina Coast (Southwest Alentejano and Vicentina Coast Natural Park and Site of Community Importance of the Southwest Coast) and to the knowledge needs regarding biodiversity and habitats’ distribution defined in the Habitats Directive, as well as the periodic assessment of its state of conservation.

The knowledge of the species and habitats state of conservation and of the effectiveness of the management plans is central to support the decision and management process, namely in the assessment and adaptation of management measures, periodic revision of management plans, knowledge and definition of representative places of habitats and species to be protected, and proposals to extend the boundaries of classified areas, as well as to inform its users and be able to involve them in its management.

To that extent, in the first stage, it is intended to collect and synthesize scientific information to respond to the measures described above. After the identification of the available information and of the existing gaps, and after the mapping of habitats and marine biodiversity, a monitoring system will be developed and tested aiming to gather the necessary needs already listed.

Subsequently, all the collected information will be made available in an information system interoperable with other systems and with the National Marine Information System (SNIMAR, http://www.snimar.pt/index.php?lang=EN).

In parallel, efforts will be made to harmonize the methodological approaches that will be applied in the SAVCNP with the process(es) associated with two other marine areas, namely the classified areas of the North Coast and Arrábida.

The project will have the following actions:

Action 1. Marine information system and mapping of priority habitats and marine biodiversity

Action 2. Monitoring model of marine species and habitats

Action 3. Marine resources management

Action 4. Communication and information about marine biodiversity

Action 5. Methodological harmonization of the information and monitoring systems

Scientific coordination

Evora University, MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, and Algarve Centre of Marine Sciences of the Algarve University - CCMAR