Events and News

PNNR MER: Seamounts and deep species

In the depths of the Mediterranean Sea, at over 2,000 meters below the surface, seamounts reveal a world that until recently we were unable to see. Thanks to a Work Class ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle)—used as part of the PNRR MER project—a true “robotic vehicle,” research by ISPRA is able to enter these environments and closely observe the species that inhabit them: fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, and cartilaginous fish.

In extreme conditions, life finds surprising solutions, such as large eyes, wide mouths, large body sizes, or long fins used like a tripod, creating shapes and behaviors that tell the story of the strength of these mysterious ecosystems.

Microplastics: How Much Do We Know?

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, conventionally defined as being smaller than 5 millimeters in size. They represent a potential threat to global health according to the One Health paradigm.

The BioPlast4Safe Project promotes the study of the characteristics, fate, and potential toxicological and ecotoxicological effects of plastics, with a specific focus on biodegradable polymers as a potential strategy to mitigate plastic pollution, in a from science to action perspective.

ISPRA is a partner of the Project

The PNRR-MER at the Eudi Show in Bologna

EUDI Show is the most important diving event in Italy and one of the leading events in the sector worldwide. The 31st edition will take place in Bologna from February 20 to 22.

On Sunday, February 22 at 11:30 a.m., ISPRA researchers will present the PNRR MER – Marine Ecosystem Restoration Project, the largest national program for the restoration of marine ecosystems, with a focus on the use of advanced technologies for the study and protection of the sea. The integrated use of LiDAR, AUVs, and ROVs enables high-resolution mapping of seabeds, seamounts, and ghost nets, even in deep environments. The installation of dedicated buoy fields to protect the seabed and ISPRA’s oceanographic vessel ARCADIA operates as an integrated platform for research, monitoring, and intervention.

"Un Solo Mare" Festival

From 11 to 15 February 2026, the first edition of Un Solo Mare will take place at the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone. This new festival, produced by the Fondazione Musica per Roma, aims to celebrate the sea as a shared heritage and an irreplaceable resource.

The Festival was created out of the need to establish a space for dialogue dedicated to the 70% of the planet’s surface and 90% of its biosphere that regulates the climate, sustains life, nourishes us, and produces half of the oxygen we breathe.

Marine biodiversity and conservation, climate change and adaptation, marine exploration and technologies, the blue economy and sustainable development, and Mediterranean governance will be the major themes at the heart of the Festival.

ISPRA is organizing “The Deep Colors of the Mediterranean”, an immersive journey into the depths of the sea through images and videos collected by ISPRA. A conference-show designed for lower and upper secondary schools, aimed at discovering hidden ecosystems, understanding their fragility, and closely observing life in the deep sea.

On 11 February, the “Blue Economy between Italy and the Mediterranean” conference will feature the participation of ISPRA Director General, Maria Siclari.

ISPRA is organizing also the following conferences:

Questa è una spiaggia ecologica e tu ne fai parte!

Mare nostrum: scopriamo insieme il Mar Mediterraneo

I colori profondi del Mediterraneo

Banquette alla riscossa

Dentro i laboratori del mare. Collegamento con navi oceanografiche e basi artiche

ROV pilot course aimed at some of the Marine Protected Areas within the DigitAP Project

As part of the DigitAP Project, one of the technical training sessions for ROV pilots concludes on February 13. The course, aimed at Marine Protected Areas and managed by specialized economic operators who won the tender, ensures the full operational readiness of the equipment delivered for the protection of our seas

Field activities under the Revive Interreg Italy-Malta project have commenced

ISPRA has begun field activities in the Gulf of Castellammare, where monitoring of stranded marine litter was carried out in accordance with the protocols of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Over 800 pieces of litter were cataloged and collected along 100 meters of beach. The next activity in this area is scheduled for spring.

The REVIVE Research Project aims to define effective intervention measures in the Italy-Malta cross-border area, with the goal of conserving biodiversity and restoring priority habitats, including sites within the Natura 2000 Network.

The project includes: the assessment of the status of habitats of interest (vermetid reefs, seagrass meadows), with a focus on the role of Invasive Alien Species and marine litter; passive and active restoration interventions based on the use of substrates or artificial structures to promote habitat recovery; and monitoring the effectiveness of these interventions. This monitoring will integrate traditional methods (such as visual censuses and scraping) with recently applied innovative techniques, such as eDNA metabarcoding. Furthermore, the role of floating marine litter in the transport of Invasive Alien Species within the study areas will be evaluated.

The Red Sea mullet has established itself in Lampedusa

Fishermen on the island are increasingly catching specimens of this alien species, which arrived in the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.
Initially observed only in deep waters, it has recently also been found along the coastal belt—an indication that suggests a stable establishment in the area, as has already occurred with other alien species such as the brown rabbitfish and the cornetfish.
ISPRA is closely monitoring the evolution of the phenomenon in order to assess interactions with native species and potential impacts on the ecosystem.
The collaboration of fishermen is crucial, as they provide valuable information to the scientific community

Plankton secret: Copepods and fungi capable of degrading bioplastics under natural conditions

Published in the international journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research are the results of an innovative study conducted by ISPRA, the University of Pisa, the University of Turin, and the University of Manitoba (Canada), in collaboration with Zhejiang Ocean University in China. The research explores the degradative capacity of the microbiome associated with plankton, drawing inspiration from observations of nature. Indeed, the hypothesis is based on the principle that microorganisms associated with marine zooplankton—composed for 80% of small crustaceans known as copepods—are already highly specialized in the degradation of molecules that are not easily degradable, such as chitin, which forms the exoskeleton of crustaceans.

The European project Life Sea.Net concluded

A toolkit featuring operational tools to support managing authorities in the governance of protected areas has been presented.
The Italian marine Natura 2000 network can become the cornerstone of a new model of sea governance: effective, coordinated, participatory, and capable of protecting biodiversity, strengthening local economies, and making coastal communities more resilient.

Protecting migratory marine species such as the Mediterranean monk seal and the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) will now be easier thanks to cooperation among transboundary states, as will identifying the most appropriate management solutions and defining suitable measures for the conservation of sensitive habitats or species, in coordination with national and international administrations. But that is not all. It will also be easier to promote participatory and shared processes to expand the Natura 2000 Network—an extraordinary tool for biodiversity protection and a driver of the Blue Economy. Protected areas, in fact, stabilize ecosystems, ensuring natural resources for sustainable activities and fostering innovation, circular economy practices, and integrated territorial management.

Final event LIFE SEA.NET project

The final conference of the Life Sea.Net Project, of which ISPRA is the main scientific partner, will be held on Wednesday, December 17, at Palazzo Falletti, Via Panisperna 207, in the Throne Room.

Project partners, institutional actors, and stakeholders will discuss the role of the Natura 2000 Network in protecting biodiversity and developing a sustainable blue economy.

The conference is divided into two sessions: the first will present the project's actions, the main results achieved, and the operational tools developed to support the management of Natura 2000 sites; the second will illustrate the management methods of the Natura 2000 Network and its role in achieving EU objectives.

The two sessions will conclude with a roundtable discussion on future prospects for marine protected areas.

Program

Project web site 

ISPRA and the Coast Guard: Memorandum of Understanding Signed to Protect Our Sea

It was signed in recent days in Rome, at the headquarters of the General Command of the Port Authorities, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) and the General Command of the Port Authorities Corps – Coast Guard, aimed at further strengthening institutional cooperation in the protection of the marine and coastal environment. The agreement consolidates a path of collaboration already developed in the past, expanding its areas of intervention and introducing new operational tools.

ISPRA is, in fact, the national technical and scientific body supporting environmental policies and a point of reference for the activities of the National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA), which carries out analyses, monitoring, and inspections to safeguard marine and coastal ecosystems.

The Coast Guard, on the other hand, is daily engaged in surveillance, the protection of the marine environment, the control of maritime traffic, fisheries enforcement, and the management of maritime emergencies, sharing the common objective of protecting a natural heritage that belongs to everyone.

ISPRA partner of the SEALIFE Project

Strengthening cooperation to develop joint solutions for the protection of the Mediterranean monk seal in the program area

As part of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme Interreg Greece-Italy 2021/2027, SEALIFE, a cross-border project dedicated to the protection of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the world's most endangered mammal species, is launched. The initiative aims to develop innovative strategies for the conservation of the monk seal in the Ionian and Adriatic Seas.

Final conference LIFE SeaForest project

ISPRA is hosting the final meeting of the European LIFE SeaForest project, dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the priority marine habitat H1120*: Posidonia oceanica meadows.
The event will be an important opportunity for international discussion and dissemination of the results achieved.
The conference can also be followed online, with simultaneous Italian-English translation available.

The project, coordinated by D.R.E.Am. Italia together with ISPRA, CNR, University of Tuscia, Carbonsink, Paragon Europe, and three National Parks (Asinara, La Maddalena Archipelago and Cilento, Vallo di Diano, and Alburni), has implemented and tested concrete actions to reduce the degradation of Posidonia oceanica meadows.

IV Day of Applied Ecotoxicology

Ecotoxicological Test Batteries for Various Areas: A Review

Sediments and Waters from Marine, Lake, and Inland Environments, Soils and Waste: New Proposals

Environmental assessments cannot do without the contribution of ecotoxicological tests, which estimate toxic effects on living organisms in various application contexts.
The contribution of public and private laboratories must continue to be crucial to the growth of a sector that supports the country's economic system in implementing the principles of the Green and Blue Economy.

Final event Life CONCEPTU MARIS

The final event of Life CONCEPTU MARIS (In Defense of the Giants of the Mediterranean - Life Conceptu Maris), consisting of two days—one technical and one informative—will present the main results achieved in four years of activity.

The first day, scheduled for November 25th, will be open to the technical and scientific community, members of the maritime sector Advisory Board, and the network of related projects formed during CONCEPTU MARIS. The event will share and discuss the results of monitoring activities conducted along 17 routes in the Western Mediterranean and the Adriatic Region, with the collaboration of seven shipping companies and eleven partners from Spain, France, and Italy. Together, they will build a bridge to the project's future.

Italy reconfirmed in Category A of the IMO Council with the highest number of votes: a result of outstanding international significance

During the 34th Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), held in London from 24 November to Wednesday, 3 December, the voting for the election of the new members of the Organization’s Council for the current two-year term concluded on Friday, 28 November.

According to the Assembly’s rules, 169 out of 176 States were eligible to vote.

Italy achieved a result of exceptional significance, having been reconfirmed in Category A— which includes the ten States with the greatest interest in international maritime transport— with 155 votes, equal to about 91.7% of the total number of States eligible to vote.

ISPRA: The Sea for the Common Welfare

"ISPRA: The Sea for Common Well-Being" is a day organized by ISPRA at the MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, entirely dedicated to data, information, and perspectives on the future of our seas. The day will feature the participation of researchers, institutional representatives, journalists, associations, and students.

The day will focus on the following main themes: understanding the health of Italy's seas; protecting biodiversity and restoring marine ecosystems; the blue economy for sustainability and innovation; the interconnection between marine health, human health, and animal health (the One Health principle); and promoting scientific communication and environmental education for the sea.

MedJICARP: Kick-off Meeting in Heraklion for Climate Resilience in the Mediterranean

Two days of meetings and workshops at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research to kick off international cooperation on oceanographic monitoring and climate change adaptation

ISPRA at the China-Italy Science, Technology and Innovation Week

Boosting Innovation, Building a Sustainable Future Together

The 14th edition of the Italy-China Week of Science, Technology and Innovation opened today in Beijing, under the theme “Boosting Innovation, Building a Sustainable Future Together.” The initiative, in which ISPRA is participating, takes place alternately in Italy and China and continues to serve as a key event for the joint promotion of scientific research, technology transfer, and sustainable development. This edition also marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Keel laying and coin ceremony mark the start of construction for Arcadia, ISPRA’s largest oceanographic vessel.

The keel of the new oceanographic vessel Arcadia, destined for the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), was laid today at the Piombino Industrie Marittime (PIM) shipyard. With this symbolic gesture—accompanied by the traditional coin-laying ceremony—the construction of the vessel has officially begun. The build has been entrusted to the T. Mariotti shipyard, part of the Genova Industrie Navali Group.

The coin-laying ceremony, an ancient maritime tradition, involves placing a few coins beneath the ship’s keel as a good-luck charm, wishing safe voyages and protection for the crew and all who will work on board. It is a simple yet deeply meaningful act that has accompanied the birth of new vessels for centuries—and in this case, of a ship dedicated to studying the very sea that will support it.

Approximately 70 meters long and equipped with state-of-the-art technology, Arcadia will serve as a next-generation scientific platform for the study and protection of the marine environment. Thanks to autonomous underwater vehicles (ROVs) capable of operating at depths of up to 4,000 meters, modular laboratories, and dedicated spaces for researchers, the ship will enable monitoring, mapping, and research missions on marine and coastal ecosystems, contributing to the understanding of deep-sea habitats and the protection of biodiversity.

The project is part of the PNRR MER – Mission 2 “Green Revolution and Ecological Transition,” Italy’s most comprehensive national program for marine conservation and the strengthening of environmental research. For ISPRA, this represents both a strategic investment and a responsibility: to place science and knowledge at the service of the country, enhancing the ability to observe, understand, and protect the Mediterranean in the context of climate change and ecological transition.

The keel-laying ceremony for Arcadia was attended by ISPRA’s Director General, Maria Siclari.

Photo gallery

World Tsunami Awareness Day

Promoting a culture of information and prevention as a key focus for tsunami risk mitigation. This is the goal of World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD), an annual event established by the United Nations in 2015, which highlights the importance of the topic every November 5th.

On this occasion, the National Tsunami Warning System (SiAM), consisting of the Department of Civil Protection (DPC), the Tsunami Warning Center of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CAT-INGV), and the National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), renews its commitment to mitigating tsunami risk along the Italian coast and contributing to the safety of coastal communities in the Euro-Mediterranean Area (NEAM).

Presentation of the Europe's Environment 2025 Report, the State of the Environment Report, and the SNPA Environment Report

On October 28, 2025, in the Sala della Regina of Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome, a national event will be held to jointly present three major reports on the state of the environment: Europe's Environment 2025 (European Environment Agency), State of the Environment in Italy 2025: Indicators and Analysis (ISPRA), and the SNPA Environment Report 2025 (National System for Environmental Protection).

The event will offer an integrated and up-to-date overview of key environmental dynamics, from the European, national, regional, and autonomous provinces perspectives.

The three reports present data, indicators, and analyses that enable us to understand current trends, identify emerging critical issues, and understand the responses adopted in different contexts.

These are essential tools for providing the scientific community, institutions, and citizens with reliable and comparable information capable of guiding future decisions towards sustainability. Not just a snapshot of the state of the environment, but also a thoughtful reflection and a solid basis for discussion on the priority challenges to be addressed.

Three complementary perspectives will offer a coherent and authoritative vision of the state of the environment in 2025.

Press release (ita)

Environment report in Europe 2025

The state of environment in Italy 2025

Environmental indicator data base ISPRA 

Program

Pollution, an integrated sea-coast response. Meetings for managing level 2 emergencies.

As part of an agreement between MASE and ISPRA, a project has been launched to explore the operational synergies arising from the "MiTE Anti-Pollution Plan" and national and local planning, which address the response methods, at sea and on the coast, in the event of accidental pollution caused by spills of petroleum products and hazardous and noxious chemical substances (HNS).

Published EEA Report Europe's Environment 2025

Despite significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, the overall state of the environment in Europe is not good, particularly with regard to nature, which continues to suffer from degradation, overexploitation, and biodiversity loss, as well as from the acceleration of climate change, which poses an urgent challenge.

These are the conclusions of the Report Europe's Environment  2025, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report provides the most comprehensive analysis of the current state and outlook for the environment, climate, and sustainability on the continent, based on data from 38 countries. The outlook for most environmental trends is alarming and poses serious risks to economic prosperity, security, and quality of life in Europe.

Farming the Sea

The educational workshop is an immersive experience on the topic of sustainable aquaculture. It explores the opportunities and purposes of aquaculture (e.g., food production; conservation of threatened species), the environments, techniques, and aquatic species farmed. It also addresses the interactions between aquaculture and marine ecosystems in a changing climate.

Recommended: from age 8 and up.

The European Researchers' Night 205

This year, ISPRA is participating in the European Researchers' Night, along with other public research institutions and universities.
The initiative, which will take place across Europe on September 26 and 27, will be an opportunity to introduce citizens to the world of scientific research and discover the activities and results of public research on current topics.

Life Project Prometheus: Magnetic Deterrent Testing Begins

As part of the testing of magnetic deterrents planned by the Life Prometheus consortium for the reduction of pelagic shark and ray bycatch on longlines, a team of ISPRA researchers embarked on three professional pelagic longline fishing vessels to conduct the first of five campaigns planned for the project. The preliminary results are encouraging, indicating both the effectiveness of the magnets in reducing shortfin mako shark bycatch and the non-interference of the devices with commercial catches of swordfish and bluefin tuna, typical prey of this type of fishery. ISPRA represented Dr. Umberto Scacco, Dr. Barbara Catalano, Dr. Tomaso Fortibuoni, Dr. Danilo Scannella, Dr. Claudia Sebbio, and Dr. Luca Stellati.'

Summer School Marine-coastal ecosystems and climate change: chains of connections and resilience

As part of the School of Specialization in environmental disciplines, ISPRA organizes in Cagliari, from 22 to 26 September 2025, the Summer School “Marine-coastal ecosystems and climate change: chains of connections and resilience”, aimed at 45 participants including graduates, PhD students and young researchers.
The initiative aims to provide a practical approach to the sustainable management of the coastal strip, encouraging dialogue between universities and applied research.
The activities will take place in various institutional locations with frontal lessons; educational workshops and technical-scientific visits to some coastal sites are planned.

The call and the registration link will soon be available on the ISPRA website.

Protection tools for the sea: the second stop on the SEA.NET tour in Palermo.

The LIFE SEA.NET project's journey to disseminate the new Manual for the Application of V.Inc.A Procedures in Natura 2000 Marine Sites, an innovative tool designed to protect Italy's most fragile marine ecosystems, passes through Palermo.

ISPRA inaugurates the sixth edition of the Summer School of Geomorphology, Ecology and Biology in marine and island environments

A laboratory for students, PhD candidates, graduates, and young researchers that combines advanced training, interdisciplinary research, and policies for the protection of marine resources.

The sixth edition of the Summer School of Geomorphology, Ecology, and Biology in Marine and Island Environments was officially opened in the presence of the Mayor of Procida, the Director General of ISPRA, Maria Siclari, the Director of the Regno di Nettuno Marine Protected Area, the Director of ARPA Campania, Stefano Sorvino, the representative of the Italian Geological Society, Fabiano Gamberi, the Director of the Vivara State Nature Reserve, Nicola Scotto di Carlo, and Giordano Giorgi, Head of the ISPRA National Center for Environmental Characterization and Coastal Protection, Marine Climatology, and Operational Oceanography. The event is promoted by the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) in collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome and the University of Chieti-Pescara.

As per tradition, the aim of the event is to provide advanced training, hands-on field experience, and opportunities for exchange between young researchers and professors from different institutions.