The Protecting Aegean Coralligenous project

CONTEXT AND MAIN ISSUES

The Mediterranean is home to exceptionally rich habitats that are still largely unknown to the general public: coralligenous reefs. Developing in low light conditions at depths of up to 250 meters, these reefs are among the most complex and biodiverse ecosystems in the Mediterranean. Their extremely slow growth, less than 1 mm per year, makes some reefs veritable archives of life, over 7,000 years old.

Yet these habitats remain understudied and largely unprotected. The lack of precise data on their distribution, combined with increasing anthropogenic pressures (bottom trawling, pollution, global warming), directly threatens their survival. Although trawling bans exist on a European and international scale, they are rarely enforced due to a lack of reliable information on the exact location of coralligenous reefs.

GOALS

Use innovative technologies to locate and monitor coralligenous reefs in the Aegean Sea, and enforce the trawling ban on these biodiversity hotspots.

METHOD

The project is developing a scientific method adapted to small research vessels to assess the distribution and ecological status of coralligenous reefs. The approach combines several complementary technologies: multibeam echosounder, biomass scanner, remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and CTD sampling.
The methodology will be tested during a scientific expedition in the Aegean Sea, around the Greek island of Fourni, a known but largely unexplored coralligenous hotspot. Involving local fishermen will enrich the scientific data, identify the pressures exerted on these habitats and reinforce the acceptability of protection measures.

HOW IS THIS PROJECT INNOVATIVE?

Protection Aegean Coralligenous innovates by developing a method of mapping and monitoring coralligenous reefs that is both accurate and operational, and accessible to small-scale scientific campaigns. By combining cutting-edge technologies and local knowledge, the project directly addresses a major conservation issue: the lack of data preventing the application of existing regulations. It thus provides concrete tools for transforming scientific knowledge into effective protection actions in the field.

A special focus in our first pure ocean documentary!

Hidden Secret: A new documentary by Clément Pourtal and Jérôme Brousse (The Blue Quest).

This 15-minute documentary reveals the hidden treasures of the Mediterranean and highlights the links between several scientific initiatives that we support. At the heart of this exploration is the Aegean Corallienous project, which, with the help of local fishermen, has mapped coralligenous reefs, a rare ecosystem teeming with precious biodiversity. These reefs have attracted the attention of Under The Pole, partners in the Genesis project, which is collecting the samples studied there.