Located in Tuscany, the Secche della Meloria is one of the three pilot sites of the European project led by the University of Siena. The start of operations marks the effective launch of fieldwork.
The Secche della Meloria, off the Tuscan coast, are now in motion. The team of the MIRAMAR project, led by the University of Siena (UNISI), has begun pre-survey activities in this site, one of the three pilot areas selected to implement the research and monitoring plan for marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean.
Protecting a unique marine and cultural heritage
This initial field deployment marks the operational launch of actions designed to assess, in the medium and long term, the cumulative impacts on biodiversity and guide mitigation and restoration measures.
To mark the start of operations, the team interviewed Andrea Porchera, architect and manager of the Secche della Meloria Marine Protected Area, part of the Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli Regional Park (Tuscany Region, Italy). Porchera stressed the need for robust scientific evidence to protect this unique environment, where sensitive marine habitats coexist with a rich underwater heritage.
The MIRAMAR project —short for Monitoring cumulative Impact to guide mitigation and RestorAtion in the MediterrAnean Region— brings together partners from across the Mediterranean to develop tools for the sustainable management of marine protected areas, combining science, technology, and governance.
Porchera stressed the need for robust scientific evidence to protect this unique environment, where sensitive marine habitats coexist with a rich underwater heritage.
