CNR-ISMAR (Italy)

The Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR) is one of the 107 institutes of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). It is composed of seven Research Units and a head office located in Venice. The groups involved in this project are based in Genoa, Ancona and Trieste and are active in physical oceanography, fishery and biofouling research, both concerning technological development and environmental aspects.

Specific topics are: biofouling-related issues, including biocorrosion, biofouling, development of new antifouling systems to protect materials from corrosion and bio deterioration; fishery biology and stock-related variables study through innovative approaches, such as ecosystem approach to fisheries management observational system based on fishing vessel; observational physical oceanography, both using research vessels and fixed platforms, including organization of experiments and logistics and data analysis.

CNR-ISMAR will bring to NeXOS its expertise in the following areas:

  • Biofouling prevention, implementing and optimizing an innovative biofilm monitoring device for oceanographic sensors. CNR-ISMAR will support IFREMER in the realization and testing of a complete system for the protection of oceanographic sensors from biological colonization. It will involve as subcontractor ALVIM Srl, a start-up born from the collaboration between Italian public research and private companies, which provides innovative, high-tech solutions for biofilm and biofouling monitoring.
  • Development of multifunctional sensors to be mounted on fishing gears. CNR-ISMAR will exploit its long time experience in fishery biology in order to help defining the environmental variables relevant to fisheries management; furthermore it will bring a relevant contribute to the technological upgrade of the NKE probes, thanks to its expertise in the field of fishing vessels observational systems.

Field trials for system validation on platforms. CNR-ISMAR can offer facilities and expertise in organizing and performing in situ observation with multi-parametrical systems from different platforms, including research vessels and fishing vessels in the Adriatic Sea.