On Thursday 14 May, the final event of the Interreg Italy–Slovenia project “SeaInsights – Investigating the Sea” took place in Trieste. The event was organized as part of the concluding activities of WP5 led and hosted by Shoreline, with representatives from the six partner organizations presenting the results of the project.
The meeting was well-attended and generated interest among stakeholders. In addition to representatives from the partners and institutions linked to the project, participants included researchers from the University of Trieste, the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics (OGS), Institut YouSea, CoNisMa, Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Aquarium Piran, University of Primorska and Jonian Dolphin Conservation.
Following a brief introduction to the event by the lead partner, the University of Ljubljana, and representatives of the Interreg Italy-Slovenia Joint Secretariat, each partner presented the results achieved in their respective fields. Shoreline presented the cross-border guidelines for policy-makers on biodiversity monitoring and environmental DNA sampling, developed through participatory processes involving various stakeholders. In addition, representatives from the cooperative showcased the two educational toolkits produced – one for schools and one for dissemination for the general public– which will soon be available on the project’s website.
Following the order of the various work packages, each partner continued by presenting their results. In particular, DivjaLabs presented the information obtained on the species detected by analysing environmental DNA samples. Morigenos and Dolphin Biology and Conservation presented the results obtained from monitoring and data sharing, which enabled the first transboundary assessment of population abundance and dolphin movements in the Northern Adriatic. The University of Padua and the University of Ljubljana presented the results of a study on cultural ecosystem services conducted among stakeholders who have an interest in and/or influence the conservation and management of the Northern Adriatic, as well as an ethical matrix that illustrates their values, requirements, and common grounds.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all stakeholders and local residents for their support throughout the project. Your engagement, cooperation, and willingness to share your knowledge and experiences have been essential to our work.
