Ongoing research projects

Project summary

 

QUIETSEAS is a project funded by the DG Environment of the European Commission within the call “DG ENV/MSFD 2020” Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).. This call funds the next phase of MSFD implementation.

 

The QUIETSEAS project aims to support Member States (MS) Competent Authorities for the practical development of the MSFD through assisting (sub) regional cooperation by providing methods and tools for underwater noise (D11) assessment and management. This project is built on the work developed by the QUIETMED (2017-2019) and QUIETMED2 (2019-2021) projects, funded in previous MSFD calls.

 

Main objectives of this project are oriented to enable progress towards the risk of impact assessment of underwater noise on biodiversity and facilitate the implementation of coordinated mitigation measures in order to attain the Good Environmental Status (GES).

 

Practical outcomes will be produced by providing guidance for GES assessment through i) identifying specific impact indicators (for sensitive species-marine mammals) and enable anthropogenic continuous sound risk-based assessment, ii) providing common methodologies to facilitate the implementation of assessment frameworks and setting threshold values for continuous sound and iii) delivering tools for effective risk-based management of anthropogenic impulsive (D11C1) and continuous sound (D11C2).

 

Under a wide scope, the QUIETSEAS project will consider particularities for the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea regions, continuing the cooperation already established, not only at EU regional and subregional level, but also with no European Countries in the context of the Barcelona Convention. The QUIETSEAS project aims to boost this cooperation through iv) assessing the effectiveness of potential coordinated measures to reduce the pressure caused by maritime traffic and v) building capacities to ensure knowledge transfer.

 

The QUIETSEAS project is coordinated by the Marine Technology Centre in Spain (CTN). The consortium is made up of 10 entities, including relevant actors of the Common Implementation Strategy (TG Noise), Regional Sea Conventions (Barcelona - UNEP/MAP, OSPAR), and Competent Authorities. ACCOBAMS (Monaco), SHOM (France), HCMR (Greece), POLIMI (Italy), IZVRS (Slovenia), SPA/RAC (Tunisia), MHD (Romania), DHM (Cyprus), and ICES (Denmark) set up this team.

 

MHD Contact: hidro@dhmfn.ro

 

MHD Project Leader: Dr. Maria Emanuela MIHAILOV (emanuela.mihailov@dhmfn.ro)

 

Project members: Nicolae VATU, PhD (navigation specialist, co-project responsible), Lucian DUMITRACHE, PhD (geographer, hydrography, D11 expert), Petrica POPOV, PhD (physicist, D11 expert), Consuela CONSTANTINESCU (engineer), Lucian DUȚU (Cat-A hydrographer, D11C2 data manager), Iulian ANGHEL (navigation specialist, D11C2), Andrei LUCACI (IT expert, geospatial data manager, D11C1 data manager).

 

Geographic Coverage: Mediterranean and Black Seas

 

Partners in alphabetical order: Cyprus, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Slovenia, Spain, Romania, Tunisia

 

Duration: 24 months (started: 1st February 2021)

 

 

More information: https://quietseas.eu