New funding to ICRE8 for the RECONNECT project under the Interreg Balkan-Mediterranean Programme
ICRE8 is happy to announce that our RECONNECT project proposal (Regional cooperation for the transnational ecosystem sustainable development, Lead Partner: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research - HCMR, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology & Aquaculture) was selected for funding under the Interreg Balkan-Mediterranean Programme.
This is the result of a very competitive selection process out of which only 20 consortia will receive funding in Priority Axis 2 – Environment. In total 384 applications were submitted in the 1st Call - out of which 276 were evaluated in terms of quality assessment.
The overall objective of the project is to improve the capacity of local management authorities by promoting efficient management of natural resources through the regional approach. The specific objectives include the following: 1. Enrich the current management toolbox with instruments based on the genetic and functional biodiversity; 2. Identify and map the key marine habitats and evaluate the services they provide by socio-economic, cultural and legal approaches; 3. Engage citizens in environmental monitoring and conservation activities and involve stakeholders to boost potential for blue growth; 4. Develop a platform for the data storage and analysis of results based on cutting edge information technologies; 5. Establishment of a Decision Supporting System to enhance the MPAs management on a scientific basis.