PROJECTS
TECMAR
New technologies for the monitoring and analysis of marine activities in national parks in the face of climate change
Reference number: 3002/2023
Duration: November 2023 – November 2026


Keywords: marine activities, climate change, artificial intelligence, observation ocean systems, distribution models.
Marine protected areas, as controlled, protected, and regulated spaces, constitute a model scenario for monitoring and characterizing spatiotemporal variations of human activities, as well as the potential effects of climate change on them. The development of new technologies (robotics, acoustics, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence) offers the possibility of obtaining the necessary information to monitor maritime activities and analyze the effects of climate change on them.
The TECMAR project proposes to monitor maritime activities and their pressures in the Cabrera and Atlantic Islands National Parks in an integrated manner, with particular attention to those activities derived from small vessels, through the innovative integration of AIS data, satellite imagery, social networks, amphibious drones, and the installation of hydrophone networks.
Based on the collected information, the project will analyze the effects of climate change on maritime activities and their impacts on benthopelagic ecosystems. To achieve this goal, we will use machine learning models that integrate both environmental variables and socioeconomic indicators under different future scenarios.
Finally, the project will transfer the obtained scientific results to the competent authorities and different target audiences. In particular, the TECMAR project will lead a new citizen science initiative directed to diving clubs and focused on monitoring underwater noise.
Team Members

David March
Distinguished Researcher

Irati Abascal
Research Technician

Paola Gabasa
PhD Student

Greta Jankauskaite
PHD Student

Javier Menéndez
PhD Student

Leia Navarro
PhD Student

David Ruiz
PhD Student
Partners

Funding


CONTACT US
Unitat de Zoologia Marina
Parc Científic de la Universitat de València
Calle Catedrático José Beltrán 2,
46980 Paterna (València), Spain