Since its establishment in 1960, the Centre Scientifique de Monaco - CSM (Monaco Scientific Centre) has been promoting high-level biological studies to advance resarch and development on marine life preservation in support of government organisations and international agencies specialised in the field. This prestigious institution, founded by H.S.H. Prince Albert I of Monaco, has recently taken a further significant step in this direction.
On the 21st March 2024, the CSM signed an agreement with the Commission internationale pour l'exploration scientifique de la mer Méditerranée - CIESM (Mediterranean Science Commission), launched in 1919 by the will of some Mediterranean Countries to foster scientific cooperation. This mutual commitment was made within a technical workshop entitled: “An ocean gradient – towards a 3D mapping and visualisation of high resolution marine data”, organised by the CSM, CIESM and the International Hydrographic Organisation - IHO. A peer to peer panel which brought together thirty Med marine biologists.
The joint action sets the objective of showcasing relevant impacts of climate change on the evolution of ocean species population as well as testing new measuring techniques addressed to both science and human health.
As a practical consequence of this, a targeted survey started in June 2024 on the initiative of Eva Jacquesson, marine biologist and senior laboratory technician at the CSM, who joined the mission 'Highly Migratory Species' coordinated by Dr Loriane Mendez (CIESM). This science mission is to better understand the migratory displacements of large marine vertebrates considered as threatened species in the Mediterranean Sea. This campaign was then carried out in the south-east of Turkey, on board a traditional fishing vessel animated by a group of scientists from Croatia, France, Italy and Turkey.
In particular, Jacquesson has been actively involved in tagging sharks and collecting samples of dermal tissue to detect the DNA of various species: six grey sharks (Carcharinus plumbeus) and more than a hundred rays (including four endangered species: Rhinoptera marginata, Gymnura altavela, Aetomylaeus bovinus and Rhinobatos rhinobatos). All ceatures were carried on board in order to measure them and to identify sex and reproductive status before being quickly released.
The outcome of the genetic analysis will be included on the CSM’s molecular biology platform, in partnership with Firat University in Turkey, to confirm species identification as well as to study the relationship between various individuals.
This scientific synergy is particularly meaningful also because CIESM is based in Monaco (as well as CSM), currently involving twenty-three Member States and several thousand marine researchers following the most advanced technologies and trends in terms of monitoring, protecting and raising awareness about Mediterranean Sea ecosystems. ***
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By Maurice Abbati
>> Journalist, Editor, Communication, Media and Public Relations Specialist.
>> Lecturer and Author in English language of Technical Articles and the Manual: "Communicating the Environment to Save the Planet, a Journey into Eco-Communication" by Springer International Publishing.
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