BIOdiversity and ciTizen science crOss border strategy in soUth adRiatic to protect cetaceanS 2.0

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A IPA Italy Albania Montenegro (South Adriatic)

Date of latest update: 2025-11-19

Description

Description (EN):

BIOTOURS 2.0 aims to develop citizen science as a tool for sea and biodiversity protection, supporting the integration of data necessary for scientific research on cetaceans protection. The model applied by the BioTourS project (Citizen Science Tourism model – ITALME 438) will be capitalized to be employed in the field of scientific research for the safeguard of the Adriatic sea, integrating data collected by common citizens according to shared monitoring protocols. The Adriatic sea constitutes a complex socio-ecological system, where human actions are closely interconnected with its rich animal and plant biodiversity. Cetaceans are among the most vulnerable species to possible threats. Therefore it is necessary to evaluate their conservation status in order to set up effective plans for sustainable management of the sea resources. At the same time, it is essential to preserve critical areas for marine fauna of common interest. Increasingly, specialist researchers and funds available for scientific needs and purposes are limited and insufficient to address issues related to biodiversity monitoring and conservation at both local and regional levels. The direct involvement of citizens in research study and active conservation of biodiversity can contribute to the collection and sharing of data, applying precise protocols, subjected to validation and verification, intensifying official databases that are the result of the work of experts. The project will implement an integrated multi-sectoral approach to minimize threats impact on cetacean populations by combining technology, science and education. BIOTOURS 2.0 is based on Citizen Science methodology as a tool for the protection of the sea and biodiversity to collect necessary data about cetaceans protection in scientific research. Output: developing a cross-border cetaceans monitoring Plan in the Adriatic sea including citizens active contributions to foster biodiversity protection, complying with EU recommendations

Actual Achievements (EN):

The project partnership focused on the creation of the relationship among partners by summoning and holding 3 meetings in which the mode of cooperation was established . The meetings were held in January and April. Two of the 3 partners collaborated for another Interreg project (BioTourS) and they had a fine collaboration. The Albanian partner was a new admission so didn't experience the cooperation before. Partners decide to hold each one its own activities but to support the ones made by the others. So they organized the activities trying to be present in all the events and to have some speech to highlight the cooperation values. The partners performed the 1st activity: Cross- border round tables in Italy,Albania and Montenegro. The first round table was held in Taranto, Italy, on 25.06.2024 with focus "Data collection through Citizen Science". Speakers introduced to the audience the way to perform collection of data, not only by telling them, but also by direct experience on the vessel. The second round table was held in Sutomore, Montenegro, on 27.06.2024 with focus "Data analysis through Citizen Science": Speakers involved explained the way in which data are analyzed. The third round table will be held in the second period because the Albanian partner faced the difficulty of the associated partner, the university that was undergoing the election of the new rector. Albanian focus will be on the modality to integrate the collection of data. Lead partner and PP3 have still drafted the report of the held workshop and the PP2 will do after the workshop in Vlora. Each partner is designing its territorial plan data collection. The LP is drafting the Joint Model for data collection on marine biodiversity in the south Adriatic area. Partners have complied with the communication commitments and realized project posters and material for dissemination. The kit was shared among participants in workshop activities.

Project outputs: Joint Model for data collection on marine biodiversity in the south Adriatic area(EN)

Thematic information

Climate change and biodiversity

Priority: (VI-A_SA(I-A-M)_PA 2) A greener South Adriatic programme area, by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate adaptation and risk management

Priority specific objective: RSO2.7. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 079 Nature and biodiversity protection, natural heritage and resources, green and blue infrastructure

Partners (3)

Lead Partner: Jonian Dolphin Conservation

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 10804830015 | 90201930733 | joniandolphin@pec-legal.it (EN)

Address: Vico Vigilante, 74123 Taranto, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.joniandolphin.it

Total budget: EUR 108 577.14

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 86 861.71

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 21 715.43

Inovaciono Preduzetnicki Centar Tehnopolis

Name: Inovaciono Preduzetnicki Centar Tehnopolis

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 40-31-02893-6 | office@tehnopolis.me (EN)

Address: Radoja Dakica , 81400 Niksic, Montenegro

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Infrastructure and (public) service provider

Website: http://www.tehnopolis.me

Total budget: EUR 36 059.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 30 650.15

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 5 408.85

Shoqata Shqiptare e Gjeografeve

Name: Shoqata Shqiptare e Gjeografeve

Partner’s ID if not PIC: N792131020003R | alasgeo22@gmail.com (EN)

Address: Al Visha, Pall 2, Shkalla 4, , 1001 Tirana, Albania

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 13 464.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 11 444.40

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 2 019.60

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Tehnopolis LLC Niksic(IEC)

BIOdiversity and ciTizen science crOss border strategy in soUth adRiatic to protect cetaceanS 2.0

Partners and Projects info

Albanian Association of Geographers

BIOdiversity and ciTizen science crOss border strategy in soUth adRiatic to protect cetaceanS 2.0

Partners and Projects info

Jonian Dolphin Conservation

BIOdiversity and ciTizen science crOss border strategy in soUth adRiatic to protect cetaceanS 2.0

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): BIOdiversity and ciTizen science crOss border strategy in soUth adRiatic to protect cetaceanS 2.0

Project acronym: BIOTOURS 2.0

Project ID: SA-0100179

Project start date: 2024-02-01

Project end date: 2025-10-31

Project status: closed

Relevant linked projects:

ECOSS Ecological observing System in the Adriatic Sea: oceanographic observations for biodiversity -
10042301
(Programme 2014 - 2020 INTERREG V-A Italy - Croatia)
(EN) | ECOSS created an ECOlogical Observation System in the Adriatic Sea (ECOAdS), shared by Italy and Croatia that can be extended to other Adriatic countries. The system is able to integrate ecological and oceanographic research and monitoring with conservation strategies. Through the project, marine ecological observatories have been established to keep long-term ecological observations, linking different actors from science and the scientific-social-political environment, through a joint partnership work to monitor the ecosystem, biodiversity and resources to support their management. BIOTOURS 2.0 intends to use the set of indicators from ECOAdS to apply them in the monitoring system in project partner’s countries and wants to make data collected in citizen science actions available to ecological observers. (EN), CASCADE
CoAStal and marine waters integrated monitoring systems for ecosystems proteCtion AnD managemEnt
10255941
(Programme 2014 - 2020 INTERREG V-A Italy - Croatia)
(EN) | CASCADE project aims to increase knowledge of the Adriatic marine and coastal environment by integrating measurements and numerical simulations. The information acquired will be used to assess the level of vulnerability of ecosystem biodiversity, with the ultimate goal to retore endangered species and support integrated management. CASCADE developed a new citizen science project on iNaturalist to increase knowledge about biodiversity in the Central Adriatic pilot sites and to increase public awareness of biodiversity and coastal integrity. BIOTOURS 2.0 intends to promote citizen science actions on the same area of interest affected by CASCADE project. (EN), EU-citizen.science platform
funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation under grant agreements No. 824580 (EU-Citizen.Science project) and No. 101058509 (ECS project). (EN) | EU-Citizen.Science is an online platform for sharing knowledge, tools, training and resources for citizen science – by the community, for the community.
The vision for the platform is to serve as a Knowledge Hub and to become the European reference point for citizen science in aid of its mainstreaming.
BIOTOURS 2.0 aims to join the platform through the implementation of this project. Also intends to analyze the proposed training "Train-the-trainer course on Marine Litter Education | Ocean Literacy" with the aim of including it among the possible procedures to be adopted for the dissemination of the joint model. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 158 100.14

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 128 956.26

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 81.57%

Co-financing sources:

IPA/IPA II/IPA III: Amount, EUR 128 956.26. Co-financing rate, 81.57%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

N 1 joint Communication Kit
N.3 Workshops reports
N 1 joint Communication Kit
N.1 ApMM ALBANIA
N.1 ApMM ITALY
N.1 ApMM MONTENEGRO
N.1 Joint model "Citizen science to monitor marine biodiversity"
N. 3 Incoming mission reports
N.3 Kit Communication Incoming mission
N.1 Training Toolkit
N. 1 Targeted Training Realized
N.1 Kit Communication Training

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion BIOTOURS 2.0 + contributes to the following EUSAIR pillars:
- PILLAR 3 the issue of environmental quality, with respect to marine, coastal and Region Strategy terrestrial ecosystyem. Concerning the topic "3.1 marine environment" and the issue "Threath to coastal and marine biodiversity" the project halts the heritage loss and threats for biodiversity by implementing better tools for cetacean protection, In particular it supports the IA "3.1.1 Increasing marine knowledge" by enabling a more comprehensive data collection and analysis;
- PILLAR 1 "Blue GRowth" linked to the topic "1.3 Maritime and marine governance services" - IAs "1.3.5 Citizen and business awareness and involvement" and "1.3.3 data and Knowledge sharing" which will be addressed by implementing Citizen Science activities and the use of their data for the scientific research.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A IPA Italy Albania Montenegro (South Adriatic)

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-11-19

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

51 / 51 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

230 / 230 (100%)

Notes on the data

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BIOdiversity and ciTizen science crOss border strategy in soUth adRiatic to protect cetaceanS 2.0

Description

Thematic information

Partners (3)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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