The University of Alicante (UA) and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) have agreed to extend their "Marine Sciences" associated unit for a period of three years. This scientific and academic collaboration structure aims to strengthen cooperation between both institutions in the fields of research and training.
This renewal continues a collaboration that, over the past three years, has materialized in the participation of IEO staff in teaching activities, student training, joint project development, and the publication of scientific work in various areas of marine sciences.
One of the most notable collaboration lines is the participation, for over a decade, of IEO research and technical staff in different subjects of the UA's master's degree in Sustainable Fisheries Management. Furthermore, during the 2023-2026 period, final degree projects, master's projects, external internships, and doctoral theses within the Marine Sciences and Applied Biology program have been carried out.
Among the joint research projects are studies on blue carbon ecosystems, analyses of populations and management of the Atlantic blue crab in the Spanish Mediterranean, and the COMATHUNA project. The latter has allowed experiments at the IEO's ICTSICAR to study the relationship between underwater noise and the reproductive behavior of red tuna in captivity.
This joint activity has resulted in several scientific publications. They address topics such as the effects of brine discharges and other environmental pressures on Posidonia oceanica meadows, the ecology of the blue crab, deep-sea corals associated with lost fishing gear, and the impact of vessel noise on red tuna.
The new phase of the associated unit, which will extend over the next three years, will maintain teaching collaboration in the master's degree in Sustainable Fisheries Management. Joint participation in new research proposals and projects presented during this period will also be promoted.
The Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO, CSIC) is a national center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. It is dedicated to research in marine sciences, particularly in the knowledge of oceans, the sustainability of fishing resources, and the marine environment. The IEO represents Spain in major international forums for oceanography and fisheries and has nine coastal centers, five marine cultivation experimental plants, and a fleet of five oceanographic vessels, including the Odón de Buen, the Ramon Margalef, and the Ángeles Alvariño.
