During the 2026 European Maritime Day, the session “Marine Knowledge for Ocean Health” was held, focusing on the importance of ocean observations and marine data in supporting the protection of marine ecosystems.
Researcher Francesca Catini took part in the “Ocean Observation” panel, which focused on the governance and coordination of ocean observation systems in Europe.
In her presentation, Catini shared the experience gained in implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and in activities related to the management and sharing of environmental data. A central point of her talk was the role of the IMAP Information System of the Barcelona Convention, which is key to collecting and integrating marine data across the Mediterranean.
The panel emphasized that improving coordination among ocean observation systems, strengthening interoperability between data infrastructures, and ensuring long-term, comparable monitoring data are key priorities for protecting marine ecosystems and supporting informed policy decisions.
In this context, regional systems also play a strategic role. The IMAP Information System facilitates the collection, integration, and sharing of environmental data in the Mediterranean, helping to build a more coherent picture of the health of marine ecosystems at the regional level.
Strengthening the links between regional and European data systems will be essential to advance marine knowledge and ensure more sustainable management of our seas.