Overall budget: €7,726,441.15
EU contribution: €5,632,298.71
The COMPASS project will deliver a network of monitoring buoys across the regional seas of the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and West Scotland. It aims to develop marine observational and data management capacity across the region.
It will integrate the network of new monitoring buoys to the existing European oceanographic monitoring stations. They will be equipped with the latest oceanographic sensors, acoustic recorders and advanced fish tracking technology.
This innovative project will build cross-border capacity for effective monitoring and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
COMPASS researchers will develop long-term monitoring strategies for highly mobile protected species such as marine mammals and salmonids. It will also provide essential infrastructure for baseline oceanographic and ambient noise monitoring.
The project partnership joins the core marine research institutions and government agencies in the region, who will collaboratively develop three themes:
1) Scientifically designed monitoring programmes delivering baseline oceanographic and species data for the management of MPAs and key protected species.
2) Co-developed data management infrastructures to ensure data quality, accessibility and flow between the regional institutions and international initiatives.
3) Interfaced operational models will support assessments of the connectivity of MPAs in the region.
project partner
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute - Lead partner (UK);
- Inland Fisheries Ireland Iascach Intíre Éireann (IE);
- Marine Institute Foras na Mara (IE);
- The Scottish Association for Marine Science (UK);
- Marine Scotland Science (UK).