The 35th Annual European Cetacean Society Conference

During the week of April 8th, 2024, SUBMON participated in the 35th Annual European Cetacean Society Conference (ECS) held in Catania, Sicily. With the central theme “Marine mammals and human activities: how to reach a sustainable development of coastal areas?”, the conference highlighted the growing concern over the correlation between human actions and the health of marine ecosystems.

More than 500 experts in the field of marine mammals gathered to share the results of the latest studies in this field at the European level through 81 oral presentations and 309 scientific posters. The presentations addressed a wide range of topics within marine mammal research, with the participation of distinguished scientists with extensive and recognised careers as well as students and other researchers.

Carla A. Chicote y Natàlia Amigó, SUBMON researchers.

The ECS Conference stands as one of the foremost events in this field, providing a crucial platform for sharing results, exploring innovative solutions, and establishing new interdisciplinary collaborations. Within this framework, SUBMON has been notably present and actively engaged in the conference, with the participation of Carla A. Chicote and Natàlia Amigó, both experts in the study of cetaceans.

First, building on the work carried out within the framework of the CETAMED NORTE project, SUBMON participated in the workshop “Advancing knowledge on fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea”, organized by ACCOBAMS (“Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area”), to present the areas of highest collision risk for the fin whale in the Mediterranean Cetacean Migration Corridor obtained through the preliminary results of said project.

Group from the “Advancing knowledge on fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea” workshop.

Additionally, SUBMON researchers had the opportunity to present two scientific posters. On one hand, they presented the result of the comparison between two distribution models of the Risso’s dolphin in the Catalan submarine canyons and the Migration Corridor, while on the other hand, they presented a risk assessment for collisions involving fin whales and sperm whales in the northern section of the Corridor.

After two days of workshops and three days of intense conferences, the SUBMON team returned to Barcelona with the firm intention of continuing their data analysis work and developing new projects. Their aim is to continue to increase knowledge of the cetacean species in our waters and to actively work towards their conservation. The experience was extremely enriching, providing an opportunity to share knowledge, make valuable contacts and explore new avenues of collaboration in the field of marine mammal research.