The Infoday of the LIFE ECOREST project “Local involvement, key in the recovery of deep-sea habitats” will take place on March 12 at the fishermen’s Guild of Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona).
This event, organised by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, in collaboration with the fishermen’s Guild of Vilanova i la Geltrú and the project partners, will feature the participation of public administrations, the scientific community, the fishing sector, NGOs, tourism, and the educational community.
During the event, the progress of the LIFE ECOREST project will be presented. The project aims to restore nearly 30,000 hectares of deep-sea habitats in Catalonia, in an area of high ecological value along the coasts of Girona and Barcelona, with the active involvement of the fishing sector.
Furthermore, participants will discuss how they can contribute to the recovery of marine ecosystems through education, recreational activities, fishing, and governance.
The event will conclude with a visit to the aquariums located at the Fishermen’s Guild of Vilanova i la Geltrú, where organisms rescued from fishing nets are kept. Corals, gorgonians, and sponges are recovered in aquariums installed at the fishermen’s guilds and returned to the sea thanks to the collaboration of the fishing sector.
LIFE ECOREST
The LIFE ECOREST project, coordinated by the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) until 2026, has as partners the Federació Territorial de Confraries de Pescadors de Girona, the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the University of Barcelona, and WWF Spain, along with financial support from the EU’s LIFE Program. The project is supported by the fishermen’s guilds of Llançà, Port de la Selva, Cadaqués, Roses, Palamós, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Blanes, Arenys de Mar, and Vilanova i la Geltrú.