The deep marine habitats of the Mediterranean Sea are crucial for maintaining global biodiversity. However, various habitats have suffered and continue to suffer significant deterioration, leading to the disappearance of the organisms they host and the loss of their functions, which also affects commercially valuable species.
In order to recover the biodiversity and the ecosystem services provided by these habitats, their restoration and conservation are crucial. Currently, there are various restoration methods to attempt to reverse the damage caused to ecosystems and conserve their natural values. Depending on the methodology used, they can be classified as passive marine restoration, which promotes the natural recovery of ecosystems, or active marine restoration, which accelerates recovery processes through more direct human intervention.
Accelerating restoration processes
A common method of passive restoration is the establishment of protected areas that restrict or regulate external activities to prevent or reduce their impacts. These areas act as reserves where different species can find refuge and breed, also favoring the natural renewal of resources. However, this measure has a slow recovery capacity and long-term results.
To accelerate recovery processes, active restoration is implemented, in which specific actions promote the quicker recovery of these habitats and restore their ecosystem functions in the short to medium term. This method benefits both ecosystems and the economic activities that depend on them. Therefore, the LIFE ECOREST project promotes active restoration techniques for the recovery of benthic ecosystems, which are fundamental for the survival of many commercially valuable marine species.
The Badminton Method
This innovative active restoration method, proposed by the ICM-CSIC coordinating the LIFE ECOREST project, allows for the restoration of populations of sessile species in deep marine environments through the recovery of organisms such as gorgonians, corals, or sponges that have been accidentally caught during fishing operations.
When applying the Badminton method, species trapped in nets are first rescued and, still on board the boats, are placed in specially adapted aquariums filled with seawater. Once on land, they are transferred to other aquariums located in fishing cooperatives where they are rehabilitated. When the organisms are in optimal conditions, they are prepared to be returned to the sea by anchoring them to a cobblestone. The weight provides stability and prevents them from lying on their sides upon reaching the bottom, which could lead to their death. The project promotes the release of numerous organisms together to also favor the creation of high-density nuclei, which improves the survival of these organisms and enhances the recovery of their functions.
The methodology is simple to apply, cost-effective, and replicable, which helps establish its sustainability over time, another objective of the LIFE ECOREST project, alongside empowering fishermen to carry out restoration tasks. Additionally, it allows for covering larger restoration areas than other methods.
For those organisms that live at greater depths, a pioneering manual bio-releaser (BiLi) has been used, which is submerged from cranes located on boats to reach depths below 200 meters. This tool helps organisms reach the bottom more quickly while ensuring that they remain upright.