The oceanographic vessel SARMIENTO DE GAMBOA, of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), has docked in the port of Almería as part of the Life Dream project, which involves institutions from Spain, Italy, and Greece. This initiative combines science, technology, and the local knowledge of fishermen and sailors to protect a unique enclave in Europe: the Seco de los Olivos marine protected area in the Alborán Sea, where deep-sea corals are in very good condition, acting as a refuge and nursery for numerous species.
The president of the Autoridad Portuaria de Almería, Rosario Soto, wanted to visit the CSIC vessel. During the first phase of the ‘Dream’ campaign, the scientific team, together with the fishing sector, has carried out an intensive work program that includes active restoration actions using artificial reefs, detailed study of deep-sea corals and their biodiversity with underwater robots, analysis and removal of marine litter and abandoned fishing gear, research on the movement of water masses and the oceanography of the area, in addition to conducting a bathymetric study of the area.
