11 Nov GVA-ThinkInAzul contributes to the protection of the seabed in the Albufera coastal area.

Last September, the newspaper Las Provincias de Valencia reported on ThinkInAzul’s environmental monitoring studies being carried out at the Albufera-Saler monitoring station located in the seabed of the coastal front of the Albufera de Valencia. The work is being carried out by the UCV1 group of the IMEDMAR-UCV (Institute for Research in Environment and Marine Science of the Catholic University of Valencia) through the OCECOSVAL project (GVA/THINKINAZUL/2021/033). The marine biodiversity of these seabeds contrasts with the generalized view that there are no species of interest in this marine environment and it is taken for lost. This strategic ThinkInAzul station provides us with interesting information and reflects another reality. It monitors both the evolution of oceanographic parameters, for example, the temperature throughout the year, and the presence of fish species that are good bioindicators of the state of health of these seabeds. In addition, possible phenomena of coral bleaching due to the effects of climate change or the presence of invasive species are monitored. As a whole, this marine area, under the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 (Directive 92/43/EEC) is listed as a SCI (Site of Community Interest) and deserves to be incorporated as a marine protected area in the Natural Park of Albufera de Valencia. Undoubtedly a good candidate to be part of the network of marine protected areas that the EU seeks to reach 30% of the surface of our seas by 2030.