Table of Contents

1. SPICOSA contributes to the European Maritime Day Stakeholder Conference

SPICOSA could not miss an occasion such as the 3rd edition of the European Maritime Day Stakeholder Conference that took place in Gijón 19-21 May. The conference was organised by the European Commission and hosted by the Spanish Presidency of the European Union and the Government of the Principality of Asturias. More than 1250 participants from 14 Member States and 10 other countries registered for the conference. The agenda included over 50 workshops focusing on the main strategic directions of the Integrated Maritime Policy today and in particular on sustainable economic growth, employment and innovation, cross-cutting policy tools, sustainability and the governance of sea basins.

At the previous EUROMARES conference (18-19th May 2010), the scientific coordinator Denis Bailly contributed to the session “Integrating marine and maritime research: The Good Environmental Status and the overall assessment of the marine environment” by putting forward the benefits of bridging science and policy in the field of coastal management, the overall goal of SPICOSA. The session was chaired by Carlos Berrozpe, Policy Officer, DG Environment. It counted with the representation from all sea intergovernmental programmes and an audience of around 50 people.

Among other events at Gijón Conference, SPICOSA actively contributed to the Venice Platform Conference “Contributions to a European maritime platform”. The Venice platform, promoted and chaired by Coastal & Marine Union – EUCC, is gathering a wide variety of maritime stakeholders seeking an integrated and participative European policy. The outcome of the event was to continue working together through a work plan and bridging with the EC so the dialogue and exchange become stronger.

2. The ICZM-SPICOSA Forum 2010 is shaping up

As for dissemination and meeting opportunities in the near future, the SPICOSA project is organizing the participation of its partnership at the LITTORAL 2010 Conference, London, 21st to 23rd September www.coastnet.org.uk/Littoral2010.

The 3rd edition of the ICZM-SPICOSA Forum: Prospects for Systems Science Assessments in support of ICZM will be a great opportunity to meet and exchange views not only with the partners but also with policy makers, coastal managers, academic & research community, related projects from all Europe and beyond. In this forum the SPICOSA team will demonstrate the System Approach Framework (SAF) approach developed and tested under the Project and will illustrate its application using examples from a selection of the 18 Study Site Applications (SSA).

Moreover, a SPICOSA Permanent Poster Exhibition during the three days of conference will present the SAF experiment carried out in the SSAs, from the issue to the results and outpus. SPICOSA experts, will facilitate access to the models resulted from these experiences and demonstrate them in a screen.

3. SPICOSA progress

The Web SAF Handbook

Regarding project progress, the elaboration of the Web SAF Handbook continues at a good pace. Several preparatory meetings took place. This electronic version of the SAF handbook integrates the manuals of the four steps, including the publishable documents from the SPICOSA Work Packages, the manuals and instructions of extend and data portal, as well as the SSA’s final SAF portfolios and the project’s glossary. It will be a hyperlinked/clickable website format for intuitive use of the parts of the manuals and with pdf files for deeper scientific information. It will be a resource for training and provide links to the Extend library, the Coastal Wiki, SetNet, and other pages.

Preparing the ‘Short Guide to the SAF’ textbook

The book will use the results from SPICOSA to exemplify risks to the sustainable use of the coastal zone's natural and human resources, and will show how systems theory can be used to help stakeholders, environmental managers, and policy-makers choose between alternative solutions to coastal zone problems. It will bring together the key ideas from ecology, economics, and sociology, and shall interest to all those looking for solutions to environmental problems that takes account of human factors.

It will be interesting to a general readership of educated members of the public interested in environmental issues and their solution, together with some more specialist user groups for whom the book will serve as an introduction to the material which will be found on the website of the web-based handbook.

The potential user groups will be undergraduate and postgraduate university students studying environmental affairs; public environmental managers; environmental consultants, and others.

4. Announcements & Events

Announcements

The University of Cardiff is leading the WP 13 - Professional Training- “Lessons Learned” activity. Cardiff University recently emailed all SSAs with a questionnaire about their SPICOSA activities and how they think the SAF contributes to ICZM. All partners that have not yet responded are requested to do so as soon as possible. Responses can be sent to thruppt@cardiff.ac.uk or reisj@cardiff.ac.uk.

List of upcoming events

LITTORAL 2010 "Adapting to global change at the coast: Leadership, Innovation, and Investment"
Date: 21st – 23rd September, 2010, London, UK

SPICOSA partners will attend and disseminate experiences and scientific results on this occasion – it is a key opportunity to meet the teams! A SPICOSA Permanent Poster Exhibition will bring attention to SSAs experiences in the Output step. The 3rd edition of the ICZM-SPICOSA Forum (Wednesday, 22nd) “Prospects for Systems Science Assessments in support of ICZM” will serve to demonstrate the System Approach Framework (SAF) approach developed and tested under the Project and will illustrate its application using examples from a selection of the 18 Study Site Applications (SSAs).

More information at: www.coastnet.org.uk/Littoral2010

2nd International Symposium on Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Date: 3rd – 7th July, 2011, Arendal, Norway

Hosted by The Institute Of Marine Research, Norway, SPICOSA partner!Set this date on your diary – it will be another important event where the SPICOSA community will gather and share knowledge gained throughout the project!

Important dates:
Call for abstracts is open!
15th January 2011- Abstract submission deadline
1st March 2011 – Abstract acceptance notification
1st April 2011 – Early registration deadline

More information available at: www.imr.no/iczm/

SPICOSA Final Conference
We are very happy to announce, that the Spicosa Conference will take place on Malta 9th
to 10th November 2010

5. Study Sites reach mass media

Taranto Mar Piccolo, Italy

SSA 14, Mar Piccolo in Taranto (IT) took an innovative initiative to improve relationships with relevant stakeholders. Our colleagues from IAMC-CNR have set up a “Facebook group” named "Gli amici del Mar Piccolo" (The friends of Mar Piccolo) that will help them to communicate, e.g. the next meeting date or to share information, opinions and ideas. The goal is to involve politicians, who also have their profile in FB, but also the citizens at large as this social network targets and adult audience. The group is promoted inviting the tarantine Politicians, mussel farmers, citizens and associations to register at this group and to take part in the discussions on the bulletin board. Recently opened, it already counts with 172 members. There is a good level of involvement demonstrated by 19 links and several messages, posted either on the bulletin board or in e-mail, that express congratulations and availability to collaborate. The group can be visited at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=296685150749&ref=ts

Izmit Bay, Turkey

SSA 17, Izmit Bay (TK), also managed to raise mass media attention. Leyla Tolun, from TUBITAK, Marmara Research Centre, has been interviewed at National Television. The interview (in Turkish) can bee followed at www.spicosa.eu/izmit_bay/trt2/trt2.html

COLOPHON

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