Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2023) carried out in the mussel farm site to detect the macro-litter on the seafloor after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.m.
Macrolitter detection on the seafloor - Mussel Farm 2023
Bathymetry collected in the Sacca Fisola site on May 2022 before the the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the post-cleaning surveys (2023, 2024) carried out in a mussel farm near Cavallino-Jesolo to assess the microplastic in fishes after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Fish, Mussel Farm 2023-2024 (Post-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in Sacca Fisola to assess the microplastic in surface water before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Surface Water, Sacca Fisola 2022 (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in Sacca Fisola to assess the microplastic in bivalves before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Bivalves, Sacca Fisola 2022 (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the post-cleaning surveys (2023, 2024) carried out in a mussel farm near Cavallino-Jesolo to assess the microplastic in bivalves after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Bivalves, Mussel Farm 2023-2024 (Post-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in a mussel farm near Cavallino-Jesolo to assess the microplastic in fishes before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Fish, Mussel Farm 2022 (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the post-cleaning surveys (2023, 2024) carried out in Sacca Fisola to assess the microplastic in surface water after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Surface Water, Sacca Fisola 2023-2024 (Post-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the post-cleaning surveys (2023, 2024) carried out in a mussel farm near Cavallino-Jesolo to assess the microplastic in surface water after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Surface Water, Mussel Farm 2023-2024 (Post-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in Sacca Fisola to assess the microplastic in fishes before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Fish, Sacca Fisola 2022 (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Bathymetry collected in the mussel farm site on December 2022 before the the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in a mussel farm near Cavallino-Jesolo to assess the microplastic in surface water before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Surface Water, Mussel Farm 2022 (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Bathymetry collected in the Sacca Fisola site on December 2023 after the the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in Sacca Fisola to assess the microplastic in sediments before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Sediment, Sacca Fisola 2022 (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the post-cleaning surveys (2023, 2024) carried out in Sacca Fisola to assess the microplastic in fishes after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Fish, Sacca Fisola 2023-2024 (Post-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the post-cleaning surveys (2023, 2024) carried out in a mussel farm near Cavallino-Jesolo to assess the microplastic in sediments after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Sediment, Mussel Farm 2023-2024 (Post-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in the mussel farm site to assess the microplastic in sediments before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Macrolitter detection on the seafloor - Mussel Farm 2022
Bathymetry collected in the in the mussel farm site on february 2022 before the the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the post-cleaning surveys (2023, 2024) carried out in Sacca Fisola to assess the microplastic in sediments after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Sediment, Sacca Fisola 2023-2024 (Post-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in Sacca Fisola to detect the macro-litter on the seafloor before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Macrolitter detection on the seafloor - Sacca Fisola 2022 (pre-cleaning)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in a mussel farm near Cavallino-Jesolo to assess the microplastic in sediments before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Sediment, Mussel Farm 2022 (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Bathymetry collected in the Sacca Fisola site on May 2023 after the the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the pre-cleaning survey (2022) carried out in a mussel farm near Cavallino-Jesolo to assess the microplastic in bivalves before the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Bivalves, Mussel Farm 2022 (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Tables, protocols and shapefiles related to the post-cleaning surveys (2023, 2024) carried out in Sacca Fisola to assess the microplastic in bivalbes after the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Microplastics Assessment in Bivalves, Sacca Fisola 2023-2024 (Post-cleaning Survey)
Canal Grande 2023 April marine litter distribution
Bathymetry collected in the mussel farm site on May 2023 after the the cleaning activities performed by the Seabed Robotic Cleaning Platform.
Canal Grande 2013 marine litter distribution
As part of the European MAELSTROM project, a combined approach using bathymetric analysis and underwater video inspections was applied to investigate marine litter (ML) accumulation on the seafloor in the urban area of Sacca Fisola (SF). The integration of multibeam echosounder (MBES) data with diver-operated video transects allowed not only the visual validation of acoustic results but also a more detailed mapping of litter items. During a 100-metre transect conducted by professional divers on 12 July 2022, 34 marine litter objects were identified and classified. This multiparametric strategy enabled the spatial georeferencing of debris and an estimate of their percentage coverage on the seafloor.
As part of the European MAELSTROM project, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) was conducted using a hydrophone deployed before and after the cleaning campaign carried out with a robotic platform at the Mussel Farm site. The primary aim of this acoustic monitoring was to analyze underwater soundscapes to detect the presence of soniferous organisms, with particular attention to fish and potentially invertebrate components
Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) - Mussel Farm 2022/2024
The ecological assessment of the Ave Estuary has been conducted since the beginning of the MAELSTROM project, covering the Spring and Autumn periods each year (seasons with the highest biological activity for this type of water body). After the installation of the Bubble Barrier, ecological assessments were carried out seasonally to monitor the ecosystem's progression following the implementation of the waste collection technology.
MAELSTROM: Ecological assessment campaigns in the Ave River estuary in Portugal (pre and post cleaning)
As part of the MAELSTROM project, a video survey was conducted on 23 September 2022 at the abandoned mussel farm (MF) site in the coastal area outside the Venetian lagoon. The purpose of the survey was to visually document and classify marine debris items on the seabed and to support the validation of previous bathymetric analyses. The inspection revealed several types of debris, including mooring structures, ropes, and derelict fishing gear, elements that are often challenging to detect through remote sensing techniques alone.
Soft bottom macrozoobenthic communities were characterized in Sacca Fisola. In the lagoon site, three stations were defined: LV1 (on the planned cleaning area), LV2 (control) and LV3 (additional, in case more information would have been required). The protocol includes sampling by Van Veen grab (surface area of 0.1 m2, volume of approx. 17 L), taxonomic determination and quantitative analysis of the community matrix.
MAELSTROM: Soft bottom macrozoobenthos - Sacca Fisola 2022 (pre-cleaning)
Soft bottom macrozoobenthic communities were characterized in Mussel Farm. In the coastal site, three stations were defined: CS1 (planned cleaning area and discontinued in September 2023), CS2 (control) and CS4 (cleaning area since september 2023). The protocol includes sampling by Van Veen grab (surface area of 0.1 m2, volume of approx. 17 L), taxonomic determination and quantitative analysis of the community matrix.
Soft bottom macrozoobenthos - Mussel Farm 2023 (pre-cleaning)
The bathymetry was acquired in 2013 in the Grand Canal (Venice) as part of the RITMARE (La Ricerca ITaliana per il MARE) research project. The data were collected using a Kongsberg EM-2040 dual-head multibeam system operating at 360 kHz, mounted on the CNR Litus vessel, and subsequently processed with Kongsberg SIS software. The information acquired was integrated with sound velocity profiles and georeferenced using the Seapath 300 positioning system. This survey will serve as a basis for comparison with data collected ten years later, in 2023, in order to assess any morphological and sedimentological changes in the bottom of the Grand Canal.
In the Ave River estuary, monitoring of Floating Macro-Litter (FML) was undertaken before (June 2021 - December 2023) and after the installation of the Bubble Barrier remediation technology in order to assess its effectiveness. Evaluation of FML followed standard European guidelines (Hanke et al., 2013, 2023) and was conducted through visual monitoring to assess the diversity and relative abundance of debris in the area. Monitoring campaigns were carried out monthly from June 2021 to December 2024. FML observations were performed using binoculars (during ebb tide at three designated locations in the estuary—downstream, midstream, and upstream. All three observation points were positioned at the same elevation along the estuary margin, approximately 2 meters above the water surface (mean sea level), ensuring a consistent viewing angle for reliable comparisons between locations. Although some FML objects may have been partially obscured by wind-generated ripples or small waves from passing boats, this impact was minimized as observations were conducted on calm days with high visibility. More details on the methodology can be found in D5.4 More details on the results can be found in D2.4.
Monitoring of Floating Macro-Litter in the Ave River estuary in Portugal (pre and post the cleaning)
During the marine litter cleanup activities at the lagoon site, fouling organisms were sampled from a subset of the collected litter items. From each item, a 0.1 m² area was scraped from the surface exposed to epifaunal colonization. For the lagoon site, 5 items (4 tires and a metal frame) were subject to scraping on 26-27/09/2022.
MAELSTROM: Marine litter fouling communities - Sacca Fisola 2022
MAELSTROM: Soft bottom macrozoobenthos - Sacca Fisola 2023/2024 (post-cleaning)
MAELSTROM: Assessment of fish community in lagoon area, Sacca Fisola (Post-cleaning Survey)
For this project, two study areas were selected and both are characterized by the presence of marine litter that has accumulated over time: a lagoon area (Sacca Fisola) and a coastal area, the latter located on an abandoned mussel farm.The lagoon site of Sacca Fisola is situated in an area where waste accumulates in substantial quantities. Consequently, the channel's seabed is marked by a significant presence of waste. Some of these waste items are buried beneath layers of sediment, while many others remain visible on the surface and can be identified using the bathymetric map generated from MultiBeam EchoSounder (MBES) data.
Macrolitter detection on the seafloor - Sacca Fisola 2022 (post-cleaning)
Assessment of fish community in coastal area, Mussel Farm (Pre-cleaning Survey)
Assessment of fish community in coastal area, Mussel Farm (Post-cleaning Survey)
Data collected in April 2023 by CNR- ISMAR VE within the MAELSTROM project with the aim to map marine litter on the seafloor
MAELSTROM: Assessment of fish community in lagoon area, Sacca Fisola (Pre-cleaning Survey)
During the marine litter cleanup activities at the Mussel Farm site, fouling organisms were sampled from a subset of the collected litter items. From each item, a 0.1 m² area was scraped from the surface exposed to epifaunal colonization. In the coastal site, samples of sufficient quality could be acquired during May-June 2023 cleaning operations, 2 plastic buoys retained near the seabed and a section of synthetic rope, all of them leftover aquaculture equipment.
Marine litter fouling communities - Mussel Farm 2023
Soft bottom macrozoobenthic communities were characterized in Mussel Farm. In the marine site, three stations were defined: CS1 (planned cleaning area and discontinued in September 2023), CS2 (control) and CS4 (cleaning area since september 2023). The protocol includes sampling by Van Veen grab (surface area of 0.1 m2, volume of approx. 17 L), taxonomic determination and quantitative analysis of the community matrix.
Soft bottom macrozoobenthos - Mussel Farm 2023/2024 (post-cleaning)
The first objective of the H2020 MAELSTROM Project is in support of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and it aims at defining and implementing an Integrated Assessment Approach (IAA) to evaluate the effectiveness of ML remediation actions and their positive and/or negative impacts on marine coastal ecosystems and local economies. The IAA will consider both macro litter and microplastics, and it will include seafloor ML, as well as surface and water column ML. The IAA will integrate and operationalize knowledge and data related to ML sources, ML dispersion and fate, ML accumulation in hot spots, negative impacts on coastal ecosystems’ food chains, biodiversity and functioning, Marine Protected Areas, wildlife and the coastal and maritime sectors relevant for local economies. The IAA will also help improving marine and coastal spatial planning, conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems in support of the EU Integrated Maritime Policy, delivering concrete benefits for maritime growth and sustainability in Europe.
MAELSTROM Objective 1: Integrated assessment of the cleaning operations effectiveness and their impacts - archive
MAELSTROM Objective 1: Integrated assessment of the cleaning operations effectiveness and their impacts
© MAELSTROM - Smart technology for MArinE Litter SusTainable RemOval and Management funded by the European Union, Programme H2020-EU.3.2.5.1. Grant agreement No 101000832. https://doi.org/10.3030/101000832.
Fantina Madricardo, Vanessa Moschino, Susanna Mesghez, ANTONIO PETRIZZO, Taha Lahami, and Valentina Grande. "MAELSTROM Objective 1: Integrated assessment of the cleaning operations effectiveness and their impacts - archive." ROHub. Dec 20 ,2024. https://doi.org/10.24424/n4zj-z687.
Smart technology for MArinE Litter SusTainable RemOval and Management
Economy, business and finance/Economic sector/Chemicals/Synthetic and plastic chemicals
The first objective of the H2020 MAELSTROM Project is in support of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and it aims at defining and implementing an Integrated Assessment Approach (IAA) to evaluate the effectiveness of ML remediation actions and their positive and/or negative impacts on marine coastal ecosystems and local economies.
Environment/Natural resources/Water/Oceans
The IAA will consider both macro litter and microplastics, and it will include seafloor ML, as well as surface and water column ML.
The IAA will integrate and operationalize knowledge and data related to ML sources, ML dispersion and fate, ML accumulation in hot spots, negative impacts on coastal ecosystems’
Economy, business and finance/Economic sector/Construction and property/Renovation
Antunes, S., Vieira, L., Iglesias, I., Sousa Pinto, I., Tomás Correia, A. M., Moreira, R., Padilha, D., Nesto, N., Sigovini, M., Guarneri, I., Tagliapietra, D., Madricardo, F., McKiver, W., Petrizzo, A., Marceta, T., Galvez, D., Bocci, M., Cecchi, T., & MOSCHINO, V. (2022). D2.3 Ecosystem state and ML pollution assessment in the two demo sites (Lagoon of Venice and the Porto region). MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14930115
D2.3 Ecosystem state and ML pollution assessment in the two demo sites (Lagoon of Venice and the Porto region)
MOSCHINO, V., Nesto, N., Sigovini, M., Guarneri, I., Madricardo, F., Mc Kiver, W., Ghezzo, M., Petrizzo, A., Marčeta, T., Mesghez, S., Lahami, T., Picciulin, M., Manfè, G., Bocci, M., Antunes, S., Vieira, L., Iglesias, I., Nogueira, S., del Oro Alcalde, D., … Sousa-Pinto, I. (2025). D2.4 Impact assessment report in the two demo sites (Lagoon of Venice and the Porto region). MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15544591
D2.4 Impact assessment report in the two demo sites (Lagoon of Venice and the Porto region)
Bocci, M., Poletto, D., MOSCHINO, V., Nesto, N., Madricardo, F., Sigovini, M., Marčeta, T., Mesghez, S., Petrizzo, A., Lahami, T., Vieira, L. R., Antunes, S. C., Iglesias, I., Kett, G., Nogueira, S., del Oro Alcalde, D., Bio, A., Pezzilli, C., de Casto, G., … Buschman, F. A. (2025). D2.5 Integrated assessment of the cleaning operations effectiveness and their impacts. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15545862
D2.5 Integrated assessment of the cleaning operations effectiveness and their impacts