The first partners’ meeting of the SEALIFE project, funded by the Interreg Greece–Italy 2021/2027 Programme, took place on 26 November in Tricase Porto (Lecce, Italy). The event was organised by the “Costa Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca e Bosco di Tricase” Regional Natural Park, acting as Lead Partner of the project.
In addition to the Park and representatives of the Programme Joint Secretariat — Tina Ranieri (Project Officer) and Maristella Mantuano (Communication Officer) — the meeting was attended by representatives of the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), the Regional Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia (ARPA Puglia), the NGO Archipelagos – Environment and Development, and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR).
The kick-off meeting provided an opportunity for a first constructive exchange between the scientific partners and the Programme Joint Secretariat on the SEALIFE project. During the meeting, the project’s expected outputs and results were presented in detail, and administrative and procedural rules were defined. Key technical and scientific aspects were also discussed to ensure an effective and comprehensive implementation of project activities.
The discussion enabled the partners to share methodologies, objectives and priorities, with particular focus on actions aimed at identifying and monitoring marine caves and coastal areas frequented by the Mediterranean monk seal, as well as on the involvement of local communities and stakeholders. The meeting also supported the definition of management measures to be included in the joint action plan between Greece and Italy.
Finally, the event offered the chance to strengthen mutual understanding among project partners and to further consolidate institutional synergies for monitoring the presence of the Mediterranean monk seal in the seas of Puglia and Greece.
