{"id":1960,"date":"2026-07-22T14:34:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/envrio.eu\/efxinnos\/?p=1960"},"modified":"2026-07-22T14:34:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:34:19","slug":"training-the-next-generation-of-marine-scientists-for-a-sustainable-black-sea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/envrio.eu\/efxinnos\/training-the-next-generation-of-marine-scientists-for-a-sustainable-black-sea\/","title":{"rendered":"Training the Next Generation of Marine Scientists for a Sustainable Black Sea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On 17 April 2026, an international training workshop entitled “Advanced Marine Monitoring for the Sustainable Blue Economy of the Black Sea”<\/strong> was held at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Tbilisi, Georgia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workshop was organized by Ilia State University within the framework of the EfxINNOs project, “Establishing and Operating an Innovative Marine Technology Transfer Network for Enhancing the Transition to a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Black Sea Basin.”<\/strong> The project is funded by the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme and co-funded by the European Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workshop was held in a hybrid format and brought together young researchers, Master’s and PhD students, and individuals interested in marine environmental research who had been selected through an open call. The sessions involved representatives from local universities as well as higher education and research institutions from the EfxINNOs partner countries. Throughout the workshop, experts introduced participants to advanced marine environmental monitoring technologies, shared practical experience, and presented current approaches to the processing, analysis, and application of marine environmental data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the workshop’s main themes was the latest advances in real-time monitoring of the Black Sea marine environment. Participants were introduced to the EfxINNOs research buoy deployed in the Port of Poti on the Georgian Black Sea coast, along with the sensor system installed on the platform. The buoy is equipped with sensors that continuously monitor key physicochemical parameters of the marine environment, providing real-time data to support environmental assessment and sustainable marine management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants learned how data collected by the buoy-mounted sensors are acquired, transmitted, processed, and interpreted, as well as their importance in assessing the environmental status of the Black Sea. Real-time monitoring enables researchers to detect changes in marine conditions promptly and to monitor both natural processes and the impacts of human activities, thereby supporting timely scientific assessments and informed environmental management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workshop also explored the use of data from the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) and the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) for the reanalysis and short-term forecasting of Black Sea environmental conditions. CMEMS provides observation- and model-based information on the marine environment, while EMODnet integrates marine data from multiple sources into a unified, openly accessible platform. Together, these services enable researchers to analyse ongoing marine processes, assess current environmental conditions, and generate short-term forecasts of environmental change. Particular attention was given to autonomous and remotely operated underwater vehicles (AUVs, micro-AUVs, and ROVs). Participants learned about the main components of AUV systems, the planning and execution of research missions, vehicle operation, and the processing and interpretation of the collected data. The workshop also highlighted the application of these technologies for rapid marine environmental assessment and for investigating several descriptors defined under the European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dedicated presentation focused on the use of micro-AUVs for monitoring benthic habitats and marine litter. Participants learned how these compact autonomous underwater vehicles can follow pre-programmed survey routes while collecting visual and other environmental data from the seafloor. Their potential for efficient, high-resolution seabed surveys and habitat assessments was also discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workshop further presented the experience gained through the EfxINNOs project at the Turkish pilot sites. Speakers shared practical experience with the use of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for benthic habitat monitoring, highlighting the capabilities of this technology to investigate seafloor ecosystems and support marine environmental assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another presentation focused on digital image analysis for marine monitoring. Photographs and video recordings collected by underwater vehicles and imaging systems provide valuable information on the seafloor, benthic habitats, marine organisms, and marine litter. Processing and analysing these digital images enable researchers to identify and classify marine objects, assess their spatial distribution, and extract ecological information from large visual datasets. Such approaches are becoming increasingly important for the efficient and consistent analysis of the rapidly growing volume of underwater imagery generated by modern marine monitoring technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workshop also emphasized that collecting marine data alone is not sufficient. Ensuring data quality through validation, standardization, and compatibility with information collected from different sources is essential for reliable environmental assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants were introduced to Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA\/QC) procedures for marine habitat and marine litter data. They also learned about data harmonization practices that enable the integration of datasets into European marine data infrastructures, including EMODnet and CMEMS. The adoption of common standards facilitates data exchange among countries and research institutions while supporting large-scale comparative analyses across the Black Sea and other European marine regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A separate session was devoted to modern monitoring and modelling approaches within the framework of the European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Participants were introduced to the objectives of the Directive, which aims to achieve and maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) in European marine waters through coordinated monitoring, assessment, and management of marine ecosystems. The integration of monitoring data with mathematical modelling provides researchers with a powerful tool for assessing the condition of marine ecosystems, identifying trends in environmental change, and determining the principal sources of pressure affecting the marine environment. This combined approach supports more reliable scientific assessments and contributes to evidence-based decision-making for sustainable marine ecosystem management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workshop also presented experience from monitoring seagrass habitats along the Romanian Black Sea coast. The study combines high-resolution imagery acquired by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with field survey observations. While aerial imagery enables large-scale mapping of seagrass distribution, field investigations provide essential ground validation and a more detailed assessment of habitat condition. Integrating these complementary approaches allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of seagrass distribution, density, and ecological status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concluding session introduced a systems architecture designed to strengthen the competitiveness of the Blue Economy in the Black Sea region. The presentation addressed the integration of data acquisition, common standards, analytical tools, and the practical implementation of technological solutions. It emphasized that the effectiveness of modern marine monitoring depends not only on advanced observation technologies but also on well-organized workflows for data collection, storage, processing, and sharing. Interoperable and standardized systems facilitate the transformation of scientific data into actionable information that supports environmental policymaking, marine resource management, and innovation within the Blue Economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workshop provided young researchers with an excellent opportunity to become familiar with the principles and practical applications of modern marine monitoring technologies. It also created a valuable platform for knowledge exchange, professional networking, and discussions on future scientific collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EfxINNOs consortium brings together six partner organizations from five countries\u2014Georgia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and T\u00fcrkiye. The project’s objective is to establish a technologically advanced, cost-effective, and sustainable marine monitoring network linking the Black Sea Basin with the Northern Aegean Sea, thereby strengthening regional scientific cooperation and supporting the transition towards a sustainable Blue Economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International cooperation, advanced technologies, and high-quality environmental data play a crucial role in improving our understanding of Black Sea ecosystems, enabling the timely identification of environmental challenges, and supporting evidence-based decision-making. Together, these elements provide a strong foundation for the region’s transition towards a sustainable Blue Economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presrentations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_Workshop_SYLAIOS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_ISU-Kupatadze<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_Kokkos_Data_processing<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_Kokkos_CMEMS_EMODNET<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_Workshop_AKTAN<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_Chlorophyll-a_Mikeladze<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_Chlorophyll-a _Megvinetukhutsesi<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_Partner meeting_Gazihan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EfxINNOs_Underwater drones_Rrazvan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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