TOSCA
Title: Tracking Oil Spills and Coastal Awareness Network
Summary: The lethal effects of mineral oils on fragile marine & local coastal ecosystems have been recorded often. The increasing importance of East Mediterranean ports with their higher traffic densities concentrated around Western & Central Mediterranean ports, will greatly increase the risk of a high polluting marine accident. We need to strengthen coastal monitoring.
The core objective of TOSCA is to improve the quality, speed & effectiveness of decision-making process in case of marine accidents (oil pollution, SAR Operations), by the development & implementation of technical & decision support tools, through active participation of scientists, in conjunction with local authorities.
The novelty of TOSCA is to implement an integrated & scientific sustainable monitoring/forecasting design based on state of the art technology that will be implemented at the territorial scale & for local needs through the following steps:
- Analysis of past dramatic events & state-of-the art in terms of methodologies, instruments & response plans;
- Setting-up of an observational network based on HF radar & drifters providing direct information on ocean currents, coupled with other instruments & models;
- Assessment of the system considering different case scenarios
The network information will be used to implement a common scientific strategy in cooperation with policy makers, to improve the efficiency of action plans in case of marine accident & to create synergies between authorities, regulators, end users & scientists. Thus, scientific developments will be supported by local authorities, which as partners (or associated one as Govern Illes Baleares, as well as both bodies to whom is devolved the offshore action State: SASEMAR (Sociedad Estatal de Salvamento y Seguridad Maritima) for Spain & Guardia Costiera in Italy, which have already shown their deep interest to the project) can advise, orientate & actively participate, according to local requirements.
The budget's been built on the basis of the expected results & the means to reach them, in respect of the rules of the Med Program:
- a monitoring system requiring important durables (for the HF-radar system) & consumables (for drifters & profilers) costs;
- a scientific team requiring important staff costs;
- a low external expertise costs since the partnership has the major required competences & already includes the experts.
For more information, please visit EurOcean Knowledge Gate.