Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares Instituto Español de Oceanografía
Knowledge, experience and infrastructures to serve our society
1 The Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (COB)
A CENTURY OF RESEARCHING OUR SEAS
The Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (Balearic Oceanography Centre - COB) is one of nine coastal stations that the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (Spanish Institute of Oceanography - IEO) operates along the coast of the Spanish mainland and islands. Since its inception in 1906, its primary objective has been to use a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach to investigate marine biodiversity, ecosystem dynamics, and the ecology and relationship of species with fishing activities and the environment. Currently, a team of about 70 people, work to respond to the main challenges faced by oceanographers today: climate change, biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and management of marine ecosystems, protection of specific habitats and the modelling and prediction ofocean dynamics.
The COB conducts research,
The broad array of knowledge generated
technology development and outreach
by this effort allows the COB to offer a wide
projects, as well as the training of research
range of services and products to different
and technical personnel in marine science
economic sectors in both government
subjects ranging from observation and
and private organizations as well as
experimentation to the analysis of samples
companies that are involved in the use and
and data and the reporting of results. All
management of the marine environment and
these activities are conducted using modern
theexploitation of living resources
scientific and technical equipment. Based at the COB headquarters in Palma, the institute also operates a variety of oceanographic research vessels of different sizes, and a tide gauge station. Since 2009, the COB has charted the scientific direction of the new research station, Jaume Ferrer, at the Mola de Menorca, through a collaborative agreement between the Govern de les Illes Balears and the IEO; soon it will expand its facilities to the Balearic R+D+i Complex building located in the Parc Bit.
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The research fields
The research conducted at the COB is determined by R+D+i programs made by different administrations, that are inspired in turn by societal needs, social welfare and the principles of sustainable development. The COB operates with an annual budget of appr oximately EUR 2 million. This is largely funded by programs for research projects and activities issued by the R+D+i National Plan, the European Framework Programme, the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan of the Govern de les Illes Balears and by bilateral agreements with central and regional administrations, foundations and the productive sector. The research effort is primarily directed toward the study of:
∑ Oceanographic processes in the western Mediterranean; in particular the sea around the Balearic Islands, with a special focus on oceanographic changes driven by climate change. ∑ The ecology and population dynamics of commercially exploited species, and the study of the biotic and abiotic factors affecting these species and their ecosystems. ∑ The development and transfer of technical measures for the protection of the marine
environment and biodiversity conservation. Through measurement of marine processes and analysis and data modeling, researchers can provide continuous projections for use in improving the assessment and management of the local marine environment.
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The research groups The research groups currently active in the COB are:
∑ Climate Change in the Mediterranean: monitoring and modelling of impacts observed through marine hydrodynamics ∑ Larval ecology and recruitment processes: study of the lower trophic levels of the marine ecosystem ∑ Ecología larvaria y procesos de reclutamiento: análisis de las primeras fases del desarrollo de peces, crustáceos y cefalópodos ∑Fisheries acoustics: the use of the sound to study the sea floor and marine living resources. ∑Fisheries discards: the study of the impact of fishing on the marine environment and development of technical solutions to reduce unnecessary waste from fishing. ∑Marine reserves and coastal ecology: evaluation of the effects of marine spatial planning and protection policies on coastal ecosystems, their species and the artisanal fisheries. ∑Ecosystems, demersal resources and benthos:study of the bottom dwelling species and habitats and evaluation of their exploitation status. In recent years, the COB has increased its human resources as well as the number of research projects and complementary activities. The results of COB research are published as articles in scientific journals and presented at international conferences that provide the basis for reporting COB scientific and technical advice.
Our activity in numbers:
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Development of scientific activities To support its research activities the COB has a fleet of vessels and a wide range of modern scientific and technical equipment.
“The ocean belongs to everyone and to nobody; its rewards are for daring thinkers, scientists with the greatest spirit of adventure, and those willing to do the hardest and best organized work”
Odón de Buen
A FLEET OF OCEANOGRAPHIC VESSELS RESEARCHING ANY SEAS AT FULL CAPACITY
•COB´s fleet consists of the
such as ORV Ramón Margalef, ORV
oceanographic research vessel (ORV) Francisco
Ángeles Alvariño and ORV Sarmiento de
Navarro de paula (30 meters in length) and a
Gamboa, among others. These are essential
range of smaller boats, equipped with modern
platforms to conduct high quality research in
systems for marine research. Together these
marine science and technology.
provide a variety of platforms for sampling and data collection at sea. If necessary, the COB can provide research groups access to larger ships,
•Equipment The COB has a wide range of modern scientific and technical equipment for datalogging and water sampling throughout the water column (CTD depth sounders, rosette with hydrographic bottles, etc.), along the bottom, on the surface and within the marine sediment (nets and several kinds of dredges). In addition there are modern tools for direct underwater observation (remotely operated vehicles or ROVs, photography and a towed video sled) and a scientific echo sounder for acoustic exploration of the marine environment. Detailed analysis of samples is performed by the different COB laboratories: chemical, acoustics, dissection and study of biological samples, microscopy and image analysis
LAST WORD IN SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL
EQUIPMENT
“Research is seeing what everybody sees and thinking what no one thinks “ Albert Szent Gyorgi
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Collaborative programs The COB collaborates with a number
of research institutions, universities and governments, both national and international, and especially with agencies whose research is centred in the Mediterranean region. The C OB staff conducts programs to train researchers and technical staff that ar e designed for researchers, students, managers and users of the marine envir onment to help them carry out activities t o promote scientific culture and dissemination of science.
CONSTANTLY COLLABORATING WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND PROMOTING SCIENTIFIC CULTURE
Premises of the Centro Oceanogrรกfico de Baleares
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The Balearic MarineBiological Laboratory The history of the COB dates back to1906, when the Laboratorio Biológico-Marino de Baleares (Balearic Islands Marine Biological Laboratory) was created. Its first headquarters were located in Porto Pi harbor, in the bay of Palma. The founder and first director
scientific equipment and two boats, the LacazeDuthiers and the Bolivar, which made it possible to undertake the first oceanographic research cruises in the western Mediterranean and thereby develop a foundation for high quality research. Odon de Buen founded the IEO in 1914, by integrating the laboratories of Palma, Santander and Malaga into a single agency..
was Professor Odon de Buen y Cos, professor of zoology at the University of Barcelona. From the start the laboratory was equiped with modern
‘What we know is a drop of water; what we ignore is the ocean’ Isaac Newton
MULTIDISCIPLINARY OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The IEO is a public research organization under the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Its mission is the study of the sea and its resources as well as technological development and the transfer of knowledge in marine science. The IEO develops research projects on marine resources in different seas and oceans, including their application to marine farming and multidisciplinary oceanographic research. The activities of the IEO are nationally based, and its facilities have a wide geographical coverage, with headquarters in Madrid, nine coastal oceanographic centers in Santander, Gijón, La Coruña, Vigo, Cádiz, Tenerife,
Málaga, Murcia and Palma, five experimental aquaculture plants, twelve tide gauge stations, a satellite image receiving station and a fleet of seven ships of v arious tonnage and oceanographic vessels of smaller size. The knowledge generated in research projects and activities undertaken by the IEO, serve to give specific answers to the government and the private sector needs in relation to the rational use of the se e resources, and its protection. The IEO is dir ected to give priority in its oceanographic and fisher y research in the service of state policy, to represent it at international scientific forums related to oceanography and fisheries, and to act as the reference body for the de claration of fisheries protection zones, and marine protected areas.
Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares Instituto Español de Oceanografía Address: Moll de Ponent, s/n. 07015, Palma. Mallorca Balearic Islands. Spain Telephone: +34 971 133 720 Fax: +34 971 404 945 —
www.ba.ieo.es IEO website: www.ieo.es Contact email: cob@ba.ieo.es