News and Events

Focus Group - Malta 18th February 2020
ISPRA - May 2020

Topic: Spread of non-indigenous species: production of an integrated and shared framework of main knowledge and intervention strategies. Technical shared solutions on new data generation, on improvement of information exchange and on the possibility of new repositories of information.

Participants: University of Palermo, ISPRA, CNR-IAS, University of Malta, ERA Malta, DFA Malta

Coordination Partner: ISPRA

Description of the activity: As part of the participatory path, focus group is a technique of analysis used to obtain information on one or more subjects of interest. It takes place as group interview led by a facilitator that stimulates the participants following a more or less structure track. During this activity, the analysis of NIS data collection protocol and the possibility to integrate to existent database were discussed and deepened; ERA gave its availability to share its database. It was also highlighted the mature experience of Italy in the activation of protocols and actions providing guidance and rapid responses to the potential threats of NIS.

Elements came out during the activity: As part of the development of EDRR model coordinated between Italy and Malta the following proposals/hypotheses came out:

  • to verify possible points of coordination/integration in the definition and implementation of an EDRR system for NIS between Italy and Malta
  • to develop a compared analysis of information systems through which NIS monitoring data are organized and managed in order to assess if the two systems are interoperable
  • to verify the development of monitoring tools/protocols/objectives coordinated for the surveillance of NIS within Natura 2000 sites
  • to verify the development monitoring tools/protocols/objectives coordinated for the surveillance of NIS in the harbor areas
  • no proposals or hypotheses have been made for Sea Bed integrity