Aeolian Islands Expedition 2018

The Aeolian Islands are group of volcanic islands located in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily. Here, emblematic species like the loggerhead sea turtle, sperm whale, swordfish and bluefin tuna can be found swimming in its waters.

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Overview

The final video Aeolians 2018 from Oceana on Vimeo.

Italy’s Aeolian archipelago is a group of seven volcanic islands located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the north of Sicily. The waters here are home to emblematic species like loggerhead sea turtle, sperm whale, swordfish, and bluefin tuna, and to rare habitats, such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents. However, deep-sea areas in the Aeolians remain relatively unexplored, and little is known about the marine organisms that live on the underwater volcanic slopes and seamounts.

In contrast, we do know about the environmental impacts that affect the islands: overfishing, bycatch of threatened species, pollution…  Every year the islands are visited by more than 200,000 tourists and the number of yachts anchoring on their coasts are also growing. These pressures threaten both the marine biodiversity of the area, and the livelihoods of local people who depend upon marine resources.

Such pressures on marine life are typical across most of the Mediterranean. This sea is one of the planet’s major biodiversity hotspots, but protection of vulnerable and important areas – particularly deep-sea areas – is lacking. One major reason why deep-water areas have not been protected is because of limited scientific information.

The Ranger at full sail near Stromboli, 2007To address this lack of data and to contribute to the protection of this special area, Oceana embarked on its 28th expedition aboard the Ranger — which previously sailed through these waters in 2007 and 2008 — equipped with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), with the ability to film videos, take photographs, and collect samples down to a depth of one thousand metres. The results of the expedition will be used in the scope of the Aeolian Islands Project of the Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) in collaboration with the Aeolian Island Preservation Fund, which are working towards the designation of a marine protected area in the Aeolians, alongside sustainable fisheries and development.

The Ranger sailing near the Aeolian Is. off Stromboli (2007)

This project is made possible thanks to the generous support of IF International Foundation, Pictet Charitable Foundation, SmileWave Fund and several individual donors.

Diaries

June 18, 2018

The Mediterranean as it is

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June 16, 2018

On the slopes of the volcano

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June 15, 2018

Stromboli

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June 14, 2018

Final Stretch

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June 13, 2018

Two Years in the Making

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June 12, 2018

Greetings from the Aeolian Islands!

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June 11, 2018

Here’s to many more travel logs and miles!

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June 10, 2018

Sad Underwater Encounter

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June 9, 2018

Bumping Along

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June 6, 2018

A Day Ashore

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June 5, 2018

Nets on Top

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June 4, 2018

Underwater Forests

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June 3, 2018

Guest Diary: Benjamin Harris

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June 2, 2018

Welcome Aboard!

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June 1, 2018

From Neptune to the Ranger

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May 31, 2018

Just imagine…

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May 30, 2018

‘Tiramisu’ dal fondo del mare

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May 29, 2018

A fleeting Moment at Sea

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May 28, 2018

Staring at the Abyss

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May 27, 2018

Between Mountains and Volcanos

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May 26, 2018

Engine Troubles

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May 25, 2018

Ciao Italy

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The Crew

Hugo Ballesteros

ROV Pilot

Allison Perry

Deputy Director, Research & Expeditions

Silvia García

Marine Scientist

José Manuel Sáez

ROV Pilot

Enrique Talledo

Videographer

Jorge Blanco

Marine GIS Analyst

Helena Álvarez

Marine Scientist

Marta Fernández

Deckhand

Alejandro Blanco

Deckhand

Adolfo Luis de Los Rios

Deckhand

Rubén González

Logistics

José Alberto González

Cook

Jesús Molino

Captain

Ricardo Aguilar

Director

Brais Lorenzo

ROV Pilot

Videos

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Oceana in Europe gratefully acknowledges EU funding support.

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