Annika Clements’ article on the work being done in the INTERREG IVB project “SPRES: Oil spill prevention and response at local scales” was featured in the newsletter of the global International Spill Control Organization (ISCO).
Annika, of Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystems Branch, was asked to write the article on SPRES after being invited to speak at the International Spill Accreditation Association’s (ISAA) meeting in Hillsborough in November. AFBI is a partner in the SPRES Project and Belfast Lough is one of four study sites. Following the ISAA meeting, the Secretary of the International Spill Control Organisation (ISCO), John McMurtrie, invited Annika to write an article about the SPRES project for the ISCO Newsletter, “the Newsletter of the International Spill Response Community”.
The aim of the EU-funded INTERREG IVB Project is to generate operational forecasting systems and planning tools at a local scale (estuaries and ports). The SPRES project is developing simulator systems from high-resolution oceanographic models, using geographic and time analyses. These simulator systems will help predict how a potential spill would behave in the local areas under study and assist in the response efforts to minimise detrimental effects to the ecosystem, mariculture and shipping.
The project will help establish local oil spill response plans based on risk assessment for the areas of study; Santander Bay in Spain, Aveiro Lagoon, in Portugal; Port of Falmouth in England and Belfast Lough in Northern Ireland.
The opportunity to promote the collaboration being undertaken by the partnership was welcomed by the lead project partner the University of Cantabria, Spain, and in raising the profile of the project to a wider audience. The article was recently published, highlighting the project work being undertaken by AFBI in Belfast Lough with associate partners Belfast Harbour.
The ISCO Newsletter (number 418) can be seen here: http://www.spillcontrol.org/index.php/2013-02-05-11-11-41/2013-02-05-11-26-54
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