Special Session 8

Marine fishes have declined in the past decades because of the growing pressures from intensive fisheries and human-related degradation of habitats. Global climate changes are further accelerating the process by amplifying stressors such as invasive alien species, habitat loss and fragmentation. These processes are a major conservation challenge, requiring the setting of new approaches and strategies to prevent population loss. A factor hindering the development of conservation strategies is linked to an insufficient amount of ecological and biological data and limited knowledge on life cycles and ecological dynamics of most fishes, but especially of those not directly exploited by commercial fishing. As other sensitive and threatened fish, Syngnathids can potentially reflect local or regional habitat changes and this especially refers to coastal and transitional environments. In this session, we invite contributions that deal with conservation and introduce innovative approaches, techniques and methodologies applied to marine fishes.

Tamara Lazic held her Ph.D. in Molecular and Structural Genetics and Evolution and is currently a researcher in Zoology at the Department of Biology of the University of Bari. Her research focuses on Syngnathids and other benthic organisms inhabiting confined areas including both native and alien species. In particular, the research concerns population genetics, trophic ecology and relationships by traditional and DNA metabarcoding means, distribution, and species-environmental relations.

Cataldo Pierri is graduated in Biological Sciences and PhD in Fundamental Ecology, he is now a researcher in Zoology at the Department of Biology of the University of Bari where he teaches applied zoology. He deals with functional and structural biodiversity in the marine environment and in particular with the conservation and protection of marine species and habitats. In coastal marine environments, he deals with the analysis of Syngnathid (seahorses and pipefish) communities and on the role of filter-feeding organisms in the communities of confined environments. Author of numerous international publications, he collaborates with various public and private research institutions. Cataldo Pierri was data manager for the LifeWatch research infrastructure, in the framework of the "ecosystem vulnerability to alien and invasive species" study case. He has been a speaker at numerous national and international conferences, organizer of a special session in the Metrosea 2020 congress and scientific responsible of national and international research projects, as well as editor and reviewer of ISI journals.

Miguel Correia graduated in Marine Biology from University of Algarve, holds a MSc. in Biology and Management of Marine Resources from University of Lisbon and a PhD in Marine Ecology from the University of Algarve. He is Focal Point for Europe in the IUCN Seahorse, Pipefish and Seadragon specialist group. His research has been focusing on studying both European seahorse species since 2007, looking at several aspects of their biology and ecology. He has also developed a successful breeding program in captivity for both seahorse species and is currently working on seahorse population assessment in the Portuguese coast.

Michele Gristina, biologist, research scientist (permanent staff) at the CNR-IAMC since 1999. Main research interest focuses on fishery ecology, fishery and ecology of spiny lobster. In the last five years he has focused his studies on the ecology and biology of European seahorses. He participated to about 30 national and international (EU-funded) research projects with scientific responsibility in 6 project. Author of more than 60 peer review scientific paper.