Strengthening Native Oyster Restoration Through International Scientific Cooperation
02/12/2025
From 24 to 27 November, around 180 representatives of the international NORA (Native Oyster Restoration Alliance) community gathered in Cartagena, Spain, at the Faculty of Business Sciences of the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena for the sixth edition of the NORA Conference. This event represents the main international forum dedicated to the restoration and conservation of native oysters and brings together leading experts, researchers, policymakers and stakeholders from across Europe and beyond to discuss scientific advances, management strategies and collaborative approaches aimed at restoring Ostrea edulis populations.
Within this international framework, Dr. Alessia Vetri, researcher at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), presented some preliminary results of the MARINET Project through a scientific poster entitled “Health Assessment of Flat Oysters in the Northern Adriatic Sea: One Year Monitoring”. The contribution summarized the results of one year of health monitoring activities carried out on Ostrea edulis at an IMTA (Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture) site located in the Northern Adriatic Sea.
The poster highlighted particularly relevant scientific findings, including the first detection of Perkinsus mediterraneus and Bonamia exitiosa in the Northern Adriatic Sea, together with the observation of some cases of disseminated neoplasia in oysters. These results clearly emphasize the importance of continuous health surveillance as an essential tool to support both sustainable oyster aquaculture and restoration initiatives.The poster session proved to be well attended and stimulating, creating a lively environment for discussion and scientific exchange. Dr. Alessia Vetri was engaged in numerous interactions with researchers and professionals from different countries, responding to a wide range of questions concerning both the newly identified pathogens and the monitoring and surveillance methods applied in the study. The strong interest shown by the international audience confirmed the relevance and scientific value of the data presented.
Bridging research and application
The participation in the NORA 6 Conference allowed the MARINET team not only to disseminate the project’s results within an international community directly engaged in oyster restoration and aquaculture innovation, but also to strengthen the alignment between MARINET’s objectives and broader European restoration strategies. This exchange of knowledge and experience contributes to ensuring the long-term impact of the project and to future synergies with other European initiatives, effectively bridging research and practical application.
