Project Abstracts

Feasibility assessment for the Orata Fish Farm, Vlore, Albania – shifting from a monoculture fish farm to an Integrated Aquafarming System including both fish and mussels, which utilize nutrients from the fish farm for their growth. Project consisted of quantitative surveys of population of the blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) naturally recruited onto the fish farm infrastructure, assessment of recruitment potential and timing of reproductive period, analyzing Condition Index and optimized harvest timing. In our efforts to raise the environmental awareness of local operators, fish farm personal was trained to assist in the continuous monitoring and sampling of mussels.

Assessing the role of urban marine structures in facilitating Lessepsian migration from the Red Sea into the Israeli Mediterranean coast.  

1) Comparing the prevalence of Lessepsian migrants on coastal urban structures vs. adjacent rocky shores along a wide geographical gradient.

2) Identifying key physical & environmental variables facilitating/inhibiting Lessepsian migrants (e.g., orientation, material, currents, wave exposure, salinity,Red-Ox potential and PH levels)

3) Obtaining reference data for future assessments of changes in invasion status and the effectiveness of prevention or control efforts

4) Detecting new invasions and documenting significant range extensions. 

 Sponsored by the PADI Foundation.  

Taxonomic consulting to the Israeli National Parks Authority. Identification of tropical corals and corallimorphs illegally shipped into Israel. 

Invited scientific report for the Israeli Government Tourist Corporation in light of future prospects for constructing planned artificial reefs in Eilat, Israel (in Hebrew). 

Designed urban waterfronts are typically dominated by vertical seawalls with scant opportunities for naturalizing. Consequently, an important eco-social opportunity exists: transforming sterile and hazardous industrial infrastructures to a new ‘urban blue-lungs’ supporting aquatic life and encourage safe human interactions with marine nature. The ecological marine enhancement project will be conducted in the ancient Port of Jaffa, at the heart of the Tel Aviv-Jafo Metropolitan area, Israel. The project is done in collaboration with Studio Urbanof.

The idea behind the project is converting the old docking area in the port into an "artificial peninsula" offering environmental, educational and recreational services. This urban nature zone, will include artificial tide pools, nursing grounds for juvenile fish, and restoration of sessile marine communities functioning as biological filters. The new artificial peninsula will offer an attractive urban waterfront, including shaded sitting areas, sustainable lightning, fish cleaning stations and educational infrastructure. All of the above will go hand in hand with a tailor-made educational program, that will involve a wide spectrum of the public. 

SeArc launched a pilot project in Michmoret's Marine, aimed at integrating man-made tide pools into the Marina's breakwater. These 3D artificial tide-pools, composed of unique concrete matrices with a special surface texture and design, are aimed at enhancing recruitment and growth of intertidal communities. The project is done hand-in-hand with 3_rd year biotechnology students from the School of Marine Sciences - Ruppin Academic Center.

The ability of SeArc marine concrete technologies to support biological activity is now being implemented in urban terrestrial environment. Based on the company’s experience in the marine realm, SeArc was chosen to design and fabricate a biologically-active concrete green wall at Israel's first LEED certified Eco-office tower (Azouri EcoTower, Tel-Aviv). The wall is an integral part of the towers’ ecological terrace, designed by Studio Urbanof. This unique green wall is designed to perform as an active biological substrate, harvesting humidity and nutrient particles from the air, and supporting bacteria, endolithic alga, cyanobacteria, infauna and macro-flora. The special design of the wall’s surface texture provides valuable microhabitats, which have a profound effect on the composition of the flora growing on it. This project is anther example to SeArc’s vision of bridging development and sustainability by manipulating infrastructures to provide valuable ecosystem services below and above the waterline, without compromising their original function.

SeArc was chosen to be the official scientific consultant for Israeli pavilion in the Expo2012. Located in Korea, the theme of this Expo is "The Living Ocean and Coast: Diversity of Resources and Sustainable activities” 

 SeArc performs baseline surveys to provide information regarding the state of the marine environment prior to deep sea drilling. The surveys include tracking the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the water column and sediments around the well site area, and providing  a report to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, and to the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Characteristics of the water column include, dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, temperature, Metals, Alkens, PAH and levels of chlorophyll. While characteristics of the sediment include metals,TOC, chemical derivatives of NPD, PAHs and alkenes. In addition, quantitative biological and physical parameters such as Granulo-metric characteristics, biomass, organic/inorganic, and in-fauna are evaluated. 

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