CSS Marine - Oceánario de Lisboa
Established in 2018 in Lisbon this Center for Species Survival, hosted by Oceanário de Lisboa, has the goal to increase the representativity of marine species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, to better understand the conservation needs of the marine environment. To this end, it works closely with the Marine Biodiversity Unit on global assessments of marine fishes, with a particular focus on Not Evaluated species held in public aquariums, as well as conducting national assessments for Portuguese marine fishes.
Supporting the Species Conservation
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Red Book of the Marine Fishes of Portugal
Red Books first started being published in Portugal in the early 1990s: the first, focused on Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, was published in 1990; the second, focused on Freshwater and Diadromous Fishes, was published in 1991; and the final volume published in 1993 assessed Marine and Estuarine Fishes. After 30 years, most taxonomic groups have had national assessment updates; however, marine fishes were left behind. With one of the largest European Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and over 1,000 species of marine fishes, it is of extreme importance to know the status of marine biodiversity to define conservation strategies and inform marine development strategies. This ambitious project is being led by Oceanário de Lisboa and the Oceano Azul Foundation, with the technical support of the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) and financial support from the City Council of Lisbon (CML). It is expected to be completed by 2024.
This Red Book will follow IUCN’s Red List Guidelines for Regional and National Assessments and count on the participation of researchers and ichthyologists from all over mainland Portugal, Azores, and Madeira.
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Global Marine Species Assessment Project – Marine Biodiversity Unit
Due to the relatively low number of marine assessments on the Red List, when compared to those of other systems, Oceanário has been focused on the Assess step of the Assess-Plan-Act Cycle, as it is essential to know what needs protection before designing conservation measures. This commitment has resulted in Catarina Fonseca’s participation in several of MBU’s assessment projects by collating data for, facilitating, or reviewing almost 600 assessments of marine bony fishes, as well as participating in three international assessment workshops, as of 2023.
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Public Aquarium Species Assessment Project
In 2019, the Public Aquarium Species Assessment Project was started to assess all Not Evaluated (NE) marine vertebrate and invertebrate species in public aquariums, starting with Oceanário de Lisboa’s and The Deep´s animal collection. The information collected is then used to better inform collection planning, conservation, and education messages, ex situ conservation activities, and allocation of funding to in situ conservation projects.
Meet our team
Núria Baylina
Nuria is the Curator and Head of Conservation of the Oceanário de Lisboa and the Coordinator of the Center for Species Survival Marine. She works closely with numerous marine species conservation projects both in Portugal and abroad. Member of the Steering Committee of the Elasmobranch Taxon Advisory Group of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA), European Studbook Keeper of the Blue Spotted Stingray, member of the Screeners Team of EAZA. Speaker at international congresses and author of several papers and book chapters related to Aquariology and Conservation. Recently has joined the Shark Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
Nuria is the Curator and Head of Conservation of the Oceanário de Lisboa and the Coordinator of the Center for Species Survival Marine. She works closely with numerous marine species conservation ...
Catarina Fonseca
Catarina is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where she works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. She has worked on marine conservation since obtaining an M.Sc. in Conservation Science from Imperial College London. Catarina mainly focuses on Red List Assessments for marine species, working on assessing species held in aquarium collections to improve conservation actions for these species and working with IUCN's Marine Biodiversity Unit on the Global Marine Species Assessment project. Since 2021, she has coordinated the national assessment work for the Red Book of the Marine Fishes of Portugal.
Catarina is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where she works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. She has worked on marine conservation since obtaining an M.Sc ...
EXPERTISE:
Marine ecosystems
Marine species
Ana Raposo
Ana is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where she works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. She has worked on molecular biology after obtaining an M.Sc. in Biomedical Research from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra and as a scientific researcher in the Azores in the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries. In 2021, Ana moved to the Center for Species Survival team to work on the Red Book of the Marine Fishes of Portugal.
Ana is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where she works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. She has worked on molecular biology after obtaining an M.Sc. in ...
EXPERTISE:
Assessing ecosystems
Marine ecosystems
Marine species
Catarina Vendrell
Catarina is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where she works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. She is a marine biologist who started her career focusing on fish biology and fishery management. She has a M.S in ecology, management and modeling of marine resources from the Science and Technology Faculty of Universidade Nova de Lisboa and a PhD in biology and aquaculture from the University of Lisbon. In 2021, Catarina joined the Center for Species Survival team to work on the Red Book of the Marine Fishes of Portugal.
Catarina is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where she works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. She is a marine biologist who started her career focusing on ...
EXPERTISE:
Assessing ecosystems
Marine ecosystems
Marine species
Gustavo Franco
Gustavo is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where he works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. With a background in marine ecology and conservation, and a M.Sc. in Marine Ecology from the University of Lisbon, his experience includes the monitoring of benthic and pelagic fish communities and research in Marine Protected Areas, and their effects on coastal fish assemblages and local artisanal fisheries. In 2023, Gustavo joined the Center for Species Survival team to work on the Red Book of the Marine Fishes of Portugal.
Gustavo is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where he works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. With a background in marine ecology and conservation, and a M.Sc ...
Sara Carvalho
Sara is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where she works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. A Marine Biologist from the University of Algarve, with a background in recreational and professional fisheries, she has worked with fisheries communities, stakeholders, management of marine protected areas and as a fisheries observer. In 2023, Sara joined the Center for Species Survival team to work on the Red Book of the Marine Fishes of Portugal.
Sara is a Marine Species Survival Officer at Oceanário de Lisboa, where she works as part of the Center for Species Survival Marine. A Marine Biologist from the University of Algarve, with a ...