The Bilbao Port Authority and the University of the Basque Country have renewed their collaboration agreement to continue biomonitoring activities within the Port of Bilbao.
The renewed contract, valued at approximately €785,810 ($912,883), will run for four years and expands monitoring efforts to include phytoplankton communities for the first time.
Since 1994, the university’s Department of Plant Biology and Ecology and Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology have provided technical support for the port’s biomonitoring plan, which assesses biological and physical-chemical conditions across 21 monitoring stations in eight port sectors.
The updated plan improves monitoring of phytoplankton populations and detects harmful species to enhance environmental management and protect the port ecosystem.
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A spokesperson from the Bilbao Port Authority, said: “The inclusion of phytoplankton monitoring represents a significant advancement in our understanding of the port ecosystem.”
A representative from the University of the Basque Country, commented: “This long-term partnership allows us to provide vital scientific data to support sustainable port management.”