Shallow sea monitoring systems for the “Distributed Laboratory over the Sea” in Panarea island

Here we discuss the development of IDMAR” Infrastruttura Multidisciplinare Distribuita sul Mare- IDMAR (Laboratory Distributed on the SEA) this project to provide long-term environmental monitoring data to both science and the industry. The deep-sea environment is generally poorly understood, with surveys regularly discovering new morphology, seamounts, habitats, communities of animals previously unknown to science. There is a back of historical data which can be used as a basis for baseline knowledge. Only a limited number of deep-ocean sites have been monitored for periods exceeding 5 years. IDMAR project provides the opportunity between know-how cabled long-term, real-time systems and shorter-term research carried out currently; an objective should be to achieve a 5-year time span of operation. This would provide long-term environmental monitoring but also make a major contribution to science.