The Consorzio per il Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina ed Ecologia Applicata G. Bacci (hereafter CIBM) of Livorno is a no profit research institute established in 1967 whose legal status is a Consortium among the following public bodies: the Municipality of Livorno, the Universities of Pisa, Firenze, Siena, Bologna, Torino and Modena and the I.S.P.R.A. of Roma (Institute of Environmental Protection and Research).
Its activities of scientific research in the field of fishing and oceanography are acknowledged by the Ministry of Agricultural, Alimentary and Forestry Policies (D.M. n° 339, 1979 Dicember22nd). Since 1983 CIBM is signed in the national registry of scientific research institutes of the Ministry of Instruction, University and Research.The main mission of CIBM is to combine the needs of production activities with the environmental protection and management.
CIBM carries out its own basic and applied research activities and operate as a consulting company in the field of environmental impact assessment both in marine and terrestrial environment.
Scientific activities, performed by CIBM or with its associated research groups, deal with several aspects of Marine Ecology and Biology and topics related to Environmental Protection and Pollution such as benthic community ecology, fishery biology, environmental impact of human activities on marine habitats, experimental ecotoxicology as well as genetic studies.
In particular fishery studies, fish population dynamic, stock assessment, set nets selectivity, bottom trawl net selectivity, SCUBA visual census of fish communities, studies on rocky and sandy bottoms benthic assemblages, phyto- and zoo-plankton, air pollution, mutagenic analysis, trace metals in fishes and sediments, establishment and management of marine Parks are currently object of intensive research.
Moreover CIBM deals with environmental impact assessment related to Submarine communication cables, Off shore gas platforms and sea lines, Dredging and dumping of Harbours and channels, Offshore sand pits/ Nourishments, Fishing by trawlers as well as pollutants and trace metals analysis in marine sediments.
Since 1984 in the field of fishery biology, CIBM is involved in many researches on the evaluation of demersal resources in the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Sea through projects supported by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Alimentary and Forestry Policies and by the European Commission. Moreover since 2002, CIBM is the coordinator of the data collection activity (EC Regulations 1543/2000; 1639/2001;1581/2004; 199/2008) for the FAO Geographical Sub-Area 9.
Measures to ensure the quality of services subject to best international quality standards.
Since 2009 CIBM has earned the certification ISO (International Organisation for Standardization) 9001:2008 for the company standards and procedures. In addition, the process for the certification ISO/IEC 17025:2005 already begun and CIBM expects to perform the certification audit by the beginning of 2013.
