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5.8 Labelling the island’s products

Saaremaa has been creating a label – Made in Saaremaa.
The aim of the label is to encourage small producers of food,
beverages and other goods to advertise and make local
production more visible and more attractive for buyers. Other
service providers such as hotels and spas can join the label if
they are using the labelled products in their service provision.

Currently over 60 producers are using the label. They
represent a wide range of products, along with handicraft
products, cafés and restaurants. The initiative is backed by
the EU Leader local development group.

Website for the initiative: www.ehtne.ee
Branding local products, Saaremaa, Estonia

6. Scientific initiatives to protect the marine
environment

6.1 Best practice demonstrated during on-site visits

The EESC studied the Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB) in Mallorca, the protection
and study of marine Posidonia meadows in Favignana, the rescue centre for sea turtles, and the seal
observatory.

6.2 Coastal observing and forecasting system

Oceanography has changed with the emergence of new technologies: whereas previously, work was
conducted only by boat, nowadays, observing has shifted from single platform to multiplatform
observation. Located in Mallorca, the Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System
(SOCIB) is a joint initiative between the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Balearic
Islands Government. The infrastructure was the result of public investment, backed by the government
of the Balearic Islands and the national government.
SOCIB activities are in the field of science and technology and
are socially driven. SOCIB is designed to respond to international
scientific priorities and to society’s increasing need for intensive
and quasi real-time monitoring and forecasting of the complex
coastal environment. The three basic elements of SOCIB -
the observation facilities, the modelling facility and the data
centre facility - form a state of the art marine infrastructure that
is ready to cooperate on cutting-edge research. This EUR 12
million marine research project located in Palma covers the
entire Mediterranean basin.
Ocean observation is based on physical observation (biological Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting
System (SOCIB), Mallorca, Spain
data such as oxygen and fluorescence). SOCIB is performing
solid research but responding to social, environmental and economic needs. It has the capacity to
provide new data in response to social (jelly fish warnings for tourists), environmental (pollution, oil
spills) and economic needs (fishing activities). SOCIB uses a vehicle with long cables, an Argo profiler,
an oceanographic boat, a glider (US patent) and an application and forecasting systems for marine
currents. All the information is freely and publicly available. SOCIB is enhancing capacity through big
data streaming.

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