Goals

BENTOX-NET is primarily focused on research activities in the field of potentially toxic marine microalgae with the following specific objectives: to establish effective collaboration among researchers in this field, allowing for a full diffusion of the available knowledge; to improve the knowledge of all factors involving benthic microalgal blooms and their impacts in order to allow for a better management of the HBAB.

• establishment of optimal communication among research groups involved in the study of the potentially toxic benthic algal blooms along the Italian coasts;
  
• development of a unified protocol for sampling and counting procedures, for comparative purposes;
  
• continuation of ongoing research and integration with ad hoc monitoring in different/new regions;
• formulation of research projects on the above mentioned topics and seek funding from public agencies. 

Members of the network plan to collaborate with authorities and offices devoted to the protection and monitoring of the coastal environment and the human health in order to:

• establish collaborations with regional agencies devoted to the control and management of harmful blooms in terms of marine environment quality, food safety, public health, tourism and recreational activities in coastal areas;
  
• disseminate knowledge useful to set up alarm strategies tailored to the need and available competences in different regions;
  
• establish a communication strategy with the public and the press to provide accurate information, in order to avoid unnecessary alarm;
  
• train, according to demand, personnel from local agencies involved in environmental control and public health protection, with regard to sampling and identification methods of potentially toxic organisms;
  
• disseminate information firstly for the purposes of creating public awareness by publication of dissemination publications and secondly publication of peer-reviewed scientific publications for promotion of further research and management activities.