The Mediterranean Sea establishes itself as a “large laboratory for underwater monitoring” thanks to a pioneering project. The Vongola system – an acronym for Visual and nOise-eNhanced AI Analysis for Marine Biodiversity MonitorinG, Observation and Learning – was created in the Ionian Sea – the first network at European level that uses new generation sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms for real-time analysis of the seabed.
A microphone at 2,100 meters deep
As already anticipated by the newspaper La Sicilia, Vongola is an integrated approach that combines acoustic sensory networks, video systems and computer vision models. Its purpose is twofold: to monitor the fish fauna and, in parallel, to measure the impact of anthropization on the balance of the marine ecosystem.
The central technological element is the Distributed Acoustic Sensor (DAS), a particular sensor installed on the electro-optical cable of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) at the port of Catania. The prototype, developed by Alcatel Submarine Networks, is positioned up to 2,100 meters deep and is capable of creating thousands of “virtual listening points”. It works like a chain of microphones along 40 kilometers of cable, continuously capturing sounds and distinguishing sources.
The sensors are powerful enough to detect the noise of large ships kilometers away and, at the same time, sensitive enough to pick up the crackling of shrimp or the vocalizations of cetaceans.
From research to environmental protection
The Vongola project, coordinated by Professor Alessia Tricomi (Director of the CSFNSM), is financed within the PNRR and the National Center for Biodiversity (NBFC). The working group is multidisciplinary and involves over 30 researchers, technicians and marine biologists.
The network is active in three complementary pilot sites along the Ionian ridge: the port of Catania, the Strait of Messina and the Marine Protected Area of Plemmirio (Syracuse).
AI plays a crucial role, with algorithms developed by the University of Catania processing data streams in real time. These automatic models not only classify anthropogenic, biological and geophysical signals, but also allow the counting and identification of marine species recorded in underwater videos. The methodology is scalable and non-invasive, designed to minimize the time between data acquisition and implementation of protection actions.
The Vongola project, launched in July 2024 and whose official delivery is scheduled for 31 October 2025, aims to transform the knowledge acquired into operational indicators for marine protected areas and public decision-makers, to support the conservation of the biodiversity of the Mare Nostrum.
