The MEDITS project started in 1994 through the cooperation between several Research Institutes from the four Mediterranean member States of the European Union. The target was to conduct a common bottom trawl survey in the Mediterranean in which all the participants use the same gear, the same sampling protocol and the same methodology. Since then the MEDITS survey has expanded, including more Mediterranean countries. Since 2002, regarding the European countries, the surveys are managed through the European regulation related to the collection of data in the fisheries sector.
This project has produced the most important scientific data series for demersal marine species in the Mediterranean Sea. IMBR has coordinated the Greek MEDITS survey since the beginning of the project, and is the responsible institute for the surveys in the Ionian, South Aegean and Cretan Seas. [EU/DGXIV/99/038]