Alnitak - Conservation in Action

Alnitak is a research, education and conservation project dedicated to the protection of our natural maritime and cultural treasures.
Ricardo Sagarminaga van Buiten is the founder president of Alnitak and skipper of the classic fishing vessel, Toftevaag. The project specialises in the development of marine protected area (MPA) management schemes, providing a robust scientific foundation for their design and monitoring. We develop stakeholder communication strategies based on active involvement and cooperation, working on pragmatic solutions and mitigating potential risks.
The Alboran Sea, a hotspot for biodiversity, has extraordinary oceanographic characteristics and has been used by Alnitak as an open air laboratory. We've developed a formula for environmental protection that has been exported to other MPA programs in Europe, Africa and Latin America.

Since 1990, our flagship has been the Toftevaag, a Norwegian fishing vessel built in 1910, converted into a research ship and meeting place for changemakers. Instead of involving only scientists and environmentalists, Alnitak opens up to actively involve stakeholders, students and the general public.
Over 2800 volunteers from 62 nations around the globe have participated in our surveys. The Toftevaag has been a true meeting place. It's been a laboratory and a classroom for 46 university students providing data for 8 PhDs and numerous scientific publications.
We strive to collaborate and share our expertise. We have had partner ships with WIDECAST, Duke University Marine Lab, Stanford University – Hopkins Marine Station, Oxford University, St. Andrews University – SMRU, Woodshole Oceanographic Institution, NOAA NMFS, US Office of Naval Research, NATO – NURC, I.E.O., University of Madrid (UAM), University of the Balearic Islands, University of Siena, etc.

In the media, we’ve featured in articles and documentaries, including “1st Century Ark – Dolphins”, “Blue Planet”, and “Planet Earth” by BBC, “Keepers of the Planet – A Ship for Neptune” by National Geographic and New Atlantis, and “Expedition Mediterranée” by Bavarian TV and ARTE TV.