As a project partner, SUBMON participated by presenting the poster “Lessons learned in a pilot study to replant Posidonia oceanica shoots uprooted by storms”, which showcased the results of a local initiative carried out in 2022–2023 in the marine area of the Natura 2000 site of L’Albera (Catalonia, Spain). Although developed prior to the start of BLUE CONNECT, this pilot study laid the foundation for the restoration activities now being implemented at the site, one of the project’s designated demonstration areas.
Building on experience: marine stewardship at the core of BLUE CONNECT
The initiative presented in Arcachon stems from a marine stewardship agreement signed in 2021 between SUBMON, Llançà Town Council and the Government of Catalonia. The agreement seeks to improve the environmental status of part of the L’Albera marine area, while actively involving local communities in conservation, research, and public outreach efforts.
This pilot study aimed to test small-scale restoration techniques in a shallow Posidonia oceanica meadow previously degraded by illegal mooring systems. The methodology prioritised environmental sustainability, using only shoots naturally uprooted by storms to avoid harming healthy donor meadows. Local fishers and local community members helped to recover the shoots, which were temporarily stored in tanks at the fishing harbour before being replanted using biodegradable bamboo stakes.
A total of 236 shoots were replanted between November 2022 and February 2023, with a survival rate of around 75% after two years of monitoring—encouraging results that laid the groundwork and inspired the restoration actions currently being developed within the BLUE CONNECT framework.
L’Albera as a demonstration site for seagrass restoration
Based on this groundwork, L’Albera has been selected as one of two demonstration sites within the BLUE CONNECT project where restoration actions are being carried out. Over the next three and a half years, the site will host a more ambitious restoration effort, combining the testing of new replanting techniques with a strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement and community participation.
This approach reflects the project’s commitment to advancing marine restoration while promoting inclusive and collaborative governance models.
SUBMON’s contribution to the ESRW2 reflects the BLUE CONNECT project’s broader objective: bridging science, practice, and society to improve marine conservation. The presence of the project at this European event was an opportunity to share field experience, present the innovative model of marine stewardship, and explain how BLUE CONNECT will build on these efforts to improve ecological connectivity across the marine environment.
