On May 26 and 27, The BLUE CONNECT – Macaronesia DEMO SITE Project organised a practical workshop dedicated to the SeaSketch platform at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of the Azores, in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island.
The workshop brought together 20 specialists, analysts, technical staff, researchers, and practitioners involved in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and ocean governance. Participants had the opportunity to work directly with the SeaSketch team from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), gaining hands-on experience in building and managing SeaSketch projects for marine planning and participatory decision-making.
SeaSketch is an internationally recognised platform designed to support collaborative marine spatial planning processes through interactive mapping, stakeholder engagement, spatial analysis, and decision-support tools.
Over the course of the two-day training, participants learned how to:
- Set up and structure a complete SeaSketch project;
- Develop data portals with interactive spatial layers;
- Build analytical reports using the no-code report builder;
- Design and deploy Ocean Use Surveys;
- Integrate survey results into decision-support workflows.
The workshop followed a highly practical and interactive format, with participants developing working project components throughout the sessions. By the end of the training, attendees had created and tested their own SeaSketch project elements, strengthening technical capacities for future marine spatial planning initiatives in Macaronesia and beyond.
During the training, participants also explored how SeaSketch can support marine spatial planning processes and projects by facilitating the analysis, planning, and participatory management of marine spaces. The initiative contributed to fostering technical collaboration and knowledge exchange among regional and international stakeholders working on sustainable ocean governance.
Public Event: Ocean Planning and Conservation – A Public Discussion
Following the technical workshop, the BLUE CONNECT – MACARONESIA DS also co-organised the public event “Ocean Planning and Conservation: A Public Discussion”, held on May 28, 2026, at the University of the Azores.
The event, co-organised by our partner the University of the Azores in collaboration with several institutions – including Oceano Azul Foundation, Blue Azores, the University of Cádiz, NOVA University Lisbon, the University of California Santa Barbara, University Federal of Santa Catarina Brazil, Seascape Consultants, and SeaSketch – brought together leading practitioners, researchers, academics, policymakers, students, and members of the public interested in ocean governance and conservation. Designed as an open space for dialogue and exchange, the initiative explored how Marine Spatial Planning and offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are being applied in practice and how they can better connect science, policy, and lived experience.
The programme focused on several key themes, including:
- Translating Marine Spatial Planning from principles into real-world decisions;
- Integrating equity, ecosystem services, and climate considerations into planning;
- Bridging national marine planning efforts with emerging governance processes in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ).
The day featured two panel discussions with international experts, followed by interactive breakout sessions designed to encourage practical insights, interdisciplinary dialogue, and collaborative discussion. The panel sessions were also live-streamed, allowing remote participants to join the discussions and engage with the event internationally.
Through these initiatives, the BLUE CONNECT Project continues to strengthen regional cooperation, technical capacity-building, and participatory approaches for sustainable ocean planning and marine conservation in Macaronesia.
