Macaronesia Ecological Corridor workshop
Blue Connect, in collaboration with Marine SABRES, organised a joint workshop titled “Macaronesia Ecological Corridor” as part of the 36th European Cetacean Society, held in the Azores, Portugal, on May 12th. The workshop brought together 19 distinguished members of the scientific community, with a particular focus on cetacean specialists, to engage in a highly interactive and collaborative session aimed at advancing conservation efforts across the region.
Mapping for the Future: Interactive Design of MPA Corridors
Join us for our interactive workshop aiming to bring together a wide spectrum of UN Ocean Conference 2025 attendees by facilitating knowledge exchange and promote critical thinking. The event will commence with a short introductory session about the alignment with UNOC 2025 objectives and introducing the MPA Community Network with associated EU-projects.
Showcasing future restoration at L’Albera: BLUE CONNECT at the 2nd European Seagrass Restoration Workshop
From April 8th to 10th, SUBMON participated in the 2nd European Seagrass Restoration Workshop (ESRW2), held in Arcachon, France, where they had the chance to talk about the BLUE CONNECT project and highlight its ongoing work on seagrass restoration at the L’Albera demonstration site. Under the theme “From Competition to Coalition: Towards a European Seagrass Restoration Alliance”, the workshop gathered restoration practitioners, researchers and institutions from across Europe to share experiences and coordinate future actions for the recovery of seagrass ecosystems.
Blue Connect joined the MPA Community Platform!
Blue Conenct has joined the MPA Community Network, an umbrella initiative developed to centralise and connect MPA-related projects across Europe, as well as fostering collaboration among MPA managers, stakeholders, and conservation experts.
BLUE Connect at the RE:Bazaar event in Burgas on 5 and 6 April
The RE:Bazaar event gave us the opportunity to meet the Burgas public and present our various activities in the Burgas region. The RE:Bazaar guests participated in a WP4 survey on marine conservation and MPAs in the demonstration site in Burgas Bay. Children had the opportunity to take part in fun marine creative workshops where they learned more about our marine life and the challenges facing the Black Sea and Burgas Bay today.
36th European Cetacean Society Conference
Join us for the Macaronesian Ecological Corridor #ECS2025 Workshop!
Are you passionate about marine conservation and the protection of cetaceans? Dive into the future of ecological connectivity across the Macaronesian at our workshop!
An important marine highway in the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a vital ecosystem teeming with marine life, and among its many important regions is off the eastern coast of Spain. This marine area serves as a critical migratory route for various cetacean species, including fin whales, sperm whales, and several species of dolphins, as well as endangered sea turtles and sharks. Recognizing the ecological significance of this marine passage, the Spanish government declared a large part of the sea as the Cetacean Migration Corridor Marine Protected Area (MPA) in June 2018.
BLUE CONNECT at the European Ocean Days 2025
From March 3rd-7th, the European Ocean Days brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in Brussels to discuss the future of ocean governance, marine conservation, and the blue economy. As part of the BLUE CONNECT project, we were there to gather insights on the latest marine protection strategies and challenges, connect with key stakeholders and explore potential collaborations.
1st Local Stakeholder Working Group Macaronesia Meeting: Current Status and Future Perspectives for MPAs in the four Archipelagos of Macaronesia
On 25 February 2025, the 1st meeting of the Local Stakeholder Working Group (LSWG) of the Macaronesia Demo site was held online and brought together experts from 15 institutions from the Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands and Cabo Verde, to discuss the objectives and challenges of managing coastal and offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the region.
Introducing the MPA Card Game – First Play at European Ocean Days!
As part of the MPA Community Network, we are excited to announce the launch of the MPA Corridor Design Card Game—an innovative and interactive game designed to challenge players to create effective and resilient Marine Protected Area (MPA) corridors. The game will be played for the first time at European Ocean Days in Brussels on March 4th!