Center for Coastal & Marine Studies
CCMS ATTENDED THE EMD 2025
The European Maritime Day (EMD2025), took place in Cork, Ireland on 21-23 of May 2025 and was organised by the European Commission, the Cork City Council and the Irish ministry Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
The CCMS team participated in the event, taking part in both the plenary sessions and workshops. The results of our two EU projects, Horizon Europe MSP4BIO and Mission Ocean BLUE CONNECT, were prominently featured and promoted. Representatives from both projects attended EMD 2025, contributing to the extensive exhibitions that showcased the MSP4BIO and MPAs Community Network. Additionally, we engaged in the interactive group discussion during Workshop 16, titled "Mission Ocean-Unlocking Phase2 Scalable Governance," where we presented a brief overview of the stakeholder approach and engagement strategies for BLUE CONNECT.
The next EMD2026 will be held in Limassol, Cyprus, 21 - 22 May 2026!
MSP4BIO Blue Series of Webinar
As the MSP4BIO project comes to an end, we invite you to the MSP4BIO Blue Series, which includes four webinars discussing how Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) can enhance marine biodiversity protection, encourage sustainable planning and management practices, and support to achieving the Europe's 30×30 goals.
1: Empowering Marine Spatial Planning with SeaSketch
When: 15 May 2025, 2–3 PM CET, Online
Hosted: by the University of Azores (UAc)
Register: here
2: Smart Tools for Preserved Seas: The MSP4BIO Ecological Toolkit and Real-World Applications
When: 28 May 2025, 9:30–12:30 CET, Online
Hosted: by CNR-ISMAR
Register: here
3: How Can Marine Spatial Planning Help Achieve Europe's 30×30 Targets?
When: 6 June 2025, 12–2 PM CET, Online
Hosted: by PAP/RAC
Register: here
4. Nature-Inclusive Approaches of the Blue Economy in MPAs: Good Management Practices and Orientations
When: 20 June 2025, 2–3:30 PM CET, Online
Hosted: by the University of Cadiz (UCA)
Register: here
Further details & the full list of our upcoming events can be found here!
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
The MSP4BIO Team
WELCOME TO THE #6 ISSUE OF THE BLUE HORIZONS MPA NEWSLETTER!
We’re thrilled to bring you a wave of exciting updates from across our marine conservation and MSP initiatives!
- The MPA Community Network is now live — your new hub for tools, case studies, and peer exchange to support effective MPA management!
- Don’t miss the launch of the MPA Design Card Game, co-developed by BLUE4ALL, BioProtect, Pharos, Marine Plan, MSP4BIO, and Blue CONNECT, and already successfully tested during European Ocean Days.
- Get ready for the MSP4BIO Final Event, where we’ll share key results, policy recommendations, and what’s next for biodiversity in marine spatial planning.
Read the full newsletter here!
Echoes of the MSP4BIO Webinar – Nature-Inclusive MSP: Insights from MSP4BIO Test Sites
The first webinar in the MSP4BIO final series aiming to promote project outcomes, took place on April 9, 2025, hosted by s.Pro and CCMS. This exclusive online event, conducted via Teams, attracted approximately 60 participants, including the Communities of Practice (CoPs) members established within the project.
The webinar delved into the latest advancements in science-driven Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and their implications for biodiversity conservation, as well as the enhancement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) integration. It highlighted and demonstrated results from the operationalization and real-world applications of the MSP4BIO Ecological and Socio-Economic (ESE) Framework tools, which facilitated the development of targeted spatial and strategic solutions across the six MSP4BIO test sites, to accelerate biodiversity protection and restoration within the MSP context.
