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.
One of the highlights was the MPA Card Game, developed collaboratively by BLUE CONNECT, BIOPROTECT, PHAROS, BLUE4ALL, Marine Plan, and MSP4BIO.
The game was a hit!
Attendees played non-stop, using it as an interactive way to explore decision-making and trade-offs in Marine Protected Area (MPA) management. It was great to see so much enthusiasm for this tool, reinforcing its value for stakeholder engagement and capacity building.
At the 6th of March, d-r Margarita Stancheva presented BLUE CONNECT’s stakeholder engagement strategy at the 4th EU Blue Parks Workshop on Strict Protection. The session focused on the key role stakeholder engagement from the beginning plays for ensuring effective protection measures and management. Margarita shared insights on how our approach puts stakeholder engagement at the core of the project and fosters collaboration across sectors and regions, helping to bridge science, policy, and local community needs.
Throughout the event, we engaged in discussions on ecological connectivity, restoration priorities, and bottlenecks that need to be addressed to advance marine protection in Europe, such as political will and funding. It was an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge, gain new perspectives, and strengthen connections with partners working toward the same goals.
As we move forward, we are excited to integrate these insights into BLUE CONNECT’s work and continue fostering collaboration to ensure healthy, resilient oceans for biodiversity and human well-being.