The European Union is ramping up its efforts to protect aquatic ecosystems and support coastal communities. This week it announced €116m in funding for 13 ambitious projects aimed at restoring Europe’s ocean and water systems.
The newly funded initiatives, selected under the EU’s Mission Ocean and Waters programme, will operate across all major European sea and river basins, including the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Danube River, Baltic and North Seas, Atlantic, and Arctic regions. This wide-reaching programme is part of the EU’s broader Horizon Europe strategy. Projects looks at climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development.
At stake are a number of environmental challenges.
Thirteen is a lucky number
One initiative, SEAMPHONI, brings together technology and creative communication by deploying advanced biodiversity monitoring tools offshore while engaging the public through storytelling. In the Danube basin, two projects—DanubeLifelines and SWIM—focus on restoring vital fish migration routes and improving habitats through environmentally friendly techniques, helping native species thrive again.
In the fisheries sector, ECO-CATCH is working to design new fishing technologies that reduce unintended catches and lessen the ecological footprint of commercial fishing. MarineGuardian complements this effort by developing tools and strategies to help fishers align their practices with EU biodiversity objectives.
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Citizen engagement and science education are also central themes across several projects. CS-MACH1, for example, is building a network of citizen scientists who will contribute valuable marine data to strengthen grassroots research. INSPIRI takes a creative approach, combining scientific outreach with artistic expression to inspire future generations to take action for cleaner, healthier waters.
Directly involving communities
Several region-specific projects aim to empower communities directly. Initiatives like BlueActionBANOS, BlueActionAA, SoS2LearnDBS, and TASC-RestoreMed will support local actors in implementing restoration and conservation activities tailored to the Baltic-North Sea, Atlantic-Arctic, Danube-Black Sea, and Mediterranean regions. Meanwhile, the CO-WATERS project focuses on waterfront communities, providing them with tools and support to lead their own marine and freshwater recovery efforts.
Lastly, the EDITO2 project is building on the EU’s digital infrastructure for ocean management. It will advance the European Digital Twin Ocean, a complex virtual model of the ocean that integrates real-time data and predictive tools to inform science, policy, and public awareness.
Competition brings out the best
Each project was selected through competitive calls for proposals in 2024, with independent experts evaluating submissions for scientific merit and impact. The initiatives represent a clear push from the EU to meet its goal of restoring ocean and water health by 2030.
The funding also strengthens the role of regional “lighthouse” sites—located in Europe’s key sea and river basins—which serve as demonstration zones for piloting successful approaches. These lighthouses are central to the Mission’s strategy of treating all waters as part of a single, interconnected system.
