May was a busy month for the Blue4All project. Partners took part in ESP 2026 in Prague, Czechia, European Maritime Day in Limassol, Cyprus, and the PHAROS Mega Event in Kerry and West Cork, Ireland. Across all three events, Blue4All highlighted how ecosystem services, social values, science-based tools and co-creation can support more effective and inclusive marine protected area (MPA) design and management.
A common thread connected the discussions: effective marine protection depends on combining solid science with the values and knowledge of the people closest to the sea.
ESP 2026, Prague, Czechia (18–22 May)
The 6th ESP Europe Conference brought together researchers, policy experts and practitioners. Sessions focused on how nature’s benefits for people can better inform decision-making.
For Blue4All, the conference was an opportunity to show what this means for marine protected areas. Sophie Van Schoubroeck, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Antwerp, presented work on using participatory mapping to identify, map and value cultural and social ecosystem services. Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, HELCOM (the Helsinki Commission) and the University of Tartu also contributed to the sessions, sharing data on decision support tools and ecosystem service valuation.
Blue4All also took part in a session facilitated by the BESTmarine project on integrating ecosystem functioning and services into marine spatial planning, conservation and restoration. The discussions reinforced the need to move ecosystem knowledge from theory into practical tools that support real-world MPA decisions.
European Maritime Day, Limassol, Cyprus (21–22 May)
European Maritime Day turned Limassol into a meeting point for blue economy actors from across Europe. Two days of plenaries, workshops, exhibitions and networking centred on a shared ambition: accelerating a more sustainable, innovative and resilient blue economy.
Blue4All joined the event as part of the MPA Community Network, sharing a booth with projects including PHAROS, BLUE CONNECT, BioProtect, MSP4BIO and EFFECTIVE. The booth showcased the MPA Solutions Hub, alongside the science-based tools, collaborative approaches and EU-funded project insights that can support more effective MPA planning and management.
The MPA Community Network was also introduced as a growing space for connecting projects, managers, stakeholders and conservation experts working on marine protection. Conversations at showed a clear demand for practical tools, examples and guidance that can help improve MPA planning and management.
PHAROS Mega Event, Kerry and West Cork, Ireland (26–28 May)
The PHAROS Mega Event took Blue4All to Kerry and West Cork, in the south-west of Ireland. Researchers from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and University College Dublin presented the project’s work in Ireland and its wider approach to marine protection.
During an MPA session with the local community, fishermen voiced clear support for co-creation, a core principle of Blue4All. Their response underlined why marine protection cannot be designed from a distance. It needs the knowledge, trust and involvement of the people who live and work close to the water.
This message is especially relevant in the context of the 2030 target to protect at least 30% of the ocean. Reaching the target will require more than designation on paper. It will require practical tools, political commitment and meaningful engagement with the communities expected to help make protection work.
Want to learn more about the tools Blue4All is developing to support more effective MPA planning and management? Click here.