Ocean and Waters Projects Events – Feb 2026

• February 25, 2026

PHAROS actively participates in the Mission Ocean and Waters Communication Collaborative as part of its mandate to build strategic links with other EU Missions, European Blue Parks, Mission lighthouses, and related initiatives. The Collaborative brings together communications representatives from partner projects, CSAs, the Mission Implementation Platform, and European Commission leaders for monthly coordination meetings where participants share project updates and align messaging. The following updates reflect activities and developments shared by participating members during the February 2026 meeting cycle.

4th Mission Ocean and Waters Forum – Registration Reminder – Deadline: 13 February 2026

Registrations for the 4th Annual Mission Ocean and Waters Forum are now open, with the deadline fast approaching. The Forum takes place within European Ocean Days in Brussels and serves as the central gathering for everyone working towards the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030.”

• What: A full-day forum featuring keynote presentations, thematic panels, an exhibition showcasing innovative projects, and dedicated networking sessions covering marine biodiversity, sustainable blue economies, pollution prevention, and blue science across Europe.
• Who: EU officials, national governments, research institutions, NGOs, social enterprises, industry leaders, and ocean conservation advocates working across the Mission landscape.
• Where: Brussels, Belgium, as part of European Ocean Days (2–6 March 2026).
• When: 5 March 2026. Registration deadline: 13 February 2026.
• Why: The Forum is the primary platform for the European ocean community to demonstrate progress toward 2030 restoration targets, align messaging across projects, and build the cross-sectoral collaboration needed to meet Mission goals.

Registration: https://register.event-works.europa.eu/dgscic/Mission_Ocean_Waters_Forum_March_2026/e/lk/g/88520/

UPSTREAM Project – 1st Open Call (FSTP): Collection & Valorisation – Open Now

The UPSTREAM project has launched its first Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) call, inviting regional and local authorities to apply for funding to test upstream solutions that prevent plastic litter from reaching rivers and seas.

• What: The call funds concrete, replicable actions focused on the collection and valorisation of plastic waste at source, using a lump-sum model with a maximum grant of €70,000 per project. Selected applicants will receive both funding and technical support from the UPSTREAM consortium.
• Who: Regional and local public authorities, or bodies directly representing them, from EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries. Priority is given to basins with high plastic leakage rates, including selected Balkans, Mediterranean, and North African river basins.
• Where: Eligible regions across EU Member States and associated countries. Applications submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
• When: Call open now. Deadline available via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and UPSTREAM project website.
• Why: Addressing plastic pollution at source is significantly more effective and cost-efficient than downstream cleanup. This call enables local authorities to implement proven upstream measures and contribute directly to Mission Ocean objectives on pollution reduction.

Funding & Tenders Portal: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/competitive-calls-cs/12942
UPSTREAM Open Call page: https://upstream-project.eu/open-call-1-collection-valorisation/

SoS2LearnDBS – Community-Led Call Brokerage Event – 10 February 2026

The SoS2LearnDBS project is hosting an online brokerage event to support applicants preparing submissions for its open call, providing a direct opportunity to clarify eligibility, meet potential partners, and develop competitive applications.

• What: An online matchmaking and information session where project teams can present their expertise, explore collaboration opportunities, and get detailed guidance on the SoS2LearnDBS FSTP call requirements and evaluation criteria.
• Who: Researchers, organisations, NGOs, public authorities, and SMEs interested in applying to the SoS2LearnDBS open call or seeking partners for a joint submission.
• Where: Online via Microsoft Virtual Events (Teams).
• When: 10 February 2026. Registration required via the event link shared on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram channels.
• Why: Brokerage events significantly increase application quality and consortium strength. Attending ahead of submission improves understanding of scope, reduces avoidable errors, and creates partner connections that strengthen proposals.

EU Funding & Tenders call page: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/competitive-calls-cs/12467

AlgaeProBANOS – Podcast Feature, New Publication, and Digital Tools – Ongoing

The AlgaeProBANOS project (APB), operating under the Baltic and North Sea lighthouse, has released new communication and knowledge outputs and is preparing to launch its first suite of digital tools for the algae sector.

• What: APB partner Josien Hendricksen discusses the EU algae sector and the project in a new episode of the Before the Tipping Point podcast. A new peer-reviewed paper related to APB has also been published. Shortly, the project will release its Algae Farming & Product Dashboard and Algae Knowledge Base, designed to map value chains, support data-driven decisions for algae farmers, and lower barriers for new sector entrants.
• Who: Algae farmers, SMEs, researchers, processors, policymakers, and investors active in or entering the blue bioeconomy.
• Where: Podcast and publication accessible online. Digital tools will be available via the APB project website and SUBMARINER Network channels upon launch.
• When: Podcast and publication available now. Digital tool launch: forthcoming.
• Why: Reliable, accessible data and knowledge infrastructure is critical for scaling the EU algae sector. These tools and publications support evidence-based decision-making and strengthen the commercial case for low-trophic aquaculture across the BANOS region.

Follow: SUBMARINER Network and AlgaeProBANOS channels for updates and links.

COSEA App – Co-Use Programme for Citizen Science (EFFECTIVE / SPOTTERON) – Open Now

The COSEA App (Collaboration for Effective Sea Action), built on the SPOTTERON citizen science infrastructure, is inviting organisations and projects to join its co-use programme and contribute to shared ocean observation data.

• What: COSEA is an open, community-driven platform where users record marine wildlife sightings, document pollution, and submit observations via a shared map. Its co-use model allows initiatives, NGOs, research projects, and citizen groups to join the existing app toolkit, create campaign-specific filters, and contribute to a common ocean data commons, without building a separate application from scratch.
• Who: Initiatives, organisations, science projects, local authorities, NGOs, youth groups, and citizen activists working on ocean observation, marine litter monitoring, or biodiversity tracking.
• Where: Online platform. Co-use programme open via the COSEA and SPOTTERON websites.
• When: Open now. Early access and co-use collaboration available via registration.
• Why: Fragmented citizen science tools reduce data quality and limit collective impact. A shared infrastructure lowers costs, increases interoperability, and builds a more comprehensive picture of European marine conditions for research, policy, and conservation.

COSEA co-use & early access: https://www.cosea.app/collaboration-early-access
Submit an observation: https://www.spotteron.com/cosea/spots/latest

VeriFish – FishEUTrust Final Event – 10–12 March 2026

The VeriFish project invites stakeholders from across the aquaculture, fisheries, and seafood retail sectors to attend its final event in Brussels, marking the conclusion of the FishEUTrust project and the launch of its sustainability indicator framework.

• What: The three-day event showcases VeriFish’s completed CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on verifiable sustainability indicators for aquafood production, alongside media products, consumer tools, and policy recommendations for sustainable seafood communication. The programme includes expert presentations, stakeholder dialogue, and a CWA consensus meeting on 9 March.
• Who: Aquaculture industry representatives, policymakers, retailers, scientists, environmental advocates, and consumers interested in sustainable seafood systems.
• Where: Brussels, Belgium.
• When: 10–12 March 2026 (CWA consensus meeting: 9 March 2026).
• Why: Transparent, science-based sustainability indicators are fundamental to market-driven change in the seafood sector. VeriFish’s final event consolidates the project’s contribution to closing the information gap between producers, retailers, and consumers in support of ocean restoration goals.

Registration: https://verifish.info/verifish-final-event/

DIGI4ECO – FSTP Call to Address Digital Twin Ocean Data Gaps – Deadline: 1 March 2026

DIGI4ECO has launched a cascading grants call to fund external contributors who can supply critical data, models, or applications to strengthen the performance of its Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO) platform.

• What: The call offers a total budget of €260,000 in lump-sum grants for projects that address identified biological, environmental, or socio-ecological data gaps across DIGI4ECO’s four demonstration sites: OBSEA (Spain), SmartBay (Ireland), Kristineberg (Sweden), and Ancona (Italy). All data contributed must follow FAIR principles and align with Mission Ocean objectives.
• Who: Research groups, institutes, NGOs, SMEs, observatories, and citizen science initiatives holding relevant datasets or capable of generating compatible models and applications. Applicants must be based in EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries.
• Where: Applications submitted via the DIGI4ECO project portal. Projects implemented in relation to the four designated DTO demo sites.
• When: Deadline: 1 March 2026.
• Why: High-quality, comprehensive data is the foundation of an effective Digital Twin Ocean. Filling identified gaps directly improves the DTO’s predictive capability and its value for marine research, management, and policy across the Mission Ocean ecosystem.

More information: https://digi4eco.eu/cascading-grants/

BlueActionBANOS – Community-Led Actions Open Call – Deadline: 16 March 2026

BlueActionBANOS is inviting consortia from the Baltic and North Sea basin to apply for its Community-Led Actions Open Call, funding locally-rooted solutions for marine and freshwater ecosystem restoration.

• What: The call funds 5–15 community-led actions addressing Mission Ocean objectives in the BANOS region, with grants available for initiatives covering marine restoration, local blue-green solutions, and lighthouse implementation. Project Idea Forms, the first stage of the application process, must be submitted by 16 March 2026 at 17:00 CET.
• Who: Consortia of 2–12 entities from EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries within the Baltic and North Sea basin, including NGOs, local authorities, research organisations, SMEs, and community groups.
• Where: Projects targeting the Baltic and North Sea basin. Applications submitted via the BlueActionBANOS portal.
• When: Project Idea Form deadline: 16 March 2026, 17:00 CET.
• Why: Community-led action accelerates the local uptake of restoration solutions and ensures that Mission Ocean objectives are embedded in the places and communities most directly affected by marine degradation.

Open call details and guidelines: https://www.blueactionbanos.eu/funding/open-call-community-led-actions/

3rd Mission Lakes Webinar: Turning Pollution into Resources – 12 February 2026

The third in the Mission Lakes webinar series focuses on circular approaches to lake restoration, exploring how pollutants can be transformed into valuable resources within freshwater ecosystems.

• What: The webinar features contributions from the FERRO, EUROLakes, ProCleanLakes, and FutureLakes projects, sharing methods, results, and frameworks for treating lake pollution as a resource rather than a disposal problem. Topics include nutrient recovery, biomass valorisation, and scalable circular economy models for inland water management.
• Who: Researchers, water authorities, policymakers, local government representatives, and practitioners working on freshwater restoration and circular water management.
• Where: Online. Registration via links shared by FERRO, EUROLakes, ProCleanLakes, and FutureLakes project channels.
• When: 12 February 2026.
• Why: Lakes and inland waters are among the most degraded water bodies in Europe. Circular approaches that turn pollution into productive resources offer a more sustainable and economically viable path to restoration than conventional treatment methods alone.

Baltic Blueprints Expo: How Baltic Sea Farming Can Support Life and Livelihoods – 10 March 2026

Three Mission-aligned projects conclude their work with a joint public expo in Kiel, Germany, demonstrating how regenerative low-trophic aquaculture can support both marine ecosystems and coastal communities across the Baltic Sea region.

• What: The Baltic Blueprints Expo brings together the results, products, and stories from Baltic MUPPETS, COOL BLUe, and AlgaeFood across a showcase day featuring live demonstrations, tastings, product displays, and stakeholder dialogue. Highlights include mussel-based pet food, seaweed cultivation and restoration methods, new processing technologies, and school and community engagement programmes developed over the course of the three projects.
• Who: Aquaculture practitioners, marine conservation organisations, local businesses, policymakers, educators, and citizens across the Baltic Sea region. Local stakeholders in Kiel, Germany’s first designated ocean city, are particularly encouraged to attend in person.
• Where: Kiel, Germany.
• When: 10 March 2026.
• Why: 2026 marks the completion of three projects that have spent years building viable routes to market for low-trophic Baltic products and generating genuine consumer and community awareness. This event brings their results into the public domain and provides a platform for the next phase of Baltic Sea restoration.

Registration: https://bluebiomatch.hivebrite.com/networks/events/194398

About the Mission

The EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” is an action-driven programme deploying research, innovation, and targeted investment to reverse decades of degradation across Europe’s marine and freshwater ecosystems before the end of this decade.

The Mission Ocean and Waters Communication Collaborative is a coordination group comprised of communications representatives from EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” partner projects, CSAs (Coordination and Support Actions), the Mission Implementation Platform, European Commission communications leaders, and other EC-funded stakeholders.

Its primary purpose is to facilitate information sharing and ensure all parties have the necessary tools, information, and assets for enhanced communication of Mission Ocean and Waters activities. The group operates through monthly meetings where CSA partners take turns leading sessions, working from an open agenda that any communications partner can contribute to.

The Communications Collaborative serves as a strategic coordination mechanism to align messaging, share resources, and strengthen the collective communication capacity across the diverse ecosystem of projects and organizations working toward the Mission’s 2030 objectives. If you work on communications for a Mission Ocean and Waters project, you can request to join by contacting MIP-editorialboard@technopolis-group.com.