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Living Labs

The Living Labs are a core part of the PHAROS project. They empower key local community actors across each demo and replication site to co-develop and manage nature based solutions and marine restoration activities alongside the PHAROS consortium partners.

Local residents, fishers, teachers, business owners, and local government officials all take part. Activities are organised as local hubs, real world spaces where scientists, fishers, students, and entrepreneurs come together to actually shape what happens. They ask questions, share what they know, try out new ideas, and work out what works for their own stretch of coast. The whole point is to make sure the solutions we test are locally wanted, locally owned, and built to last.

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DEMO SITES LIVING LABS

Gran Canaria (Spain)

Led by CMC with support from CSIC and ICoRSA, this island‑wide Living Lab focuses on marine biodiversity monitoring through MINKA, invasive species tracking via RedPROMAR integration, and ocean literacy. It was launched during the January 2026 Mega‑Event with a BioBlitz involving dive sites, shoreline locations, and local Blue SMEs. The lab connects Blue Schools, Fisher Guardians for commercial fishers, and Citizen Litter Entrepreneurs. It addresses MPA co‑management challenges and the intersection of licensing and innovation in Gran Canaria’s blue economy.

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Ireland

Coordinated by MTU and supported by BMRS and ICoRSA, this Living Lab, launched in May 2026, focuses on IMTA for sustainable food production, biodiversity enhancement, and new blue products. It connects biodiversity conservation with aquaculture through community engagement in algae and alien species monitoring. The lab links to Fish Producers Organisations for advisory roles and explores Fisher Guardians programmes. It builds on existing initiatives like Blue Schools and BIM ARC to promote ocean literacy and IMTA acceptance while preventing stakeholder fatigue through ecosystem integration.

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Iceland

Coordinated by DTU with local marine research partners, this Living Lab encourages citizen involvement in eDNA‑based biodiversity monitoring alongside traditional observation methods. It will be launched in June 2027 and will pilot citizen eDNA sampling and engage coastal communities, schools, and NGOs in participatory science. The lab collaborates with BioProtect and ANERIS projects and explores MINKA as a complement to eDNA data visualisation. It also supports Blue Schools engagement and aims to connect new monitoring technologies with community participation.

COMING SOON

REPLICATION SITES LIVING LABS

Lanzarote (Spain)

Based on the Gran Canaria model, this emerging Living Lab focuses on marine biodiversity monitoring and circular economy strategies, building awareness and behaviour change around blue economy issues. It uses MINKA primarily for biodiversity observation and species mapping, with tailored activities for schools, diving clubs, and local volunteers. The lab engages with marine reserves, diving centres, waste management authorities, and RedPROMAR collaborators, leveraging Gran Canaria networks and experiences to launch citizen science campaigns starting January 2026.

Danube Delta

Coordinated by IZNASU and LPNU, this Living Lab focuses on biodiversity monitoring of invasive species and their interactions with native biota using citizen science and eDNA in wetlands, river‑delta ecosystems, and coastal areas. It emphasises youth engagement and environmental awareness in a post‑conflict context. MINKA has been translated into Ukrainian, and the lab is included in Ukraine’s European Research Area roadmap. It collaborates with UkrBIN for data sharing and explores algae integration in IMTA and blue economy prospects.

COMING SOON

Santorini (Greece)

Coordinated by IHA, this island‑focused Living Lab addresses marine litter prevention, blue circular economy, and youth engagement. It uses MINKA’s deliberative functions and will test marine litter recording through the platform. The lab involves Aegean Rebreath, Blue Cycle, the Municipality of Thira, the Port Authority, local schools, and HCMR. Activities include Blue Schools initiatives and CLE‑style projects like coastal cleanups, with co‑creation and training activities planned from 2026 onwards.

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Azores (Portugal)

This Living Lab is not yet fully confirmed under PHAROS. Once formally included by PLOCAN as project coordinator, it will follow the same methodological framework, including the five‑phase implementation journey, stakeholder engagement strategy, co‑creation approach, and MINKA integration. WP2 will support its launch and growth.

Cape Verde

This Living Lab is not yet fully confirmed under PHAROS. Once formally included by PLOCAN as project coordinator, it will follow the same methodological framework, including the five‑phase implementation journey, stakeholder engagement strategy, co‑creation approach, and MINKA integration. WP2 will support its launch and growth.

Kenya (NORCE)

This Living Lab is not yet fully confirmed under PHAROS. Once formally included by PLOCAN as project coordinator, it will follow the same methodological framework, including the five‑phase implementation journey, stakeholder engagement strategy, co‑creation approach, and MINKA integration. WP2 will support its launch and growth.

LIVING LAB NEWS

Santorini Blue Loop Living Lab to Host Activities at Aegean Hearth Summit, 23 – 25 Oct, 2026
 Santorini Blue Loop Living Lab to Host Activities at Aegean Hearth Summit, 23 – 25 Oct, 2026 1024 576 PHAROS Project

The PHAROS Santorini Living Lab will lead a series of hands-on activities at the Aegean Hearth Summit, including a Fisher Guardian training session with local fishermen and the Municipal Port Authority of Thira, a beach clean-up, interactive workshops and practical sessions at the Plastic Lab.

Danube Delta Living Lab: Odesa region Schoolkids turn summer camp into scientific data dump with 300 wildlife records
 Danube Delta Living Lab: Odesa region Schoolkids turn summer camp into scientific data dump with 300 wildlife records 1024 768 PHAROS Project

More than 100 schoolkids from Odesa logged 300+ wildlife records in the Danube Delta for the EU’s PHAROS citizen science project. Here’s how a summer camp became real biodiversity data.

Irish Living Lab Day 3: Bantry Marine Research Station
 Irish Living Lab Day 3: Bantry Marine Research Station 1024 576 PHAROS Project

Can strategically farmed seaweed, placed just 200 metres from a commercial salmon farm, actually restore marine habitats? The PHAROS project’s first full season of data from Bantry Bay, where winged and sugar kelp are cultivated, has delivered unexpected answers. The control site (no salmon) grew more kelp, but the Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) site hosted far more tiny marine life, revealing a complex, surprising trade-off between biomass and biodiversity.

Ireland Living Lab Day 2: Blue Economy Innovation & Skills Forum gets under way at MTU Tralee
 Ireland Living Lab Day 2: Blue Economy Innovation & Skills Forum gets under way at MTU Tralee 1024 423 PHAROS Project

Blue Economy Innovation & Skills Forum kicks off at MTU Tralee, with parallel online workshop for EU Blue Schools

Industry leaders, entrepreneurs and students have gathered at MTU’s North Campus in Tralee this morning for the Blue Economy Innovation & Skills Forum, exploring the future of Ireland’s ocean industries and the talent needed to power them. Keynote speaker Wayne Murphy (Hatch Blue) delivers a global perspective on aquaculture and blue economy innovation, alongside interactive workshops on fisheries, seaweed and coastal tourism.

PHAROS Irish Living Lab Day 1: Ireland Charts Course for 30×30: Marine Protected Areas Take Centre Stage at MTU, Kerry
 PHAROS Irish Living Lab Day 1: Ireland Charts Course for 30×30: Marine Protected Areas Take Centre Stage at MTU, Kerry 1024 707 PHAROS Project

Over 60 marine scientists, policymakers, and coastal stakeholders convened in person and online at Munster Technological University’s new STEM building for the first session of the PHAROS Irish Living Lab Event, focused on effective management of marine protected areas (MPAs).

Santorini Blue Loop Living Lab Successfully Launched with a Three-day Programme of Action and Collaboration
 Santorini Blue Loop Living Lab Successfully Launched with a Three-day Programme of Action and Collaboration 1024 683 PHAROS Project

From 14 to 16 May 2026, the Santorini Blue Loop Living Lab, developed within the PHAROS project framework, successfully launched in Santorini, Greece.

PHAROS Santorini Blue Loop Living Lab kicks off with a four-day programme of action and collaboration
 PHAROS Santorini Blue Loop Living Lab kicks off with a four-day programme of action and collaboration 1024 587 PHAROS Project

From 14 to 17 May in Santorini, the Santorini Blue Loop Living Lab, developed within the PHAROS project framework, officially launches through a four-day programme of activities, activating the island as a living space for collaboration, experimentation, and real-world implementation. This milestone marks the kickoff of a long-term Living Lab process, where local stakeholders, European initiatives, and the…

Pharos MarCoLab Ireland Mega Event, Living Lab in Kerry & Cork, 26–28 May 2026
 Pharos MarCoLab Ireland Mega Event, Living Lab in Kerry & Cork, 26–28 May 2026 660 360 PHAROS Project

MarCoLab Ireland invites you to the second PHAROS Mega Event, an exciting three-day event from 26 to 28 May 2026 in South-West Ireland (Kerry and West Cork). Join the Atlantic and Arctic Lighthouse community to promote marine restoration, ocean literacy, and the blue economy in Ireland. We’ll gather from 26-28 May in Kerry and Cork…

Islands Forge Path to Healthier Seas: Canary Islands Living Lab Launch and the PHAROS Mega Event
 Islands Forge Path to Healthier Seas: Canary Islands Living Lab Launch and the PHAROS Mega Event 1024 681 PHAROS Project

LAS PALMAS, Gran Canaria – For three days at the end of January 2026 (28-31), the Canary Islands became the focal point for a concerted effort to rethink how we protect and restore marine environments. The first PHAROS Mega Event, hosted by the MarCoLab initiatives on Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, brought together a broad cross section…

Project Consortium

The PHAROS Consortium consists of 24 scientific and research institutions from Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, Italy, Iceland, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Greece, Ukraine, and Norway, all active at the European level, covering the spectrum of marine ecosystem restoration, ocean pollution prevention, and sustainable blue economy initiatives.

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