PHAROS First Press Release, A Strong Start of an Exciting Project

• September 12, 2024

The European Union is taking significant steps towards protecting and restoring our ocean’s health with the PHAROS project, a crucial part of the EU’s ambitious Ocean Mission. Aiming to achieve three key objectives by 2030, restoring marine ecosystems and biodiversity, eliminating ocean pollution, and creating a sustainable blue economy, PHAROS is set to bridge the development phase (ending in 2025) and the deployment phase (2026-2030).

PHAROS will conduct three demonstrations in the Atlantic, utilising a mix of newly developed Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), specifically tailored to the local environment. These efforts will lead to significant biodiversity and ecosystem restoration benefits during the initial phase of the mission.

PHAROS will collaborate with the H2020 ECOTIP project to enhance and expand its efforts in a demonstration aimed at reducing invasive species in Iceland through the use of eDNA monitoring. This initiative will span both the first and second phases of the mission. PHAROS will advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and implement leading Mission projects across the Atlantic and Arctic (AA) basin. This includes initiatives such as the Prep4Blue MPA platform and network, Nettagplus, Remedies Fisher Guardian, Citizen Litter Entrepreneur programs, and the Probleu EU Blue School Network platform for education, bridging into phase 2 of the mission.