Center for Coastal & Marine Studies
MSP4BIO Final Conference took place in Venice, Italy 02 – 04 July 2025
Last week 02 – 04 July 2025., the final event of MSP4BIO took place in Venice, generously hosted by CNR-ISMAR Institute of Marine Sciences in synergy with the MEDIGREEN and NESBp workshops.
This three-day event brings together a rich community of project partners, policymakers, marine planners, MPA managers, Communities of Practice, and sister project representatives to reflect on biodiversity mainstreaming in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), for discussion and validation of project results, interactive sessions on their exploitation and upscale, with keynote speeches, and hands-on workshops. The event run alongside MEDIGREEN’s internal workshop and NESBp Multi-Use workshop on Maripark scenario building, offering extensive opportunities for cross project dialogue and networking against the unique backdrop of Venice’s historic Arsenale.
Showcasing the results in the six MSP4BIO test site session was led by Margarita Stancheva (CCMS), as coordinating the development of site-specific planning solutions supported by the application of the MSP4BIO integrated Ecological an Socio-Economic Framework (ESE) and the cutting-edge Decision Support Tools (DSTs).
MSP BOOSTS SUSTAINABLE MARINE PROTECTION
Authors:
Margarita Stancheva, Center for Coastal and Marine Studies – CCMS
Agnese Cosulich, Sustainable Projects GmbH – s.Pro
Natascha Jaspert, Sustainable Projects GmbH – s.Pro
Addressing the Challenges
Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is designed to follow an Ecosystem-Based Approach (EBA), ensuring marine ecosystem health and sustainability. In practice, MSP is often assumed as sector-driven, with limited integration of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and area-based conservation measures. Challenges include unclear biodiversity criteria, weak policy coherence, and limited understanding of human–ecosystem interactions.
The MSP4BIO Approach: Innovative Solutions for Nature-Inclusive MSP
To tackle these gaps, MSP4BIO developed and tested an innovative Ecological and Socio-Economic (ESE) management framework in close collaboration with stakeholders. This flexible, integrated approach enhances biodiversity integration in MSP and sectoral planning, adapting to the rapid changes in marine ecosystems.
CCMS ATTENDED THE EMD 2025
The European Maritime Day (EMD2025), took place in Cork, Ireland on 21-23 of May 2025 and was organised by the European Commission, the Cork City Council and the Irish ministry Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
The CCMS team participated in the event, taking part in both the plenary sessions and workshops. The results of our two EU projects, Horizon Europe MSP4BIO and Mission Ocean BLUE CONNECT, were prominently featured and promoted. Representatives from both projects attended EMD 2025, contributing to the extensive exhibitions that showcased the MSP4BIO and MPAs Community Network. Additionally, we engaged in the interactive group discussion during Workshop 16, titled "Mission Ocean-Unlocking Phase2 Scalable Governance," where we presented a brief overview of the stakeholder approach and engagement strategies for BLUE CONNECT.
The next EMD2026 will be held in Limassol, Cyprus, 21 - 22 May 2026!
MSP4BIO Blue Series of Webinar
As the MSP4BIO project comes to an end, we invite you to the MSP4BIO Blue Series, which includes four webinars discussing how Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) can enhance marine biodiversity protection, encourage sustainable planning and management practices, and support to achieving the Europe's 30×30 goals.
1: Empowering Marine Spatial Planning with SeaSketch
When: 15 May 2025, 2–3 PM CET, Online
Hosted: by the University of Azores (UAc)
Register: here
2: Smart Tools for Preserved Seas: The MSP4BIO Ecological Toolkit and Real-World Applications
When: 28 May 2025, 9:30–12:30 CET, Online
Hosted: by CNR-ISMAR
Register: here
3: How Can Marine Spatial Planning Help Achieve Europe's 30×30 Targets?
When: 6 June 2025, 12–2 PM CET, Online
Hosted: by PAP/RAC
Register: here
4. Nature-Inclusive Approaches of the Blue Economy in MPAs: Good Management Practices and Orientations
When: 20 June 2025, 2–3:30 PM CET, Online
Hosted: by the University of Cadiz (UCA)
Register: here
Further details & the full list of our upcoming events can be found here!
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
The MSP4BIO Team
