On the 18th of February 2026, the BLUE CONNECT project, in which SUBMON participates, brought together public authorities, the fishing sector and the local community in two workshops held at the L’Albera Demo site, where SUBMON is leading activities. Both sessions provided an opportunity to share progress, validate the tools under development and collect feedback to help guide the next steps.
These workshops were part of the 2nd Local Stakeholder Working Group (LSWG) meetings at the Demo sites. These workshops aim to validate tools, gather recommendations and adapt the project’s work to each territory, combining technical knowledge with local experience.
In this context, SUBMON’s work in L’Albera focuses on improving the management of this unique marine environment, supporting a potential expansion of the marine protected area and engaging the local community in its conservation. To this end, it contributes to the development and improvement of science-based conservation measures, analyses the pressures affecting the area and its role as an ecological corridor, and promotes restoration actions and local participation. This approach builds on close collaboration with local stakeholders, including workshops like these, which help review progress and gather key input.
During the morning online session, representatives from the municipalities of Llançà, Colera and Portbou, the Government of Catalonia, NGOs and research institutions reviewed the tools currently under development within the project, including connectivity and pressure analyses. These tools aim to support decision-making, particularly in the context of a potential expansion of the marine protected area.
In the afternoon, the in-person workshop in Llançà gathered members of the local community, including representatives of the fishing guild, environmental NGOs, local naturalists and members of an open-water swimming club. The session focused on validating the tools under development and gathering local knowledge about the area. Their contributions proved highly valuable in refining the analyses and better aligning the project’s work with local realities.
In-person workshop. Photo credits: SUBMON.
The proposed co-management scheme was also presented during both sessions. While this was identified as a desirable model, several challenges were also highlighted, particularly the need to balance different interests and ensure strong institutional commitment. As a next step, further work is planned with municipalities and local stakeholders to explore synergies and move forward in this direction.
The meeting also served to share progress on the Demo site Implementation Plan (DSIP) and the preliminary results of the 2025 active restoration of Posidonia oceanica meadows. These actions will continue in 2026, including new participatory activities involving the local community.
These types of meetings are key within BLUE CONNECT, as they help align technical work with on-the-ground realities and move towards more participatory, science-based marine management tailored to local needs.
