Within the Blue Connect project, a European initiative to strengthen marine conservation, restoration and co‑management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across 12 demonstration sites, work package 5, Task 5.2 focuses on implementing innovative monitoring techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of marine conservation and restoration efforts. At the Vlaamse Banken MPA, where active restoration of European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) reefs is planned, Task 5.2 applies innovative monitoring approaches. VLIZ will deploy on their seabed landers, the VLIZ-developed Sonarlogger, a stand along high resolution autonomous sonar instrument as well as hydrophones to record ambient sound next to the oyster reef site. Tracking over time how the oyster reef structures, seabed dynamics and acoustic complexity develop will provide robust, site-specific insights into restoration success while contributing to the broader Blue Connect framework for adaptive management and transferable monitoring strategies across European Marine Protected Areas.
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