Mariculture for Ria de Aveiro subtidal seagrass Rewilding

LIFE SeagrassRIAwild aims at taking decisive steps to reverse the current conservation status of Zostera marina habitat in Ria de Aveiro and Portugal through the co-development of cost-efficient and policy relevant NbS (Nature-based Solutions). Subtidal seagrass beds are critically endangered at the European Atlantic Coast, and in urgent need of restoration, as stated in the forthcoming EU Nature Restoration Law. Z. marina is presently the most endangered seagrass species in Portugal, facing extinction if measures are not taken to assure the protection of the last remaining populations. In Ria, its presence was not recorded for 10 years, but recently resurged in small intertidal patches, making this the momentum for active restoration measures implementation. LIFE SeagrassRIAwild proposes a paradigm shift in seagrass restoration, enabling large-scale restoration programs with negligible effects on existing natural meadows, through the development of seagrass mariculture to support the plant and seed needs for rewilding. It follows a transdisciplinary approach involving academia, authorities, management agencies, local administration, end-user associations and citizens in the co-design, prioritization and implementation of restoration actions, at a large scale and using targeted and adaptable Citizen Science initiatives and synergies with other national and EU initiatives. LIFE SeagrassRIAwild will further explore innovative NbS to potentiate synergistic effects of seagrass conservation efforts and system management needs which, if proven effective, have the potential to become an innovative management service/product for port authorities, private marinas and management agencies. These NbS will potentiate the sustainability of the project, supported by tailor-made capacity building actions and the infrastructure legacy, which will perdure in time and be made available for national restoration programmes, with the supervision of the national competent authorities. LIFE SeagrassRiawild proposes a paradigm shift in seagrass restoration, enabling large-scale restoration programs with negligible effects on existing natural meadows, through the development of seagrass mariculture to support the plant and seed needs for restoration, as well as social engagement to enable it. Within this scope, the project will follow a transdisciplinary approach involving academia, authorities, management agencies, local administration, end-user associations and citizens in the co-design, prioritization and implementation of restoration actions, at a large scale and using targeted and adaptable Citizen Science initiatives and synergies with other national and EU initiatives. LIFESeagrassRIAwild will explore innovative Nature-base solutions (NbS) to potentiate synergistic effects of seagrass conservation efforts and system management needs. If proven effective, these efforts will have the potential to become an innovative management service/product for port authorities, private marinas and management agencies. The NbS will potentiate the sustainability of the project and will be supported by tailor-made capacity building actions and the infrastructure legacy, which will perdure in time and be made available for national restoration programmes. To this end, SeagrassRIAwild is framed in the following specific objectives:Develop a stakeholder forum, that will act as a Community of Practice;Develop a robust Zostera marina mariculture to serve as source for restoration actions;Optimize nursery processes (harvest, maturation, storage, germination and genetic selection) to support restoration actions;Develop a system-wide seagrass rewilding program;Monitor and evaluate Ecosystem Service recovery;Develop an environmental education and training framework;Ensure the sustainability of the actions.Mobilise and engage local and regional stakeholders Co-develop strategies and solutions for restoration Mobilise and train 50 restoration practitioners and 60 volunteersCharacterisation of the Z. marina potential donor meadows Construction of one mariculture infrastructure for the production of Z. marina individuals8 ha colonised by Z. marina expected by the end of the projectDevelopment of optimised standard operational procedures for nursery activities (seed harvest, maturation, storage and germination) Effect of domestication on the genetic pool of mariculture populations assessed4 ha of Z. marina meadows restored through classic and Nature-based solution activities Social engagement by local populations Drafting of an Exploitation Plan