The SUBMARINER Network is a true innovator in bringing stakeholders together. Team Lead MSP, MPA and MU Ivana Stojanovic shares how this EU Blue Parks Community member organisation breaks down silos and builds efficient communities.
The SUBMARINER Network is a membership organisation that connects blue economy actors in the Baltic Sea Region and beyond. It coordinates Blue Mission BANOS, the Mission Ocean and Waters implementation platform for the Baltic and North Sea Lighthouse, and is a core partner in Blue4all while also coordinating BLUE CONNECT, which are Mission projects that develop science-based tools for achieving effective Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) management that meet conservation and restoration objectives.
Hi Ivana, can you tell us how the SUBMARINER Network’s story began?
The SUBMARINER Network was truly avant-garde when it came to the blue economy, and in particular to Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and ocean multi-use. Ten years ago, its first projects focused on MSP in the EU, and with the development of various policies, we also pioneered the concept of ocean multi-use with other partners in the Baltic Sea and across Europe. This work began even before the EU’s MSP Directive was adopted in 2014, driven by the engagement of SUBMARINER founding members, and has continued to the present day. It has brought concepts to real-life testing and deployment, developing solutions with a high Technology Readiness Level.
The SUBMARINER Network brings together stakeholders across borders and disciplines. What is essential for creating efficient communities of practice?
Our approach focuses on connecting different blue economy actors, facilitating discussions and working together towards common goals. Our events bring projects and initiatives together to discuss their work and ensure synergies in different sub-regions, and integrate stakeholder input to guide progress and advance the original priorities. This helps prevent stakeholder fatigue and ensure that projects and initiatives address local priorities and needs. A recent example is the Mission Ocean and Waters Arenas of the Blue Mission BANOS project, of which we have organised two so far, with the third scheduled to take place in Amsterdam at the end of November.
Bringing stakeholders together
This has been quite exciting and successful because the first two Mission Arenas have resulted in roadmaps until 2030 for each sub-region where the events were organised. We defined priority actions that were agreed upon during the workshops and voted and prioritised by the audience in the closing session. We believe that this is not just a piece of paper; it is actively contributing to the implementation of Mission Ocean and Waters at the local and national level, which is greatly needed.
You have launched an exciting new platform for collaboration. BlueBioMatch is the SUBMARINER Network’s community platform where innovators, researchers, businesses, NGOs and anyone passionate about blue economy, blue biotechnology and entrepreneurship can network, collaborate and innovate.
It is an online platform where interested users can sign up, create a profile and engage with others. The platform allows for discussions and makes blue economy tools and materials openly available for use; there are forums for specific topics, and there is also the opportunity to participate in a mentorship programme.
The BlueBioMatch platform unites actors who advance sustainability in the blue sector.
This blue bioeconomy hub also has working groups that anyone can join. For instance, the MPA Managers & Local Communities Group, the Sustainable Fisheries Working Group or the Aquaculture Working Group.
Particularly relevant for the EU Blue Parks Community, the MPA Managers & Local Communities Group was initially established as part of the networking platform for the BLUE4ALL project. This group will bring together users from different EU Blue Parks projects and initiatives. We see added value in the opportunity to address the current lack of coordination among MPA managers and stakeholders from different blue economy sectors. This platform not only facilitates networking among MPA managers but also encourages engagement with fisheries, small ocean farmers and other stakeholders to discuss joint activities and co-management. Despite ongoing efforts to foster collaboration, many activities and projects continue to operate in silos.
What are the main benefits of being a member of the EU Blue Parks Community?
The main benefit is being informed and coming together to discuss issues in online and physical meetings. Being subscribed to the newsletter helps keep up to date with the work of the community and the projects that are part of it.
You will be one of the speakers at the upcoming EU Blue Parks Community workshop in November. What will your presentation focus on?
I will be presenting BLUE CONNECT, a newly launched project funded by Horizon Europe as part of Mission Ocean and Waters. My goal is to highlight the novelty and context of the project, demonstrating how it supports the implementation of Mission Ocean and Waters.
In addition, I would like to talk about what we suggest as a way forward. With many projects working on similar goals, we believe that integration from the project phase is essential. It would be highly valuable to explore ways to share the benefits of each other’s work.
The 3rd EU Blue Parks Community workshop takes place online on 12 November 2024, from 10:00 CET to 12:30 CET. Learn more and register here.