Only 8% of offshore marine waters in the EU are covered by marine protected areas (MPAs), compared to 48% of nearshore (0-1 nautical mile) and 27% of territorial (1-12 miles) zone (EEA, 2020). This means that large areas of important habitats offshore remain unprotected (such as soft sediment bottoms or habitats of highly mobile species such as marine mammals), which hinders the achievement of EU and global marine conservation targets to achieve a coherent MPA network. One of the main challenges for the establishment of offshore MPAs is the lack of knowledge about the distribution and condition of marine habitats, as well as pressures affecting them, due to high cost and effort needed for their surveillance and research. This has also been raised by Member States as one of the main issues with the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and of the future Nature Restoration Law.

Proposals under this topic are expected to show how their activities and results will contribute to achieving the Mission objective 1 – Protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity.

Proposals are expected to contribute to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, including the Marine Action Plan, the Birds, Habitats and Marine Strategy Framework directives and the future Nature Restoration Law as well as relevant international agreements (e.g.: the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction – BBNJ).

Proposals should be site-specific, and the number of sites, their size, objectives and management measures of the protected area(s) for demonstration activities have to be ecologically relevant and impactful and contribute to enhance ecosystem services.

Projects funded under this topic are expected to  show a significant replication potential by identifying areas and locations where the proposed measures could be replicable. An action plan and roadmap needed for the replication and scale up of the proposed measures for offshore marine protected areas are expected to be drawn up by the end of the project, taking into account Marine Spatial Planning plans.

Proposals addressing the EU Outermost Regions are encouraged, given these regions’ natural assets.