MARHAB

Project Information

MARHAB

Grant agreement ID: 101135307

DOI

10.3030/101135307

EC signature date 16 November 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2027

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 4 197 180,00

EU contribution

€ 4 197 180,00

Coordinated by

HAVFORSKNINGSINSTITUTTET
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MARHAB (MARHAB)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The EU-funded MARHAB project’s overall objective is to improve the conservation status of marine ecosystems by demonstrating an ecosystem dynamics approach to restoration and maintenance of protected habitats. In other words, to incorporate an appreciation of presence/ absence of trophic- and ecosystem function when monitoring the conservation status of marine habitats.

Most marine habitats and species protected under the EU Habitats Directive remain in poor condition, with the Kattegat-Skagerrak region in Northern Europe particularly hard-hit. The MARHAB project aims to facilitate a reversal of this trend by using advanced technologies, such as genomics, tracking, and machine learning, to provide pivotal knowledge to restore and sustain these fragile ecosystems. By aligning fisheries management with biodiversity conservation, the project addresses the urgent need to protect marine resources that underpin climate resilience, food security, and livelihoods. Timely in its alignment with the EU’s 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, MARHAB also focuses on stakeholder engagement and raising public awareness. Its approach will deliver vital knowledge to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Kattegat-Skagerrak Seas and neighboring coastal waters.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Since kicking off in 2024, the MARHAB work packages have employed cutting edge technology (genomics, tracking, in situ observations, machine learning) in state-of-art ecosystem research, in pursuit of scientific underpinnings needed to bring about the long overdue reconciliation of fisheries management with biodiversity conservation. To expand our understanding of biodiversity and connectivity in our study region (WP2) we have sampled pipefish, crabs and isopods from populations both in- and outside the Skagerrak. Genomic analyses are now under way. We have reviewed the knowledge on sand and gravel habitats (WP3), their ecological function and associated species. In MARHAB we study the habitat preference of sandeel (Ammodytes sp.), and its role in the food web. Biogenic reefs are essential marine habitats, and in MARHAB we study data poor habitats such as blue- and horse mussel reefs with underwater video to capture their function and the interacting, associated species. Top predators confer essential trophic function and spread such function though their mobility. MARHAB is tracking such movements (WP4) in fish and marine mammals. To test whether conservation- or fisheries management strategies are successful in promoting the function of top predators, MARHAB is using non-destructive monitoring techniques to study species assemblages and size distributions (WP5).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

At the 18-month reporting stage, MARHAB is already advancing the knowledge within several of its research fields. MARHABs work packages have initiated novel ecosystem research, reviewed the knowledge and expanded our understanding of biodiversity and connectivity in our study region. Data-poor habitats have been brought to the attention of research institutions and managers. The published work focusing on the conservation effectiveness of European marine protected areas is being noticed and used. MARHABs perspective on the importance of monitoring and managing the function of top-predators and protecting size structure in harvested species and populations, to restore and maintain population dynamics and trophic interactions, has caught the attention of workers in the science-policy interface.

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