On Tuesday, 6 May, over 100 stakeholders and experts from across sectors came together in Bredene, Belgium. The event was held in the context of the European Nature Restoration Regulation, which adds both ambition and urgency to the marine restoration agenda.
“By 2030, we want to restore twenty percent of our North Sea, in line with the Nature Restoration Act,”
stated Minister of Justice and the North Sea Annelies Verlinden in her opening video message.
“In addition, we are committed to better protection of the most ecologically valuable parts of our sea, including through new marine reserves and fishing-restrictive measures.”
In a very well attended break-out session on practical implementation and innovation, Ultfarms output was presented in 2 presentations:The industry perspective on implementing and upscaling off-shore oyster reef restoration by Vicky Stratigaki (JDN) and Insights & challenges from research project toward upscaling by Mieke Eggermont (UGent-ARC) and Ine Moulaert (VLIZ).
In the ULTFARMS’ Contribution: From Research to Upscaling
Mieke Eggermont (UGent) and Ine Moulaert (VLIZ) presented insights and experiences from the Belgian pilot of ULTFARMS, focusing on the key challenges and enablers of scaling from research projects to implementation:
🔹 Key Challenges included:
- Harsh marine conditions and limited weather windows for installation and monitoring
- Limited availability of spat (young oysters) and complex legal frameworks
- Unclear decommissioning responsibilities and competing spatial uses (fishing, cables, shipping routes)
🔹 Key Insights:
- Nature-inclusive design must account for spatial, technical, and ecological variables
- Innovative monitoring techniques, such as eDNA sampling, acoustic methods, marine robotics, and drones, offer scalable, non-disruptive solutions
- The value of co-creation with Communities of Practice (CoPs) and stakeholder engagement for long-term success
This cross-sectoral discussion also brought out the importance of leveraging existing knowledge, such as the findings from UNITED , Blue4all and other multi-use demonstration projects, and aligning them with upcoming EU restoration objectives.
📥 Explore the Full Presentation
For a deeper look at the challenges and proposed solutions presented by ULTFARMS and UGent, we invite you to view the full slide deck:
👉 Download the presentations here:
Presentation on Nature inclusive design in the Belgian pilot & restorative aquaculture
Presentation on oyster reefs by Jan De Nul
Looking Ahead
The discussions in Bredene marked a key step toward scaling impact across Europe’s marine restoration landscape. At ULTFARMS, we remain committed to driving innovation in multi-use marine space, low-trophic aquaculture, and nature-based solutions — all aligned with the long-term vision of a restored and resilient North Sea.
Let’s turn regulatory ambition into practical, scalable, and inclusive solutions. Together.
