Workshop on implementation plans for the Nature Restoration Regulation

As you may know, national governments are currently drafting implementation plans for the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR). Deadline for draft submissions to the European Commission: September of this year. As the NRR has an important marine component, implementation plans also stretch to marine habitats, including shellfish reefs.

We have observed that the implementation of the NRR in marine waters is seen as very challenging by government representatives working on it. We therefore believe that by bringing experts and regulators from various countries together on the topic of shellfish reef development will be beneficial to all involved.

So we have planned an international workshop on the topic, on May 4 (10-13 CEST).

It will be informal, so that all those present can freely exchange their ideas. We have consulted DG Environment about the initiative and received enthusiastic approval. If the workshop is seen as successful, we may organize follow-up events, since marine NRR-implementation for shellfish reefs poses a lot of challenges.

The workshop program is still in development, but we will address the following questions:
1. How to determine favorable reference areas for flat oyster reefs (or bivalve reefs in general) in various environments? What is the relation with the establishment of self-sustaining reefs, also in various environments (nearshore/offshore)?
2. Which reef development projects are already undertaken where? With which objectives and methods?
3. Which are effective/state-of-the-art reef development methods? And what are (estimates of) associated costs (per m2 reef or per bivalve).

Regulators from various countries will explain their approach in answering question 1. Philine and I will present the NORA data base as answer to question 2. The subject is policy-sensitive, so participation will be by invitation only.

If you have expertise to:
• reflect on the regulator approaches for question 1 and/or the NORA database for question 2;
• give input to state-of-the art shellfish reef development methods.
we can give you the opportunity to take part in the meeting.

If so, please send a message to:
• hein.sas@noraeurope.eu or
• Philine.Zu.Ermgassen@ed.ac.uk