.... because every living creature needs a home.

The FISHOMES team, led by Prof. Michele Belfiore, is thrilled to share the news that FISHOMES has been selected as a recipient of a SHORE Prize, awarded via the third open call of the Horizon Europe initiative promoting ocean and waters restoration in support of the EU Mission Ocean "Restore Our Ocean and Waters by 2030". This recognition highlights our dedication to creating artificial structures for restorative biodiversity — designing, implementing, and monitoring engineered habitats that help revive ecosystems, support species, and restore ecological balance in Italian waters. Our goals:

What this means for us (and for our community)

• Increased capacity & visibility
  This award comes with 10.000EUR, network access to the SHORE community of 100 schools with blue school projects, and opportunities to share our work on larger platforms. It enables us to scale up, refine our designs, and collaborate with more partners.

• Stronger impact on ecological restoration
  With this support, we can accelerate our project, monitor outcomes more robustly, and push forward the frontier of nature-based engineering for biodiversity. Follow our six-month journey from being informed of our success in SHORE's Open Call #3 to becoming a candidate in the competition

A heartfelt thanks

We extend our deep gratitude to the SHORE project and the Horizon Europe program for this honor. We also thank our school administrators and teachers, funders, collaborators, and community supporters — your dedication and trust made this possible.

Stay tuned to this page and our Blog section for updates, photos, and the next steps in our journey.

What’s next.....

Over the coming months, we will:

• Publish detailed case studies of our artificial structures in the field

• Invite partners, stakeholders, and communities to site visits and workshops

• Monitor and report ecological outcomes (species colonization, habitat metrics, ecosystem services)

• Share lessons learned transparently so that others in the restoration community can benefit

🎇 We believe in the value of peer learning - exchanges between teachers and between students. Over the next school year beginning in September, we hope to be twinning with other schools to replicate the project. If you are interested in twinning or engaging in mobility via Erasmus+ KA1, send us a note: info@fishomes.com.

🎇 In February, we will be hosting a webinar on the challenges sea turtles face. Register at the Google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedakrieJS3X43fYYhi0bqTHSBKgr7cPYtVe0HcaNz29-1EXA/viewform?usp=header

🎇 stay tuned as we prepare our short, interactive learning plan - coming soon!

Hello everyone - Looking for Twinning Partners.....

We're going to build artificial reefs to help restore and enhance the biodiversity of species native to the waters of Pesaro, a sea-side city in the Le Marche Region of Italy. By creating these structures, we can provide habitats for marine life that have been lost due to environmental degradation. This will support the recovery of local ecosystems, encourage the growth of diverse species, and improve the overall health of the marine environment, ultimately promoting a more sustainable and resilient sea.

Students from Pesaro schools I.C. Dante Alighieri and Liceo Scientifico G. Marconi will play a crucial role in monitoring the artificial reef sites, tracking the growth and development of species over time. They will conduct regular assessments, collecting data on factors like biodiversity, species composition, and the health of the reef ecosystem. This hands-on research will not only deepen their understanding of marine science but also allow them to directly contribute to environmental conservation efforts.

Once the data is collected, the students will synthesize their findings into an engaging exhibit that showcases their research process, discoveries, and the positive impact of the artificial reefs. The exhibit will be displayed at libraries in Pesaro, giving the wider community an opportunity to learn about the project and its significance. This will help raise awareness about the importance of marine conservation, the unique biodiversity of the sea, and the role of artificial reefs in supporting ecosystem recovery. By sharing their work, students will help inspire others to take an active interest in preserving marine environments and encourage further community engagement in sustainability efforts.

We will host a webinar in English about the challenges faced by sea turtles and invite all blue schools in the Mediterranean region to participate in an interactive quiz we will create. We’re hosting this webinar to raise awareness about the critical challenges faced by these magnificient creatures, which are an integral part of marine ecosystems but are increasingly threatened by issues like climate change, habitat loss, and human activity. By making the webinar interactive and inviting blue schools from the entire Mediterranean region, we aim to create a collaborative learning experience where students from different countries can engage with the topic in a meaningful way.

RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi53zRFNPusMcZaKl28pFOeHXE2S-Y2OKDlHRaohC9eDW6BA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=101643625246488058435

FISHOMES reflects only the author’s views, and the European Commission or the SHORE Consortium is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. FISHOMES has indirectly received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action Program, via the SHORE – Open Call #3, issued and executed under the SHORE project Grant Agreement no. 101112815.

Funded by the

European Union