Ocean Wildlife Project e.V. - Küste der Hoffnung

Endangered species previously unknown in the Bay of Biscay have been discovered in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve of the Basque Country. Sightings included porbeagle sharks, blue sharks, mako sharks, marbled & trembling rays and beaked whales. OWP e.V. researchers have already identified and explored potentially critical habitats along the coast in 2023 in collaboration with local researchers and partners. Numerous discussions and trips have strengthened collaboration with local partners and built trust for future cooperation: Essential for designing the research, testing the methodological approach and defining the objectives of the project. The large number of sightings, especially of blue and mako sharks, indicates the importance of the region as a key distribution area for both species.

With the "Coast of Hope" project, OWP e.V. aims to study the endangered species in the Bay of Biscay and protect them through targeted research. As a result, an enlarged protected area is to be created over the next 10 years, which can be effectively established, monitored and secured through research. In addition, the establishment of seasonal protected areas and the development of sustainable fishing standards in the region are essential to support the reproduction and migration of these endangered species.

BRUVs (Baited Remote Underwater Video): This is a design that includes a bait container as well as a camera. By luring fish into the camera's field of vision, the diversity of different species and their behavior are recorded. This allows the occurrence of endangered species and their hotspots (areas of high occurrence or biodiversity) to be determined in order to use correlating factors to understand which habitats the animals prefer and where they need to be protected. 

eDNA: Living organisms constantly release small amounts of DNA into their environment. This eDNA (environmental DNA) can be isolated from environmental samples and used to determine which organisms are present in a habitat. To do this, the researchers at OWP e.V. take samples of the seawater in the area using specially designed equipment in order to be able to take contamination-free samples.

Tagging: When sharks are tagged, transmitters are attached to the animals. These satellite-based tagging sensors, which are completely harmless to the animal, continuously record data on the animal's movements and environment over a pre-programmed period of time and then detach themselves from the shark. This procedure makes it possible to define the behavior and distribution areas of the animals in order to protect them effectively.

This project supports Global SDG Goal 14 - Life below Water, SDG 12 - Sustainable Consumption and Production & SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals