PHAROS – Restoring marine biodiversity through innovation and digital twins

Marine ecosystems are under increasing pressure from pollution, habitat loss and climate change, threatening biodiversity and the livelihoods that depend on healthy seas. PHAROS addresses this by demonstrating innovative solutions that restore marine habitats and create sustainable blue-economy opportunities. Deltares develops the methodologies and modelling tools that help turn these local restoration efforts into scalable, data-driven solutions for Europe’s coastal regions.

Restoring marine ecosystems through innovation and collaboration

Healthy seas are essential for biodiversity, climate stability and the communities that depend on them. Yet many of Europe’s marine ecosystems are under severe pressure from pollution, overuse and a changing climate. The challenge now is not only to protect what remains, but also to restore what has been lost — in ways that are sustainable, measurable and scalable.

The PHAROS project responds to this need. As part of the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030, PHAROS brings together research institutes, technology developers and regional authorities to demonstrate how innovative marine restoration can be achieved across the Atlantic and Arctic basins.

A new generation of marine restoration

At four demonstration sites, in Gran Canaria (Spain), Ireland, and Iceland, PHAROS is testing new approaches to restore and manage marine habitats. The demonstrations combine different techniques:

• Artificial reef modules and marine-forest restoration in Gran Canaria, designed to enhance biodiversity and support local aquaculture.
• Kelp cultivation and nutrient-removal systems in Ireland, exploring how seaweed farms can help improve water quality.
• Environmental DNA (eDNA) and sensor-based monitoring in Iceland, improving early detection of invasive species and changes in biodiversity.

What unites these pilots is a shared scientific framework: common indicators, harmonised data, and integrated digital models that help partners learn across sites and build a collective understanding of what drives successful restoration.

Deltares’ contribution

Deltares leads the methodological development of the project, ensuring that each demo follows a comparable process for data collection, monitoring and evaluation.

We also contribute our expertise in hydrodynamic and ecosystem modelling, connecting physical and biological processes in the coastal zone. Together with partners we are helping build the PHAROS Digital Twin Ocean, a virtual environment that integrates data, models and observations to test restoration designs and predict their outcomes.

Working together for resilient coasts

PHAROS is not just about technology — it is about collaboration. Local authorities, researchers and industry partners co-develop each demonstration to ensure that solutions are both scientifically sound and practically feasible. This partnership approach ensures that PHAROS outputs can inform future restoration policies, investment decisions and regional strategies.

Expected impact

By 2029, PHAROS will deliver operational demonstrations, harmonised methodologies and open data that together create a blueprint for large-scale marine ecosystem restoration. The application of the full modelling suite of Deltares including hydrodynamics, biogeochemical interactions, and the influence of macroalgae, fish, and mussel aquaculture in Bantry Bay Ireland will showcase a core capacity of Deltares and its models to balance considerations from various types of aquaculture and environmental and ecological considerations.

The project will show how scientific innovation, engineering and digital tools can work together to bring life back to degraded marine environments and help Europe move towards a healthier, more resilient ocean.