Tool Testing in Action - A closer look at our MPA sites across Europe

Blue4All is a Horizon Europe Mission Ocean project that addresses marine conservation and restoration challenges across Europe. In collaboration with MPA managers and stakeholders from 15 MPAs (Living Labs), the project is developing and testing practical tools to support the protection and recovery of the marine environment in a socially just way. These tools are brought together in an accessible online platform, the MPA Solutions Hub, which supports the planning and management of effective, efficient, and resilient MPAs and MPA networks. Between spring 2024 and autumn 2025, Blue4All researchers tested a wide range of these tools in real-world settings across Europe. These included decision-support software, interactive workshops, awareness-raising campaigns, Excel-based resources, and practical methodologies. This publication provides an overview of the key tools developed and tested, along with the activities carried out in each Living Lab.