Ocean Bee Blue: 5 Years of Supporting the Blue Municipalities Network
A journey across 20 coastal and island municipalities of Greece together with APIVITA for the protection of our seas. A journey that included holistic activities for marine decontamination, awareness-raising and education of local authorities and communities, the promotion of environmental democracy and active participation.
The Ocean Bee Blue program focused on cleanup activities in ports, reefs and shipwrecks, research activities, educational programs in schools of all levels, promotion of waste management and consultation workshops with local communities. The results were substantial and multifaceted. More specifically:
- 35,220 pieces of waste, 169 sacks of unidentified plastics, and 4.91 tons of fishing gear were recovered from our seas
- The ports of Antiparos and Tinos were free of marine litter
- More than 1,500 students of all educational levels attended our educational programs
- In more than half of the members of the Blue Municipalities Network, research activities were carried out on water quality and sea sediment
- A Marine Litter Collection Station was installed on the island of Kea
- More than 400 volunteers from Aegean Rebreath and APIVITA participated in the implementation of the actions
- Numerous international press agencies covered our activities, communicating at an international level the need to protect our seas
However, the program also made a significant contribution to activating local communities and enhancing understanding of the value of protecting and sustaining the marine environment for local economies. At the same time, it provided citizens of coastal and island municipalities with a clear picture of the level of seabed pollution, as well as the urgent challenge of taking meaningful measures for seabed decontamination.
Through consultation workshops and awareness actions, active participation of local communities was strengthened, promoting the understanding that protecting the sea is a collective responsibility. Additionally, the program had a meaningful impact at the regional level, as the dissemination of its interventions and results sparked the interest of neighboring municipalities.
This journey proved that every action, every piece of waste collected, every student who becomes aware and every community that actively participates contributes to the protection of the marine ecosystem and to preserving Greek beaches for future generations.