PROGRAMME
Day 1, Monday 24 November 2025
Morning
8:30 – 11:30
Registration (open all the Conference)
Board Meeting I
Working Groups Meetings
Posters/Stands installation
11:30 – 12:00
Coffee break
12:00 – 12:10
Welcome from the NORA6 Organising Committee- NORA6-OC
12:10 – 13:00
Opening Ceremony
- 12:00: Opening of the event by Ms Eve Galimany (ICM CSIC), Mr Fiz da Costa (IEO CSIC Vigo), and Ms Marina Albentosa (IEO CSIC Murcia).
- 12:05: Welcome and remarks by Ms. Rosa Figueroa Director of IEO CSIC.
- 12:15: Remarks by Mr. Stefano Carboni Chair of the NORA Board.
- 12:25:Remarks by Mr. Roque Torres Vice Rector for Research, Innovation and Transfer,
Polytechnic University of Cartagena. - 12:35: Remarks by Mr. Pablo Braqueháis Government Councillor, Cartagena City Council.
- 12:45: Remarks by Ms. Mª Cruz Ferreira Regional Secretary for Energy, Sustainability and Climate Action Department of Environment, Universities, Research, and Mar Menor of the
Government of the Region of Murcia - 12:55: Remarks and Opening of NORA6 by Mr. José María Martell Vice President for Scientific and Technical Research, CSIC.
13:00 – 13:15
Opening Talk: The National Restoration Plans: from science to action
Mr. Fernando Magdaleno (Deputy Director General for Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity at the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, and the official responsible for implementing in Spain the European Nature Restoration Regulation)
13:15 – 14:30
Cocktail Reception (free of charge)
Afternoon
14:30 – 14:45
Conference information from the NORA6 OC
NORA Board Talk
14:45 – 16:30
SESSION 1. Enhancing oyster restoration in the Mediterranean Sea
Chairs: Kruno Bonačić and Stéphane Pouvreau
Long talks
- Ostrea edulis restoration: integrating hatchery production and field-based recovery through restorative aquaculture
Gianni Brundu
International Marine Centre, IMC, Italy - Modelling Ostrea edulis larval dispersal for the restoration of the species in the Adriatic Sea
Davide Carratù
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, OGS, University of Trieste, Italy - Combining oyster reef restoration and coastal protection in the Mediterranean Sea
Massimo Ponti
University of Bologna, Italy - Toxicological limits of Ostrea edulis filtering capacity: a case study for restoration in the Mar Menor lagoon
Inés Cano Mato
University of the Basque Country, Spain
Short talks
- Combined effects of temperature and salinity in European oyster Ostrea edulis
Tommaso Petochi
Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA, Italy - Growth of flat oysters in a polluted coastal lagoon: a field study in the Mar Menor
Silvia Sánchez-Segarra
Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, IEO-CSIC, Spain - Bioextraction capacity of Ostrea edulis under eutrophication conditions
Sergio Y. Otero Valdivielso
University of the Basque Country, Spain - Discussion
16:30 – 17:00
Coffee break
17:00 – 18:00
POSTER SESSION
18:30 – 19:30
Student social meeting
Evening
20:00
Tapas and Beer (free of charge) Restaurant “A la barra gastrobar” at Calle del Parque number 2, Cartagena
Day 2, Tuesday 25 November 2025
Morning
9:00 – 9:30
Key Note: EU Nature Restoration Law
Maddalena Visser (Directorate-General for the Environment, European Commission)
9:30 – 11:00
SESSION 2. Part I. Genetics, genomics, biosecurity and oyster health
Chairs: Isabelle Arzul and Tim Bean
Long talks
- Developing in vitro models to investigate Bonamia ostreae infections in European flat oysters
Kallen Sullivan
The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom - Detecting Bonamia ostreae non-invasively from infected Ostrea edulis and environmental DNA
Tim Bean
The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom - The fruits of monitoring: evaluating success in restoration
Gurjameer Ramday
Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom - Genetic diversity of Mediterranean native oyster populations: aquaculture production for restoration actions
Stefania Chiesa
Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA, Italy - Genetic considerations in flat oyster restoration, guidelines for the Dutch part of the North Sea
Pauline Kamermans
Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands - The Wild Oysters Project: Follow-up on restoration activities and oyster spawning methods and results
Celine Gamble
Zoological Society of London, United Kingdom
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 12:00
SESSION 2. Part II: Genetics, genomics, biosecurity and oyster health
Long talks
- Towards non-lethal sex identification in flat oysters
Sophie Valk
Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
Short talks
- Revisiting the O. edulis gametogenesis using combined multi-omic and histological approaches
Yanwen Lian
Sorbonne University, France - Experimental investigation of the impact of climate change and plastic pollution on the dynamics of bonamiosis in the native European oyster Ostrea edulis
Isabelle Arzul
IFREMER, France - Mapping, monitoring – and hopefully protecting – the northernmost, intact, disease-free flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, populations in Europe
Stein Mortensen
Institute of Marine Research, Norway
12:00 – 13:00
SESSION 3. Part I. Ecosystem function and services
Chairs: Eve Galimany and Pauline Kamermans
Long talks
- Successful snapping: photogrammetry as a tool for monitoring temperate reef restoration
Naomi Kennon
Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom - Are Ostrea edulis reefs biodiversity hotspots? Exhaustive analysis of all the fauna associated to remnant populations in Brittany
Abel Zempléni
LEMAR, IFREMER, France - Advancing our understanding of the biodiversity and trophic webs associated with restored Ostrea edulis oyster reefs using a multifaced approach of eDNA sampling combined with visual census biodiversity assessments
Hayley Craig
University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom - Impact of location on oyster (Ostrea edulis) mediated nitrogen remediation
Fiona Woods
University of Southampton, United Kingdom
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch organised at the venue (cost not included in the registration fee)
Afternoon
14:30 – 16:00
SESSION 3. Part II. Ecosystem function and services
Long talks
- Mind the gap: optimising habitat creation in native oyster restoration
William G. Sanderson
Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom - Insights into blue carbon dynamics of North Sea biogenic reef habitats
Prantick Patra
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, AWI, Germany - Modelling native oyster reef restoration as a nature-based solution for coastal erosion mitigation: insights from Quiberon Bay, France
Martin Perrot
Seaboost, France - Who lives in a pear tree under the sea? Tree-reefs to induce top-down predation for crab control
Jon Dickson
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, The Netherlands
Short talks
- Ecological reef restoration: consumptive and nonconsumptive interactions among common North Sea predators and European oysters
Julius A. Ellrich
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, AWI, Germany - Oyster lipid profiles as indicators of water quality and filtration capacity
Alexander Robertson-Jones
Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom - Two years of Ostrea edulis physiological performance in a eutrophic ecosystem
Sebastián Hernandis
Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, IEO-CSIC, Spain - Balancing energy transition and biogenic reefs: lessons learned from the North Sea
Karin Didderen
Waardenburg Ecology – BESE, The Netherlands - Collapsed European oyster reefs must be restored at ecosystem scales
Philine zu Ermgassen
University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee break
16:30 – 18:00
SESSION 4. Project updates and new initiatives
Chairs: Marina Albentosa and Sebastián Hernandis
Long talks
- Restoring flat oyster habitats (Ostrea edulis) in the Adriatic Sea: The Italian PNRR Marine Ecosystem Restoration Project
Francesca Ronchi
Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA, Italy - Effect of acoustic enrichment on flat oyster settlement
Estefania Velilla
Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands - Better oyster outplacement and seeding techniques (BOOST) project
Renske Free
Boskalis, The Netherlands - The last native oyster beds in Nouvelle-Aquitaine: distribution, habitat description and conservation status
Cynthia Carpentier
Centre pour l’Aquaculture, la Pêche et l’Environnement de Nouvelle Aquitaine (CAPENA), France - From aquaculture to ecosystem restoration: lessons from Ostrea edulis restoration efforts in Quiberon Bay, France
Martin Perrot
Seaboost, France
Short talks
- Restoring flat oysters in sensitive habitats: introducing a new eco-friendly method
Stéphane Pouvreau
LEMAR, IFREMER, France - Pollution effects on oyster bioextraction: a nature-based solution for the Mar Menor lagoon
Maitane Pérez Cebrecos
University of the Basque Country, Spain - Surviving and growing: positive indications for Native Oyster (Ostrea edulis) restoration in Dublin Bay
Brian Rice
University College Dublin, Ireland
Evening
20:00
Official NORA6 Dinner (ticketed event)
Day 3, Wednesday 26 November 2025
Morning
9:00 – 9:45
Panel on Collaboration for restoration success organized by Sahar Stevenson-Jones (SER, Society for Ecological Restoration-Europe).
Panellists:
- Stefano Carboni (NORA Board, Native Oyster Restoration Alliance)
- Richard Lilley (ESRA Board, European Seagrasses Restoration Alliance)
- Alison Debney (Zoological Society of London, leader of the Transforming the Thames Seascape
- Joanne Preston (University of Portsmouth, organiser of the conference on Temperate seascape ecological connectivity).
- Ute Jacob (Bio-Agora Project)
9:45 – 11:00
- Assessing oyster reef restoration cultch for reduction of crab predation Julia M. Wolf National Institute of Aquatic Resources, DTU Aqua, Denmark
- A strategic roadmap for upscaling the provision of European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, to support large scale restoration Philine zu Ermgassen University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- European flat oyster larvae are quite robust: promising remote setting tests Camille Saurel National Institute of Aquatic Resources, DTU Aqua, Denmark
- Towards scalable remote setting: cold storage and transport of Ostrea edulis larvae Molly Hughes Ghent University, Belgium
- Remote setting of disease-free Ostrea edulis spat-on-substrate for marine nature restoration Francesc Montserrat ARK Rewilding, The Netherlands
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00
SESSION 5. Part II. Optimization of native oyster supply and applied studies
Long talks
- Reefcovery Inoculator: development of a mobile, modular oyster remote setting facility for on-site inoculation and integration into marine restoration operations
Joe El Rahi
Jan de Nul N.V., Belgium - Novel use of remote set native oysters (Ostrea edulis) for intertidal restoration in the Humber Estuary, UK
Laura Welton
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, United Kingdom - BELREEFS: first offshore pilot project for large-scale oyster reef restoration in the Belgian part of the North Sea
Vicky Stratigaki
Jan de Nul N.V., Belgium
Short talks
- Reproductive factors of applied interest in broodstock management of Ostrea edulis
Mairi Cowan
Scottish Association for Marine Science, SAMS, United Kingdom - Shell morphology response of European flat oysters to predation and tidal cues
Julia M. Wolf
National Institute of aquatic Resources, DTU Aqua, Denmark - Stress testing to reduce oyster spat mortality during deployment of inoculated substrates used in marine infrastructure and active reef restoration
Phara Cockaert
Jan De Nul N.V., Belgium - Large-scale application of remote setting technique for flat oyster reef restoration: experience from BELREEFS
Brecht Stechele
Institute for Natural Sciences, Belgium - Development of the remote setting technique for flat oysters in the North Sea
Wounter van Broekhoven
Van Oord Ocean Health, The Netherlands - Engineering oyster-inclusive offshore wind farms
Remment ter Hofstede Van Oord
Van Oord Ocean Health, The Netherlands - Discussion
13:15 – 14:30
Bus transport to San Pedro (Bus and lunch bag free of charge)
Afternoon
14:30 – 19:00
NORA 6 Excursion
San Pedro saltponds: Oyster culture devices at Salinera Española
San Pedro saltponds: Physiology Demo under natural conditions at Salinera Española
IEO (San Pedro): The Mar Menor Oyster Initiative and visit to the oyster hatchery REMEDIOS (Twiteer, @RemediOSproject, Instagram, @remediosproject)
IEO (San Pedro): The GRASSREC Project, seagrass restoration at the Mar Menor (Instagram, @grassrec_project)
Evening
19:30
Social Event of the Native Oyster Network-UK & Ireland in restaurant La Tartana
If you’d like to join please register your interest by emailing NativeOyster@zsl.org.
Day 4, Thursday 27 November 2025
Morning
9:00 – 9:30
9:30 – 11:00
SESSION 6-Part I. Interdisciplinary perspectives for oyster restoration and spreading outreach and knowledge exchange
Chairs: Bernadette Pogoda, Joanne Preston and Hein Sas
Long talks
- Following-up restored reefs: Solent oyster restoration project
Barny Hobbs
University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom - Identification of reproduction behaviors (spawning, incubation and spreading) of the native European Oyster (Ostrea edulis) through long-term valve monitoring in Helgoland (Germany)
Alexandre Le Moal
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, AWI, Germany - Seascape connectivity: evidence, knowledge gaps and implications for temperate coastal ecosystem restoration practice and policy
Joanne Preston
University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom Habitat mapping for assessing coastal restored oyster reef effects
Eva Turicchia
University of Bologna, Italy- Found a home or drift away: larval dispersal models as support tool for restoration
Santiago Pineda Metz
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, AWI, Germany
Short talks
Analytical guidelines for chemical analysis of oysters throughout their life cycle
Javier Terán Baamonde
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00
SESSION 6-Part II. Interdisciplinary perspectives for oyster restoration and spreading outreach and knowledge exchange
Long talks
- Optimizing oyster reef habitat restoration: collaborations across demonstration site (France) and replication site (Germany) within the CLIMAREST project
Bernadette Pogoda
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, AWI, Germany - Including plural ways of knowing and valuing in the restoration of European flat oysters in England and The Netherlands
Annet Pauwelussen
Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands - Reading the landscape: historical, human and environmental factors informing restoration of the last native oyster beds in Ireland
Jose M. Fariñas-Franco
Atlantic Technological University, Ireland - Managing coastal ecosystems sustainably: the ecological and governance potential of oysters
Irene Liarte Conesa
Autonomous University of Madrid & Estrella Levante Foundation, Spain
Short talks
- Evaluation of site characteristics for oyster suitability as informed by Scottish place-names
Anna McGregor
University of Glasgow, United Kingdom - Enabling restoration and wise use of a seagrass oyster ecosystem
Karin Dubsky
Coastwatch, Ireland - Discussion
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch organised at the venue (cost not included in the registration fee)
Afternoon
14:30 – 16:00
SESSION 7. Other species and new approaches
Chairs: Alison Debney and Camille Saurel
Long talks
- Past to present: charting historical baselines and restoration potential of native oyster (Ostrea edulis) beds in Ireland
Mateja Svonja
Atlantic Technological University, Ireland - Scaling up restoration aquaculture of Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) in Puget Sound, WA (USA) through remote setting and community partnerships
Ryan N. Crim
Puget Sound Restoration Fund, United States of America - Room for improvement in site suitability assessments for the restoration of European flat oysters
Emmy Cooper-Young
Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom - Innovations in marine biodiversity monitoring using small unmanned underwater vehicles: (ROVs and AUVs)
Oscar Bos
Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands - Early stages of the benthic community at the pilot oyster reef in the German North Sea
Santiago Pineda Metz
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, AWI, Germany
Short talks
- Advancing induced spawning protocols for Modiolus modiolus: an evaluation of established and novel techniques
Morten Højen Kristiansen
National Institute of Aquatic Resources, DTU Aqua, Denmark - From shell to stone: field trials of alternative substrates for Ostrea edulis larval settlement
Mateja Svonja
Atlantic Technological University, Ireland - Metrics for success: How do we measure success in oyster reef restoration?
Boze Hancock
The Nature Conservancy, United States of America
16:00 – 16:30
17:00 – 18:00
Board Meeting II
