Blogs

European Researchers’ Night Follow-Up: Inspiring Young Minds in Science

in Communication

November 22, 2025

As part of the Blue-Connect 2.0 project, under the motto “I Explore…”, a follow-up activity to the European Researchers’ Night was held, titled “The Science of Life: From Genes to the Planet”. The event featured scientific presentations and panel discussions, targeting high school students who are soon to choose the universities they wish to attend. Its main goal was to introduce students to scientific research and the career path of a scientist.

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POPOYSTER at the CROFISH fair

in Dissemination

November 22, 2025

At the CROFISH Fair in Poreč, which brings together scientists, policymakers, and representatives from the fishing and aquaculture sectors, Dr. Tanja Šegvić Bubić delivered an engaging presentation that also highlighted the POPOYster project. During her talk, she outlined the project’s main objectives and discussed ongoing activities. The presentation emphasized the project’s contribution to gathering biological and ecological baseline data for future restoration activities and highlighted the importance of collaboration between researchers and stakeholders in the sector.

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POPOYSTER at the 15th Croatian Biological Congress

in Dissemination

November 21, 2025

At the 15th Croatian Biological Congress, young researchers from the POPOYster project took part. They presented the results achieved during the first two years of the project. PhD student Niko Bujas gave an oral presentation titled " Insights into the reproductive cycle of wild Ostrea edulis populations in the northern Adriatic", while doctoral student Ratko Cvitanić presented a poster titled “Natural populations of Ostrea edulis in the Northern Adriatic: patterns of distribution, biomass, and conservation challenges”

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POPOYster Team Explores Nature-Based Solutions

November 20, 2025

The POPOYster project team gathered in Split on 20 of November 2025. The project’s new member, Dr. Ivana Prusina Conde, delivered a lecture on Nature-Based Solutions—approaches that work with, rather than against, nature. Since the talk was closely linked to the activities of the POPOYster project, the focus was on oysters, but she also shared other fascinating projects. This topic is particularly important today. As human interventions in nature are more frequent than ever, we recognize that such activities are sometimes unavoidable.

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POPOYSTER at the European Researchers’ Night

in Communication

September 30, 2025

During the European Researchers’ Night, we presented the POPOYSTER project. Visitors had the opportunity to learn why oysters are important for a healthy ecosystem. Children discovered the different species that can live on oyster reefs and even tried building their own miniature reefs, adding various marine organisms to them. This activity proved to be very engaging for children, who showed great curiosity and asked many questions. Around 10,000 people visited the event in Split, and many of them surely went home knowing a bit more about oysters and their vital role in marine ecosystems.

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From Field to Lab – Sample Analysis in Progress

Following the spring fieldwork, all collected samples have now been processed in the lab. Expert associate Niko Bujas performed microscopic analysis of all the samples, while PhD student Luka Žuvić completed the preparation for molecular analysis. The samples will soon be sent for sequencing, providing us with the necessary data to begin drafting a new scientific paper.

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POPOyster at the I Love the Sea Festival

in Communication

In collaboration with the Tourist Board of Split-Dalmatia County and the I Explore project, the I Love the Sea children’s festival was held across four coastal towns: Sutivan on the island of Brač, Omiš, Stobreč, and Grohote on the island of Šolta. At each event, we presented the POPOyster project and educated children about the differences between the native European flat oyster and the invasive Pacific oyster.

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In Search of Oyster Larvae - Field Sampling Completed

This spring served as a prime season for oyster larvae sampling. As part of the POPOyster project and in collaboration with the RIBAR project, we carried out four field research campaigns along the western coast of Istria. Sampling was conducted at 20 stations, where we collected plankton samples for microscopic and molecular analysis, as well as CTD profiles, to gain a detailed understanding of oyster larvae distribution during the peak of the spring spawning season.

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Popular Science Lecture Held in Collaboration with City Library

in Communication

In collaboration with City Library Marko Marulić, and as part of the I Explore project, the project leader held a popular science lecture titled “Did you know that oysters are not just a delicacy, but also a vital part of a healthy marine ecosystem?”. During the lecture, she presented the POPOyster project through its completed and planned activities, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives for the preservation of oysters in the Adriatic Sea and their crucial role in maintaining marine environmental health.

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ROV research conducted along the western coast of Istria

October 15, 2024

We conducted ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) research at selected stations along the western coast of Istria, a region where the native oyster (Ostrea edulis) was once highly abundant. While the footage still needs to be thoroughly analyzed, preliminary findings are, unfortunately, not as promising as we had hoped. The results of this short survey, combined with data on oyster abundance in this area over the past 15 years, are being prepared for a scientific publication.

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PhD student defended seminar at the Doctoral Study of Oceanology

October 5, 2024

PhD student Ratko Cvitanić successfully defended his seminar as part of the Doctoral Study of Oceanology at the University of Zagreb. His doctoral research will be conducted within the framework of the POPOYSTER project. Congratulations to Ratko on this milestone and best of luck in his future research!

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POPOPOYSTER on European Researchers' Night in Split

in Communication

September 29, 2024

During the European Researchers’ Night in Split, the POPOYSTER project was showcased to the public. Interested visitors had the opportunity to learn more about the importance of the native oyster, Ostrea edulis, and to explore the morphological differences between the native species and the introduced Crassostrea gigas.

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Workshop at Kostrena Primary School

in Communication

September 12, 2024

A workshop was held at Kostrena Primary School for sixth-grade students. During the session, we introduced the students to various marine ecosystems, highlighting the organisms within them and their roles. The workshop also emphasized the importance of biodiversity conservation and the restoration of damaged habitats, aiming to raise awareness among the younger generation about protecting our marine environment.

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POPOYSTER goals and progress presented to Eurofish representatives

in Dissemination

September 10, 2024

The Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IOF) recently hosted representatives from Eurofish, an international non-profit organization that supports the development of fisheries and aquaculture in Europe. During the visit, IOF scientists presented our current projects and shared the results of our work. This meeting also served as an opportunity to strengthen future cooperation. Additionally, the visit will be the basis for a short article in Eurofish Magazine, with the next issue focusing on Croatia.

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POPOYSTER and NORA - Native Oyster Restoration Alliance

in Dissemination

The POPOYSTER Project is now listed as an initiative on the Native Oyster Restoration Alliance (NORA) webpage. NORA focuses on the protection and ecological restoration of the native European oyster (Ostrea edulis) and its habitat within its current or historical range. This listing reflects POPOYSTER’s involvement in the ongoing efforts to restore native oyster populations in European waters.

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Research on European flat oyster distribution

Last week, we went on a short expedition for the POPOyster project to study the distribution of European flat oyster along the western coast of Istria, extending over 12 NM offshore. We analyzed the distribution and abundance of Ostrea edulis at over 30 sites. In addition to oysters, we examined other species in the area. We were lucky to have good weather for two out of the three days, although the first day had us thinking we might all need seasickness pills!

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Lab work in progress

Sample collection for monitoring the reproductive cycle of oysters is progressing according to schedule. Monthly samples are collected as planned, processed in the laboratory, and analyzed. New samples will be in the lab soon. This data, along with information on reproductive biology gathered in previous years, will offer valuable insights into the reproductive biology of this species in the Adriatic Sea.

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POPOYSTER presentation on CLIMAREST consortioum meeting

in Dissemination

The PI of the POPOyster project, Daria Ezgeta Balić, recently took part in a consortium meeting for the CLIMAREST project held at Ifremer in Brest from April 15th to 17th. During this event, she had the chance to interact with many researchers that work towards a common goal: restoring habitats that have faced degradation over the years. European oyster reefs are among the habitats in focus. This occasion provided a wonderful platform to introduce the POPOyster project and engage in discussions with experts from Brest known for their extensive experience in oyster reef restoration.

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POPOYSTER on the Adriatic Mariculture conference

in Dissemination

At the Adriatic Mariculture conference, doctoral student Ratko Cvitanić, who will be conducting his doctoral research as part of the POPOyster project, presented the study results that formed the basis for the project. He also presented the aim of POPOyster project. The conference was organized by the University of Zadar in Zadar on April 8, 2024.

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Kick-off meeting

The POPOyster kick-off meeting took place on March 28th. During the meeting, all project activities were presented, and a plan for the first year was outlined. Several new ideas were also introduced. The meeting was conducted in a cheerful atmosphere, as depicted in the photos, and we anticipate that the implementation will proceed with the same positivity and enthusiasm.

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Previous research on oysters

January 3, 2024

Some team members have previously collaborated on the project COCOA - “Competition between native Ostrea edulis and invasive Crassostrea gigas oysters in the Adriatic Sea – effects on the ecosystem, fisheries, and aquaculture, funded by the Unity through Knowledge Fund and the World Bank. Within the COCOA project, the focus was on the interactions between the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and the native species Ostrea edulis. The project involved extensive field and laboratory work, resulting in published papers on the distribution, abundance, and aspects of genetics, reproduction, and feeding ecology of these oysters.

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3...2...1...Hey! Ho! Let's Go

December 31, 2023

Today marks the official start of the POPOyster project. This collaborative initiative unites scientists from five institutions across Europe, all dedicated to investigating the natural populations of European flat oysters. Their combined efforts seek to deepen their understanding of these populations, with the ultimate aim of protecting and developing effective management plans for the conservation of their habitats, which are gradually vanishing across Europe.

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