The European Ocean Days 2026 in Brussels provided a pivotal opportunity for stakeholders across governance, science, and funding sectors to come together and discuss the future of Europe’s oceans and waters.

A key theme from the event was the interconnectedness of rivers, freshwater ecosystems, and seas – a concept at the heart of the European Ocean Pact, adopted by the European Commission in June 2025.

The European Ocean Pact lays out a comprehensive strategy to protect marine life, strengthen the blue economy, and support coastal communities. With six core priorities, it focuses on areas such as protecting ocean health, advancing research, and supporting coastal regions. One of its most promising aspects is the new source-to-sea approach, recognising that the health of our rivers directly impacts the health of our oceans. This approach is essential to SWIM’s mission, which aims to restore and protect migratory fish habitats across the Danube River Basin and the Northwestern Black Sea.

At European Ocean Days, SWIM highlighted its ongoing efforts to improve habitat connectivity for migratory fish, such as sturgeon and European eel, by restoring critical migration corridors and creating sanctuaries both in rivers and seas. These efforts align with the European Ocean Pact’s objectives to remove barriers to migration and promote ecosystem-based management, ensuring the survival of key species and the health of the aquatic ecosystem.

Additionally, SWIM announced the launch of the SWIM Alliance, a transnational community dedicated to protecting migratory fish and restoring river connectivity. The Aliance brings together experts in biology, hydrology, and climate science, as well as NGOs and public authorities, and aims to translate innovative ideas into real-world actions.

The importance of collaboration was a major takeaway from the event. The need for cross-border and cross-sector cooperation is paramount for achieving the environmental goals of both the European Ocean Pact and the SWIM project.

Through 13 activities across 7 pilot sites, SWIM is already taking concrete steps towards habitat restoration, strengthening river connectivity, and supporting the broader goals of the European Ocean Pact. Together, these actions reflect a growing momentum for protecting our oceans and freshwater ecosystems, demonstrating that policy ambitions can be turned into tangible ecological recovery.