Morska oaza Piran

A pioneering project is underway in the Piran Bay below the sea level to restore and preserve the marine ecosystem. The Piran Marine Oasis, created by the YouSea Institute for the Conservation of Marine Biodiversity, is the first underwater structure of its kind in Slovenia. It is a living, evolving habitat designed to restore damaged seabeds and promote sustainable food production and a sustainable relationship with the sea.
The Adriatic and Mediterranean are among the richest marine ecosystems on the planet, but unfortunately also among the most degraded due to centuries of human influence. This is especially true of the northern Adriatic, where the combined effects of pollution, overfishing and coastal development have severely affected fragile marine ecosystems. This is precisely why it is imperative to invest in the restoration and preservation of the sea here.
What once began as a visionary idea has now become a successful underwater ecosystem. The first structure, the Piran Marine Oasis, erected in 2024, has exceeded expectations in just a few months. Its surfaces quickly became overgrown and populated with marine organisms, oysters, sponges, tunicates, crustaceans and fish. In less than a year, it has transformed into a vibrant haven, proving that human innovation can help the sea regenerate itself.
Based on these positive results, the YouSea Institute has installed a second underwater structure, named Cladocora after the endangered Adriatic stony coral (Cladocora caespitosa). The new structure complements the first, increasing the surface area of ​​the solid bottom and creating new refuges for marine organisms.
Both structures now function as micro-oases, safe havens for marine organisms, natural filters that improve seawater quality, efficient CO₂ sinks due to shelled organisms, and models for the development of sustainable multitrophic mariculture in the northern Adriatic.