FISHOMES

FISHOMES are eco-friendly habitats placed in shallow waters to shelter species and promote algae growth that enhance biodiversity regeneration. These structures offer safe habitats, foster species repopulation and carbon capture that constitute hands-on student-led Blue literacy in support of Mission Ocean and SHORE goals aligned with the EU Green Deal and Green Comp competence frameworks. FISHOMES empowers youth as future stewards through open-schooling methodologies and experiential learning across 3 Italian schools that promotes community-embedded learning, where students collaborate with conservationists, local officials, and families to build a sense of protection for marine habitats. Key partnerships are forged with other schools, museums, public entities, and the MPA San Bartolo to preserve both land and marine environments to support biodiversity monitoring and environmental education, including annual sea turtle nesting observations, that serve as citizen-science opportunities. In Pesaro, a historically-rich fishing village, activities engage fishermen, marine biologists and researchers, Blue Economy actors, and local authorities—ensuring that traditional knowledge and modern science inform restoration practices. This approach strengthens civic stewardship, turning marine literacy into lasting community action.

FISHOMES supports a place-based model that unites environmental science, civic action, and cross-cultural learning. Students move beyond theory, engaging directly in conservation solutions by applying classroom knowledge to design artificial habitats, engage in monitoring structures for data collection, and involve the Pesaro community as active collaborators. Thus, FISHOMES positions educators, scientists, and local mentors as co-learners and co-creators of Joint workshops, data sharing, and cultural exchanges that help young people understand the interconnected nature of aquatic systems, and transform the classroom into a living lab for collaboration on real-world marine challenges. Twinning fosters transnational cooperation and combining experiential science, civic responsibility, and inclusive mentorship, FISHOMES creates a replicable model of student-led stewardship that contributes meaningfully to the Mission Ocean goals, transforming students into Agents of Change.