Innovations, Youth and the Blue Economy in the Spotlight of a Three-Day Event in Zadar
07/05/2026
From May 4 to 6, Zadar hosted a series of activities within the BLUESLINKS – New Skills for the Blue Economy project, focused on innovation, sustainable development, and capacity building in the blue economy, fisheries, and fishing tourism.
The programme opened with an Innovation Day, where small and medium-sized enterprises from Zadar County operating in fisheries and fishing tourism presented their work, sharing examples of good practice and innovative approaches to sustainable coastal development. A project partners’ meeting was also held, reviewing results achieved so far and defining next steps as the project approaches its final phase.
The second and third day were dedicated to the BLUEWAY Hackathon, where pupils and students developed innovative solutions within three themes: resilient coastal communities, digital blue economy experiences, and green and low-impact tourism. Working in teams with mentors and teachers, participants addressed key challenges faced by coastal areas and explored sustainable development opportunities.
After two days of work, teams presented their ideas to an expert jury composed of representatives from the University of Zadar, development agencies, and partner institutions from Croatia and Italy.
The winning team, Local Catch (Mia Debeljak, Alessandro Fiore, Nicola Giovanelli, Sara Maffeo, and Emma Pinto), worked on the Digital Blue Experience theme. Their concept proposes an app connecting local fishermen with tourists through authentic fishing tours, promoting coastal identity and traditional fishing practices while enhancing visitor experience.
We congratulate the winning team and all participants for their creativity, effort, and engagement. The experience gained is expected to support their future personal and professional development.
The final part of the programme featured presentations by secondary school students from Croatia and Italy on topics related to the blue economy.
The BLUESLINKS project continues with its activities, and the next event will be the Info Day on Fisheries and Fishing Tourism, taking place on May 15 in Lecce, Italy.
