An artificial reef, the first underwater structure of its kind, is about to come to life in the Slovenian sea

An artificial reef is to be created on the seabed in a shellfish bed in the middle of Piran Bay by the end of the summer. The first artificial underwater structure of its kind in the country will also aim to provide food from the sea in a more sustainable way, including the cultivation of oyster and mussel fry.

Divers are also looking forward to the five-and-a-half-metre-long, three-and-a-half-wide and equally tall structure.

By the end of the summer, they plan to create an artificial reef in the Slovenian sea. The project will be carried out at the YouSea Institute, where they have managed to obtain all the necessary approvals for the installation. This is the first example of such an underwater structure in the country, although the scientific community has so far been reluctant to support them. But its creators say this project is different from others.

The Institute will try to demonstrate just how different the underwater world can be, and not only if we harm it, by erecting a five-and-a-half-metre-long, three-and-a-half-wide and just as tall structure on the seabed in a shellfish bed in the middle of the Bay of Piran. "This is a structure that will be primarily dedicated to multitrophic aquaculture or mariculture, because it is the sea. It is a project to source food from the sea in a more sustainable way," explained Irena Fonda from YouSea.

It will be used to sustainably grow juvenile mussels, especially oysters and mussels, which has also mollified conservationists who have embraced the artificial structure. "It contributes by cleaning up what we know is unnecessary in mariculture - food scraps, excrement...," said conservationist Robert Turk, who stressed that it is this combination that makes the situation different and more acceptable.

Divers are also looking forward to the first artificial reef in our seas, and will enjoy exploring the "laboratory in the sea". Diver Danijel Germek says they will be able to see what takes hold, and biologists will also be on hand to help with the naming process.

The project was presented a few days ago at the Blue School for the Piran Sea Oasis event, which involved more than 200 children from Carinthia, the Karst and Slovenian Istria. They created messages about the sea through drawings and other products. "Some of them were sad, because they were picking up plastic, for example, and then they made a piece of art to draw attention to the problems, not just the beautiful things," Fonda said of the colourful creations.