Abstract: Artificial Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) are transforming how scientists observe and assess marine biodiversity. By providing a standardised approach to sampling organisms colonising the seafloor, ARMS offer valuable insights into marine communities, including species that often remain overlooked by conventional monitoring methods. However, analysing the large volumes of complex imagery generated by these structures remains a significant scientific and technical challenge.

Bringing together marine biodiversity experts and artificial intelligence researchers, this webinar will explore how AI and deep learning are opening new possibilities for ARMS-based biodiversity monitoring. Building on the experience of the European ARMS-MBON network, the webinar will showcase advances achieved within the EU-funded Horizon Europe AXOLOTL project, including the development of harmonised, AI-ready image datasets, expert-driven taxonomic annotations, and computer vision approaches supporting the automated detection, segmentation and identification of marine organisms.

Through contributions from researchers at the University of Gothenburg, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), the University of South Brittany and the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), participants will discover how interdisciplinary collaboration between marine biology and AI can help overcome current limitations in biodiversity image analysis and pave the way for more efficient, consistent and scalable monitoring across European seas.

The webinar will also highlight an important milestone for marine biodiversity research in the Eastern Mediterranean: the first deployment and retrieval of ARMS in Cyprus, carried out within AXOLOTL in 2026. Initial observations from this pioneering initiative will provide an opportunity to discuss how established monitoring methodologies and emerging AI technologies can jointly advance our understanding and conservation of marine ecosystems. 

The topic will be presented by Assoc. Prof. Matthias Obst, (University of Gothenburg), Dr. Hanneloor Heynderickx (Flanders Marine Institute), Mr. Joshua Owen Mangotang (University of South Brittany), and Dr. Demetris Demetriou (Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute). 

The webinar will be held online via Teams on 26 November 2026 at 10:00 CET and is free to all upon registration. 

To secure your place, kindly complete the registration form below. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email with a calendar invitation and the Microsoft Teams link to join the session. Please ensure your email address is entered correctly so that you receive all relevant information. 

If you require any assistance or have specific needs, feel free to contact us at: RESU@cmmi.blue.  

Thank you for your interest and collaboration. We look forward to welcoming you to the webinar!