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RE-MAR II has the general objective of reducing marine litter through the collection, management and prevention of its generation with the collaboration of the fishing sector, using citizen science as a tool for environmental stewardship in the Marine Protected Area of the Rías Baixas.

Specific objectives of the project:
1) To increase citizen participation and, in particular, the participation of people with intellectual disabilities, in the conservation of the most vulnerable species and in the prevention and collection of waste, through a reorientation of awareness models.
2) To promote and consolidate a network of collaboration between the different local and regional environmental agents, and associations, companies, guilds and yacht clubs, for the prevention, reduction and management of waste.
3) Disseminate, make visible and promote the use of channels, tools and instruments that facilitate greater knowledge about marine litter, prevention, impacts, the most endangered species and protected areas.

Activity 1. Garbage collection actions at sea, on the coast and at the mouths of rivers aimed at guilds, companies in the fishing sector, yacht clubs and schools/institutes.
́ Activity 2. Consolidation of the collaboration network for the prevention, collection and disposal of waste.
Activity 3. Design and implementation of an awareness-raising model accessible to all citizens.
Activity 4. Transfer of results and good practices acquired in the project to Natura 2000 Network managers, park guides and Marine Research Centres.
Activity 5. Project management and coordination.
Activity 6. Diffusion.

Between January 2020 and December 2021, the AMICOS association, located in the Council of Boiro (A Coruña), mainly dedicated to the care and integration of people with disabilities, promoted the project RE-MAR II: ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP FOR THE REDUCTION OF WASTE IN THE MARINE PROTECTED AREA OF THE RÍAS BAIXAS, giving continuity to the RE-MAR project presented in the 2019 call of the Pleamar Programme. Its main objective is focused on reducing marine litter through the collection, management and prevention of its generation in collaboration with the fishing sector. This project was co-financed by the Biodiversity Foundation, through the Pleamar programme, and by the FEMP. This project is complementary to the LIFE INTEMARES project.

RE-MAR III was based on the use of citizen science as a tool for environmental stewardship in the area of influence of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia Maritime-Terrestrial National Park, an organization that has also participated as a fundamental collaborator within each activity of the project. The project assumed three main objectives:

1. To increase citizen participation, especially of people with intellectual disabilities, who acquired a preponderant role as environmental guides and drivers of the project after the training received.
2. To consolidate a network of collaboration between the agents involved in the scope of action of the project.
3. Communication and dissemination of the knowledge generated on marine litter, prevention, impacts and threatened species, among others, through dissemination tools implemented for this purpose.

The most notable results of RE-MAR II are:

• Eight waste collections were held, with the attendance of 157 volunteers and a total of 127.3 kg of waste collected.
• Holding of the following meetings:

1. 1 workshop and day of good practices held with the attendance of 40 professionals from the fishing sector.
2. 4 training days and 2 with “snack without plastics”. In total, 135 students and teachers were trained in waste prevention and conservation of vulnerable species and in the use of the REMAR app and 46 attendees were counted at the conference for environmental agents, accredited park guides, researchers and scientific disseminators on accessible environmental education.
3. 6 coordination meetings of the team assigned to the project.
4. 1 day of presentation of results.

• A collaborative network was created.
• 6 collaboration agreements were signed.
• A normal and adapted awareness guide was developed and 6 new functions were incorporated into the mobile application developed in the previous call, which added 89 more downloads.
• A project management and coordination system was created and 6 press releases were sent and more than 50 publications were published on social networks.