Research
Rigorous, field-first marine science — SCUBA surveys, eDNA sampling and aerial monitoring that produce high-resolution, actionable data on marine ecosystems.
Marine Conservation NGO · France & Malta · Est. 2024
We are already
diving.
Heal the Blu is a field-based Micro Research Hub healing the Ocean through accessible, collaborative science — carried out directly in the water.
Who we are
Heal the Blu is a field-based, independent NGO operating as a Micro Research Hub. Created by a team of marine biologists, our work spans marine monitoring, restoration and applied conservation science — all carried out directly in the field.
We could have easily waited for the perfect set-up to start. Instead we are already diving, sampling and building a new kind of science: accessible, collaborative, and grounded in the real world.
Our Mission
Awareness
Translating the sea into stories. We raise public understanding of ocean health and make conservation science legible to the communities who live alongside it.
Community
Everyone plays their card. We work hand-in-hand with dive communities, academic partners and citizen scientists across the region.
Projects Catalogue
Five field projects,
one shared horizon.
Each carries a specific question we thought to be important and underlooked. Together they map the health of our targeted sites.
Fig. 1 · Flabellina sp.
Nudibank — Monitoring
Mapping nudibranchs for ocean health
We map the spatial and temporal distribution of Mediterranean nudibranchs, combining precision SCUBA surveys with structured citizen-science campaigns. By tracking these sensitive invertebrates, NudiBank validates them as bioindicators of ocean health — particularly temperature shifts and acidification.
Open the NudiBank dossier →
Blur — eDNA
Seeing beyond the blur
Environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal the Mediterranean's overlooked “phantom” and cryptic species — detecting elusive or locally extinct life that traditional surveys miss.
Dossier coming soon
Trace — Turtles
Non-invasive tagging of hatchlings
Innovative, non-invasive eDNA methods to monitor loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting events — improving accuracy while engaging local communities in turtle conservation.
Dossier coming soon
Altitude — Drones
Aerial localization & tracking of dolphins
ALTITUDE uses systematic aerial drone surveys to investigate how aquaculture farms, vessel traffic, sea-surface temperature and chlorophyll-a levels influence bottlenose dolphin distribution in Maltese waters.
Dossier coming soon
Invasive — Monitoring
Tracking alien species across the archipelago
The Invasive Alien Species Monitoring Project is a research study consisting of a range of survey methods for the systematic monitoring of selected alien species. Developed in 2023, it is led by Emily Bell (Ritual Dive, Xlendi, Gozo) and Professor Julian Evans (Marine Ecology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida).
As of 2026, teams from Discover the Blu and Ecowise in Malta have received training in the standardised methodology, expanding the monitoring area and building a more complete understanding of alien populations around the Maltese Archipelago.
To date, there has been very limited effort at frequent, regular monitoring of established alien species maintained over the longer term. This project bridges that gap — providing data to support policy decisions, prioritise which alien species need urgent attention, and guide resource allocation.
Dossier coming soonThe Micro Research Hub
A new kind of science — small, agile, in the water.
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Field-first
Every dataset begins with an idea, a dive and a will.
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Accessible
We open our methods and our findings, lowering the barrier for the next generation of marine scientists.
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Collaborative
Built with dive communities and academic partners, so the science holds in the real world.
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Grounded
Actionable insight for climate adaptation, conservation strategy and marine spatial planning.
By the numbers
Small hub. Wide reach.
130+Dives logged
60+Boat surveys
2Regions — Mediterranean & Atlantic
1Ocean worth healing
From the field
The sea, on film.
More films landing soon — visit the media library for the full library as it grows.
In good company
SOA
Sotto Zero
Podcast
Podcast
UNOC
Youth4Ocean
University
of Malta
of Malta
Ritual Diving
Ecowise
Discover
the Blu
the Blu
MCAST
OurOcean
ISTS
Send us the partner logos and we'll set them in place of the names.
Get involved
Three ways into the water.
Donate
Fund the dives, the samples and the analysis. Every contribution keeps a field season alive.
Partner
Academic labs, dive centres and institutions — collaborate on data, fieldwork and publications.
Partner with us →Dive with us
Join a citizen-science campaign. Trained divers help us record nudibranchs and sample the sea.
Submit a sighting →Answers
Frequently
asked.
What is Heal the Blu?
Heal the Blu is a field-based, independent marine conservation NGO operating as a Micro Research Hub. Created by a team of marine biologists, we carry out marine monitoring, restoration and applied conservation science directly in the field across the Mediterranean.
Where are you based?
We are a registered NGO in France, conducting research in Malta — the heart of the Central Mediterranean — as well as the Atlantic coast of France.
What is a “Micro Research Hub”?
A small, agile, field-first research model. Rather than waiting for a perfect institutional set-up, we begin diving, sampling and building science immediately in order to increase chances of project scale-ups.
How can I help?
Donate to fund field research, partner with us as an academic or institutional collaborator, or join a citizen-science diving campaign. See the Get Involved section above.