On 21 October, during the Belgica campaign, the BELREEFS monitoring operation was underway.

The first monitoring cage, equipped with an acoustic release system and deployed in May 2026, was successfully recovered. However, recovering the second monitoring cage proved more challenging. Although divers managed to locate the cage, a technical issue with the diving equipment forced the team to abort the operation. As weather conditions deteriorated and a storm approached, the Belgica had to head back to port.

A reminder that offshore monitoring is never straightforward. Working at sea means dealing with unpredictable weather, technical challenges and operational constraints – all while putting safety first.

The second monitoring cage, deployed since July 2025, remains underwater. We will share the next chapter of this monitoring mission once it has been successfully recovered. Because restoring marine ecosystems also means going the extra mile to monitor their progress.