Ulysses Sea is the project area that focuses on collecting data about how marine litter gets to and behaves along the Bay of Biscay coast and in the open sea. By means of a fleet of sensing devices: a sensing boat (RANGER), a modular one with GPS (TRAVELLER), one without a sensor (WOODEN), and ocean and shore WAVY devices from the Multi-Sensor Extra Light Oceanography Apparatus (MELOA) project, together with campaign plans and field sampling, scientific data will be collected that are required to establish a marine litter control and elimination strategy for our seas and rivers.

The sea starts in rivers. Accordingly, controlling the appearance of plastic and litter along the coast also means taking action on rivers. Ulysses Rivers focuses on understanding the physical processes involved in the carrying and the accumulation/spreading of waste in Basque rivers. It studies the contribution of Basque Country river litter and how it is carried to coastal areas and the open sea. Video metric systems developed by AZTI and Rivage ProTech-Suez are used to monitor river litter. These systems, fitted with close-up IR cameras and using algorithms, continually record videos to quantify floating debris and assess the efficiency of upstream prevention and mitigation measures.

Educating children about marine sustainability raises their awareness and stimulates respect for the oceans, thereby sowing values and lasting habits. It encourages practices like waste reduction and recycling, thus ensuring a healthier future for the seas. Moreover, it empowers children to become agents of change in environmental conservation. One of the goals of the Ulysses School project is to teach students about the crucial role science plays in solving social and environmental problems to drive more efficient, sustainable and egalitarian societies. To this end, it uses teaching units based on Ulysses DFS data, scientific content focusing on sustainability and ocean education. The Ulysses School programme is aligned with the Spanish government’s official education regulation (LOMLOE) and is highly curricular specific.

The circular economy is vital to marine sustainability, promoting as it does the reduction, reuse and recycling of materials, thus minimising ocean litter and relieving the pressure on marine ecosystems. Implementing it in coastal communities and industrial activity protects marine biodiversity, boosts innovation, creates green jobs and contributes to a sustainable economy. The Ulysses project spurs the implementation of this practice through its scientific activity, reusing and recycling plastic found in the sea to construct a new fleet for the project, as well as through specific education programmes in schools and by means of raising awareness among social and economic agents through talks, seminars and activities.