Primary school students in Monaco have used baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) for the first time as part of their participation in the principality's marine education area – or aire marine éducative (AME) – programme.
Located between Port Hercule's floating breakwater and the Musée océanographique de Monaco, the AME is approximately 680 metres long, extending 200-250 metres offshore. It is managed by the Association monégasque pour la protection de la nature (AMPN).
Established in 2018-2019 as a living laboratory for exploring habitats, ecosystems and biological diversity, the AME allows schoolchildren to collaborate in managing a coastal marine area, including by using innovative scientific tools, such as BRUVS.
A pioneering technology used to film, count and analyse populations of fish and other marine species, BRUVS have been deployed since 2023 in Monaco's Larvotto marine protected area (MPA).
The BRUVS Monaco project is a collaboration between AMPN, Community Jameel, the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, Blue Abacus and THALASSA Marine Research and Environmental Awareness.
A report on the BRUVS Monaco survey, published earlier this year, highlights a thriving, seasonally dynamic ecosystem in the Larvotto MPA, underscoring the reserve's crucial role in safeguarding marine biodiversity.
In 2025, a group of year 7 students from École Saint-Charles gained hands-on experience with the BRUVS technology, rigorously applying scientific protocols and immersing the BRUVS at the Rainier III sea-wall.
After retrieving the cameras, the students analysed the recorded footage, identifying marine species and formulating hypotheses to explain variations observed between deployment sites.
This direct engagement with advanced research tools provided a practical learning opportunity for the students, simulating real-world ocean missions.
This year's AME programme culminated on 24 June 2025 with the 'Conférence pour enfants unis pour l’océan' (Conference for children united for the ocean), where participating students discussed vital marine conservation and ocean science topics in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.