We must learn to both sustainably exploit & protect our vast oceans, provider of oxygen, food, hydrocarbons & other resources. A solution lies in sensing & interacting through an Internet of Things, with distributed networks of intelligent sensors & actuators. Unfortunately, we currently lack a marine Internet, crucial to achieve distributed, coordinated & adaptive control, due to the rapid absorption of light & radio waves in seawater.The SUNRISE objectives are to develop:5 federated underwater (UW) communication networks (CommsNet), based on pilot infrastructure already designed, built & deployed by consortium partners, in diverse environments, web-accessible & interfaced with existing FIRE facilities to experiment with Future Internet technologies.A software-defined open-architecture modem & protocol stack that will empower open collaborative developments.Standard platforms for simulation, emulation & replay testing to estimate CommsNet performance at a fraction of current at-sea experiments, validated by tests conducted on the SUNRISE networks over a variety of applications & environments.A user-friendly interface for diverse users to interact with SUNRISE systems to conduct trials & benefit from databases of CommsNet performance data gathered over long periods from the SUNRISE infrastructure.SUNRISE directly addresses FIRE objectives by combining technology with novel paradigms in new, open experimental facilities, integrating physical systems with software development in a new physical domain. SUNRISE will provide a way to select UW CommsNet standards based on objective measures of performance, strengthening as more sites are added in the future. The SUNRISE network will remain key for UW Internet development long after the project ends, with broad involvement of researchers, manufacturers & users ensuring that appropriate technologies are developed, selected & implemented in products that support sustainable maritime exploitation and management.