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From 27 June to 1 July, the United Nations Ocean Conference runs in Lisbon. This major ocean conference hopes to boost the development of science and innovative solutions to global ocean threats. The Flemish marine research community also participates and is represented by VLIZ.

Ostend (2022.03.02) – During the VLIZ Marine Science Day (2 March 2022), hundreds of early-career marine researchers were presented with an ambitious vision of the future. With the increasing importance of the sea for our society - for example in the context of the Blue Economy - excellent marine research is more important than ever. Minister Crevits is calling for our growing knowledge to be converted even more into responsible and sustainable use of the sea and is counting on everyone's efforts to that end.

Within the framework of an economic mission of Flemish minister-president Jan Jambon in Northern Spain, VLIZ has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Basque marine research and technology centre AZTI.

In its 10^th edition of the Flemish Aquaculture Symposium, the Flemish Aquaculture Platform (VAP) takes a look at the sustainability of the sector. The event will physically take place on the Bluebridge site in the Ostend Science Park on 29 October. Participation is free of charge, but registration is necessary.

On 1 December, the European Marine Board will host its eighth EMB Open Forum. The theme of this edition is "Supporting the Ocean Decade in Europe" and the aim of the forum is to facilitate discussion among stakeholders in the European Ocean Decade, including the scientific community and policy makers. The event can be attended both on-site at BluePoint Brussels and online.

On 6 September 2021, the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Ocean and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius, visited Ostend to learn more about a number of local initiatives within the sustainable blue economy in Belgium. Accompanied by Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy, Agriculture and Fisheries Hilde Crevits, the EU Commissioner stopped at the Ostend Marine Station and visited the citizen science initiative CoastSnap.

The increasing presence of marine litter in the seas and ocean is one of the major societal challenges of our time. Public organisations, policy makers and the business community are all looking for solutions to tackle this urgent problem. Still, incentives for behavioral change and a smart policy remain the most effective measures to prevent litter from entering the environment. Preventing plastic reaching the ocean by intercepting it from inland waterways, or cleaning up plastic litter accumulated in the ocean can also be part of the solution. In a new policy informing brief VLIZ compares different types of plastic catchers. How do they work and how do they differ from each other? Which type works best in which situation? Where are the gaps in knowledge and development? In short: what opportunities do they offer for a plastic free ocean?

The United Nations Blue Climate Initiative has secured 1 million USD for innovative ideas within the context of marine climate mitigation. Entries can be submitted until midnight on 15 September.