SOPHIE Strategic Research Agenda for ocean and human health

The health of the seas, ocean and people are inextricably linked. But this link is hardly ever researched or included in policy. This is mainly because the various sectors involved (marine science, medicine and pharmaceuticals, coastal tourism, food industry, education, citizens' initiatives, etc.) do not (yet) find each other there. The usual research and project funding is also not geared to these transdisciplinary collaborations. The SOPHIE (Seas, Oceans and Public Health in Europe) Strategic Research Agenda (published on 30 March 2020) provides a comprehensive overview of the research and capacity required to develop the link between ocean and human health in Europe.

Within the Horizon 2020 project SOPHIE, eight partners and multidisciplinary experts from across Europe - including researchers from the VLIZ - participated in this Strategic Research Agenda (SRA). It outlines the essential research priorities and partnerships needed to inform policy and local, regional and/or international practice on how to protect the relationship between the ocean and human health. Specifically, the SRA identifies three areas where specific actions should be taken, namely (1) sustainable fish and seafood for healthy people; (2) marine biodiversity, medicine and biotechnology; (3) 'Blue spaces', tourism and well-being.