The Federal Public Service Economy, SMEs, Self-Employed and Energy has submitted an application for an authorization for the construction and a permit for the operation of offshore windfarms and parc cabling in the Belgian part of the North Sea. This application is subject to an environmental impact assessment procedure.
The application, the environmental impact statement and the non-technical summary can be consulted from 12 December 2023 to 11 January 2024 at the offices of MUMM (Management Unit of the Mathematical Model of the North Sea) in Brussels (Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussels; mdevolder@naturalsciences.be; tel 02 627 43 52) or Ostend (3de en 23ste Linieregimentsplein, 8400 Ostend; jhaelters@naturalsciences.be; tel. 02 788 77 22), by appointment only and during office hours between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. The application can also be consulted at every coastal community, during office hours. The list of locations and contact persons of coastal communities is available by simple request to MUMM.
The documents can also be consulted electronically:
On October 29, a male orca was spotted off the coast of Coxyde, the first confirmed case of this species in Belgium in the 21st century. A few hours later, the severely weakened animal washed up in De Panne, where it died almost immediately. The autopsy took place on the beach on October 30. To what extent the weakening and death of the orca should be associated with old age or health problems remained unclear. The origin of the animal is also not yet known.
Image: Institute of Natural Sciences/Jan Haelters
In the morning of Sunday, October 29, a large but unidentified sea animal was spotted on the border of Nieuwpoort and Oostduinkerke. A little later, Laurent Raty noticed the large sword-shaped dorsal fin of a marine mammal off the coast of Coxyde. It was immediately clear that it could only fit a male orca (also called killer whale). The animal moved slowly southwest along the coast and news spread quickly.
Image: Filip De Ruwe
When, an hour later, it appeared that the orca had meanwhile barely moved on to off Saint-Idesbald, and was lingering there, hundreds of spectators rushed to the shore hoping to catch a glimpse of the animal. This did not prove difficult, as the flat sea made the orca visible from afar. However, the animal also sometimes approached to within just a few dozen metres of the tide line.
Image: Vincent Legrand
Inevitable stranding
Lots of ‘oohs and ahhs’, but the apearance of this orca in the southern North Sea, its slow swimming and dangerously close approach to the shoreline were bad signs. The euphoria quickly turned when it became clear that the animal would wash up with the rising tide. An ultimate attempt by the lifeboat Brandaris (Ship Support, Nieuwpoort) to encourage the orca to choose open sea had no effect.
Image: Institute of Natural Sciences/Kelle Moreau
At a quarter past two in the afternoon, the orca washed ashore in De Panne, just across the border with Saint-Idesbald. Once the tide had gone out, the very skinny animal died almost immediately. Apart from its weakened condition, the loss of the supporting power of the water also plays a role. On dry land, the pressure of its own weight on organs, blood circulation and respiration quickly becomes too great.
Image: Institute of Natural Sciences/Kelle Moreau
Autopsy
Because of the size of the animal – 6.13 m long – and the desire to keep the body as intact as possible for the autopsy, and also to preserve the skeleton, it was decided to organise the investigation into the medical background and cause of death of the orca on site.
The autopsy was performed on Monday morning, 30 October, by staff from the faculties of veterinary medicine at Ghent University and Université de Liège and the Institute of Natural Sciences. The general public could follow the event, which took about three hours, from a distance. All body parts and organs were inspected externally and internally, and various tissue samples were collected for further microbiological (diseases) and ecotoxicological (chemical contamination) studies.
Image: Institute of Natural Sciences/Kelle Moreau
Cause of death?
Analysis of the digestive system showed that the stomach and intestines were completely empty, meaning that the animal had not managed to obtain food for some time. The thin layer of subcutaneous fat and severely worn teeth also seem to be related to this. These findings are consistent with the externally observed emaciation and weakening of the animal.
Inspection of the other organs revealed signs of infection of the lymphatic system, and minor bleedings in the intestinal wall. The severity and role of these in the weakening and death of the orca are being further investigated microbiologically. The other organs showed no visible signs of infection or obvious pathology. No suspicious amount of internal or external parasites was found either.
The extent to which the orca’s weakening and eventual stranding and death should be linked to advanced age (and natural death), underlying health problems, or a combination of both, is thus not yet fully established.
Image: Institute of Natural Sciences/Kelle Moreau
Orcas in Belgium
There are hardly any well-documented cases of orcas in Belgium from past centuries. Four reports are known from the 20th century, and for an older stranding we need to move back in time to 1850. More recent cases (including some reported in 2022) could not be sufficiently documented to be retained as certain. The animal of 29 October 2023 thus concerns the first confirmed orca in Belgium in the 21st century. In the meantime, it became known that he was also filmed at sea on Thursday, October 26, along the northern French coast between Wimereux and Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Although an orca also washed ashore in Cadzand (The Netherlands) in October 2022, an orca was found in the French river Seine in May of the same year (neither of which survived), and other rare and unexpected marine mammals turned up in the southern North Sea in recent years, we should be cautious in interpreting these figures because of the low numbers. The same goes for pointing out causes for the appearance of these species in areas where they do not normally occur.
Origin
The origin of the Belgian orca also remains unknown for now. The orca is a cosmopolitan species, meaning it can be found all over the world, but usually lives in populations that are more or less resident within well-defined areas (which can be quite large). The southern North Sea has no local population; the closest orcas live in Scotland, Norway and the southern part of the Bay of Biscay (N Spain).
Orca populations are invariably well monitored by local scientists, and individuals are usually known and documented in photo databases. Individual recognition is thereby often possible based on markings, fin shape and any damage and scars. The orca from the Belgian coast is currently being compared with photos from these databases. So far, no similarities were found with orcas from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain – Portugal), Madeira, Scotland and Ireland. A possible origin from populations of Norway, Iceland and the Azores is still being investigated further.
Thank you
An explicit word of thanks goes to the local police and fire brigade, the city services of De Panne, the rescue services, the civil protection, the staff of Ghent University and the Université de Liège, the colleagues from the Institute of Natural Sciences and the FPS Public Health, Safety of the Food Chain and Environment, and to the numerous volunteers and other stakeholders who played a role in monitoring and documenting the orca, managing the beaching, the public and the autopsy.
The municipality of De Panne gave the unfortunate orca the name ‘Reveil’, after the initiative that aims to take Flemish mourning culture into the 21st century and of which De Panne may call itself ‘consolation capital’ in 2023. On the eve of the orca’s stranding, 10,000 candles were placed on De Panne’s beach in this context.
25 June 2023, 17h00 – It would be untrue to claim that preparations for an expedition at sea begin on the day participants embark. In reality, the preparations have been going on for a very long time, from thinking out the concept, writing the project proposal, preparing and submitting the application to use the chosen ship, to the concrete practical preparation of the expedition.
That last step is a titanic task, especially for an expedition with a large international character like the DEHEAT expedition. After all, materials had to be sent from various European locations to Zeebrugge and Reykjavik, everything had to be given a logical place on board, and a whole range of sampling equipment and laboratories also had to be prepared and set up so that they could be fired up into action immediately after the start of the actual expedition. In fact, a number of scientists already came on board in Galway for this purpose, to make the necessary preparations during transit from Ireland to Iceland.
But today the big day has finally arrived: all the scientists who will take part in the DEHEAT Iceland expedition are now casting their first glance at the RV Belgica, discovering the ship on which they will spend 17 nights and spend the intervening days giving their best.
There are 22 of them, coming from universities and institutes from Belgium, the UK, Germany, Denmark and Sweden, but representing many more different nationalities. Some have worked together before during previous collaborations, but there are also many new faces.
No superfluous luxury to compile a photo overview with names, which immediately also makes it clear to the RV Belgica’s regular crew who is who. The overview is hung in the mess, just about the only place on board where everyone passes a few times every day. That way, everyone should see it regularly and be able to quickly connect names to the many faces!
Setting sail is not scheduled until tomorrow morning, but the first evening on board is immediately filled with great meaning. First of all, there is the necessary safety briefing by chiefmate Sam, during which everyone is informed on the various safety procedures and the expected conduct on board. We also all had to squeeze ourselves into a rescue suit, which at times produced hilarious scenes.
Next: the scientific order of the day. Chief scientist Sebastiaan summarises the set-up of the DEHEAT project, focusing of course on the crucial role of the RV Belgica expedition. Also the course and activities of the first sampling day are reviewed in detail.
Not only the deck, but also the RV Belgica’s labs will be fully staffed during this expedition. Proper organisation is indispensable to ensure everyone can work efficiently. Laboratory manager Astrid therefore takes the floor to explain the procedures and make proper arrangements.
A new European Marine Board (EMB) report outlines the main gaps in our knowledge that could prevent the offshore renewable energy sector from developing in a sustainable, equitable and responsible manner.
The new EMB Future Science Brief No. 9 ‘European offshore renewable energy: Towards a sustainable future’ has been launched on April 4th, 2023. The need to decrease carbon emissions urgently and dramatically is high on scientific, political, and societal agendas. Extraction of energy from offshore renewable energy sources is seen as a key measure to achieving this decrease in carbon emission.
To achieve the EU Green Deal vision, the installed offshore renewable energy generating capability in European must increase 30-fold compared to current installed capacity. However, in the rush to develop and install new offshore renewable energy devices across the European sea basins, their potential environmental and societal impacts cannot be ignored. The EMB Future Science Brief highlights which steps need to be taken to ensure that the expansion of this sector is managed sustainably, responsibly and equitably.
The document presents the technical, environmental, and socioeconomic state of the art of the offshore renewable sector, with a focus on European development. It presents the key knowledge, research, and capacity gaps that must be addressed to ensure sustainable delivery of the EU Green Deal and closes with key policy, research, capacity, and data recommendations to take the sector forward.
If you would like to receive hard copies of this publication, please contact info@marineboard.eu and confirm the number of copies and your postal address.
The European Marine Board (EMB) is a leading European think tank in marine science policy. EMB is a network with a membership comprising over 10,000 marine scientists from the major national marine/oceanographic institutes, research funding agencies and national networks of universities from countries across Europe. The Board provides a platform for its member organizations to develop common priorities, to advance marine research, and to bridge the gap between science and policy to meet future marine science challenges and opportunities. The Belgian Federal State is represented in the EMB by the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) and in the EMB Communications Panel by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS).
The RBINS expertise on monitoring the environmental impact of offshore wind farms is frequently cited in the new EMB Future Science Brief ‘European offshore renewable energy: Towards a sustainable future’.
10:00 – 10:30 “Towards autonomous monitoring of fish diversity in the North Sea” – Prof. Sofie Derycke (ILVO Marine, Marine Genomics Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food & Dpt. Of Biology, Ghent University, Belgium)
10:30 – 11:10 Coffee break
11:10 – 11:40 “Invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) for biomonitoring and pathogen surveillance” – Dr. Jan Gogarten (Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald and the Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Germany)
11:40 – 12:10 “Monitoring terrestrial mammals via aquatic eDNA in savannah systems” – Dr. Tamara Schenekar (University of Graz, Austria)
12:10 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 14:30 “The power of eDNA-based methods for fish and amphibian communities in freshwater environments” – Prof. Rein Brys (Research Institute for Nature and Forest & Terrestrial Ecology Unit, University of Ghent, Belgium)
14:30 – 15:00 “Improving whole biodiversity monitoring with eDNA metagenomics” – Prof. Hugo Gante (Royal Museum for Central Africa & KULeuven, Belgium)
More than three quarters of all waste in the Belgian North Sea consists of macroplastics (larger particles of plastic waste), and this is a major source of pollution, especially in the coastal zone. Plastic fibers, mostly from dolly rope (plastic fibers attached to trawling nets), can be found everywhere, even at a distance from the coast. Smaller plastic particles or microplastics of >50 µm (one-twentieth of a mm) also appear to turn up much more frequently along the coastal strip and in ports than further out to sea. This has all been shown by a systematic monitoring study in the Belgian North Sea. Through the MarinePlastics research project, scientists now have the necessary input to set up a macro- and microplastics monitoring plan for the Belgian part of the North Sea, a European obligation.
In the fishing grounds where Belgian fishermen are active, the researchers have also examined commercial fish species and crustaceans for microplastics. There, the numbers are very low to absent. On the basis of this study, the researchers are already calling the fish and crustaceans from Belgian fisheries a safe food source as far as microplastic pollution is concerned.
The Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), within the research project MarinePlastics, have mapped out how much and what types of plastic occur in Belgian fishing grounds. This involved both larger pieces of waste (macroplastics larger than 5 mm) and small to minuscule plastic particles (microplastics smaller than 5 mm). This research was not optional, but rather an obligation from Europe, which has been demanding since 2012 that every member state collect figures on macroplastics on the seabed. As of 2020, data must also be collected on microplastics in the sediment and in the water. The MarinePlastics project also examined the extent to which microplastics are present in the commercial fish and crustaceans from our fishing areas (North Sea, English Channel, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea). The researchers made a distinction between the plastic particles in the fish stomach (which people do not consume) and the fish fillet (which we do eat).
Belgian Fish Safe to Eat
The results of this research are reassuring: it was found that microplastics >50 µm (this is one-twentieth of a mm; contamination with nanoplastics, i.e. even smaller particles, was not investigated in this project) do not accumulate in commercial fish and crustaceans sampled in fishing areas where Belgian fishermen are active. In almost all fish and crustacean samples (both edible and non-edible parts), the numbers of microplastics were so low that the concentration could not be precisely determined. In only 5 out of 42 fish fillets, 2-6 microplastic particles per 100 g of fish fillet were found, which is not alarming. Thus, the public may be informed that fish and crustaceans from Belgian fisheries are currently a safe food source in terms of microplastic contamination.
Still, concentrations of microplastics in the seabed and in seawater can sometimes be quite high, albeit variable. In this study, the concentration of microplastics in coastal sediments (near Zeebrugge) was about nine times higher than further out to sea. In seawater, the difference was even more spectacular: water from the port of Zeebrugge and near the coast contained 48 and 10 times more microplastics, respectively, compared to more seaward locations. Currently, there is no monitoring program that follows the evolution of this type of pollution in Belgium. In order to meet the European obligations, a national monitoring program for microplastics must therefore be set up. To this end, the researchers also recommend that the transport of microplastics in the marine environment, possible hotspots and the link with the spread of macro-waste be further investigated (or commissioned).
Karien De Cauwer, KBIN researcher: “This study gives us a good picture of the degree of microplastic pollution near the coast and further out to sea. Based on a good detection methodology, the evolution can be followed up according to European standards. This will allow to evaluate if measures and actions taken are effective. With more knowledge about locations where microplastics might accumulate, more targeted measurements can be taken.”
Plastic Fibers from the Fisheries
Large pieces of waste – macroplastics – make up 77 to 88% of all marine waste in terms of numbers. One item is apparently present everywhere: plastic fibers. The very light monofilaments of dolly rope – the mat of loose threads that are supposed to protect the belly of a trawling net from damage – is the main plastic item that is spread evenly across our part of the North Sea, even further offshore. Heavier plastics (such as crates, bottles and containers) are mainly found near the coast. Important detail: in the Dutch part of the North Sea, there is more pollution from plastic fibers than in the Belgian part. The researchers ask the policy and sector to make it a top priority to find and implement a good biodegradable alternative to plastic dolly rope. Obviously, this not only concerns the Belgian fishing industry, but initiatives should be taken at the scale of the entire North Sea or even Europe.
While there may be a link between plastic pollution and fishing, there is no unequivocal causal relationship with fishing intensity. In other words, most litter is not necessarily found in places with most intensive fishing. Nor was a direct link found with sand mining or offshore wind farms. A hotspot of waste was identified at one dredging site, near the port of Zeebrugge. However, it remains unclear whether this is due to the dumping itself, or due to currents or other driving forces. A detailed study of marine litter hotspots is therefore needed, examining the impact of different sources and modeling the transport processes of litter.
Bavo De Witte, ILVO researcher: “In our turbulent North Sea, it is not surprising that sea currents can exert a strong influence on plastic pollution. Through modeling, it should be possible to learn even more about the origin of different waste types.”
The full reports can be downloaded via the following links:
The MarinePlastics research project was funded by the European Fund for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and the Funding Instrument for the Flemish Fisheries.
The cultivation of mussels in Belgian offshore wind farms is both biologically and technically feasible, according to research carried out by our scientists and their partners within the Edulis project. The economic feasibility depends on solving technical challenges.
After two years of experimentation and research, scientists and private companies present the results of the research project ‘Edulis: offshore mussel culture in wind farms‘, which looked at the possibilities for mussel farming in offshore wind farms 30 to 50 km off the Belgian coast. Edulis is a collaboration between Ghent University, the Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), RBINS/OD Nature and 5 private partners (Belwind, Brevisco, C-Power, Colruyt Group and DEME Group). The ambitious pilot project is largely financed by private funding and facilitated by Flemish and European funding.
Quality Mussels
The project has demonstrated that it is both biologically and technically possible to cultivate mussels in the Belgian offshore wind farms, which means that these can serve more than one purpose at a time. The experiments resulted in a tasty quality mussel that is well stocked and meets all food safety requirements. The yield is equivalent to that of hanging mussels from the Netherlands and Ireland, and the mussels grow faster than mussels from bottom cultivation (mussels ready for market in 15 months instead of 24 months).
Technical Challenges
The big challenge is designing installations that can withstand the sometimes extreme North Sea environment. Investing in robust, easy to maintain and safe systems, including vessels, is a must, according to the researchers, although this will push up overall production costs. In addition, it turned out that the sizing and organisation of the wind farms is not optimal for food production, which is logical as they were not designed for that purpose. The distance from the coast also poses a challenge to technical, practical and economic feasibility. When designing future wind farms, this should be taken into account in order to be able to combine both activities.
Economic Feasibility
“Edulis has given us a clear picture of the costs and benefits of mussel farming in the North Sea” says Margriet Drouillon, Senior Business Developer Aquaculture and Blue Life Sciences at Ghent University. “If we really want mussel farming on a commercial scale, we will have to put a lot of effort into developing knowledge about the economic feasibility of mussel farming in the wind farms. We will also explore other paths for multiple use of space at sea, with due attention to sustainable production”.
Three Additional Challenges for Aquaculture in the North Sea
Ghent University and the Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) launched the ‘North Sea Aquaculture’ project in 2017, with Edulis and Value@Sea as subsidiary projects. They joined forces with their partners RBINS/OD Nature, Belwind, Brevisco, C-Power, Colruyt Group, DEME Group, Lobster Fish, and Sioen Industries. North Sea Aquaculture tackled three challenges:
Innovative shellfish and seaweed farming techniques;
Efficient use of space in the Belgian North Sea;
The development of a market for new regional marine products.
The Leatherback turtle typically inhabits open and warm seas, where they mainly feed on jellyfish. They don’t easily show up In coastal areas (unless to lay eggs, but that is excluded on our beaches). Jan Haelters of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences provides interpretation: “Leatherback turtles are very rare in the Belgian part of the North Sea: until now, only three strandings (1988, 1998 and 2000) and three sightings (2018 and 2 in 2019) were recorded. Although the list only counts seven specimens, an increase is noticeable in recent years.”
Remarkably, some Leatherback turtles were also seen in the Netherlands recently: one roamed the Eastern Scheldt from 22 to 24 September, while one swam along the North Sea coast of Scheveningen on 7 and 11 October. Comparison of the shape and size of the scars on the heads of the two animals, and of the ‘ribs’ on their back shields, shows that in Belgium and the Eastern Scheldt different individuals were involved. The Eastern Scheldt animal was washed ashore dead on 3 November near the Danish Ballum (article tvs).
On 15 August, striking orange spots and strings were observed in the Belgian part of the North Sea near the Buitenratel sandbank, that were reported to the Coast Guard as a possible pollution. After inspection by various services, it became clear that this was an unseen bloom of the single-celled plankton species ‘Sea Sparkle’. The warm and calm weather of the past few days is probably an important explanatory factor. The rotting mass could possibly lead to oxygen deficiency and fish mortality. It is also possible that the remains will be washed ashore on Belgian beaches during the next week.
In the morning of Saturday 15 August, the Belgian Coastguard Centre (MRCC – Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre) received a report of a striking orange patch at sea, containing some dead birds. A sailor had noticed this at the ‘Buitenratel’ sandbank, one of the sandbanks in the ‘Vlaamse Banken’ complex. This sandbank is situated about 16 to 20 km from the shore of the Belgian West Coast, near the border with the French waters. The striking report raised eyebrows at the Coast Guard, because the reported colour did not match the typical colours of mineral oil, and because the dead birds may have hinted to a chemical product. However, an extensive natural algal bloom was also a possibility.
Control on Land, at Sea and in the Air
Following the report, the Shipping Police sent a patrol vessel to the Buitenratel. They found the reported patch and took some samples. Dead birds were no longer spotted. A rescue helicopter from the Coxyde air base also flew over the area, and the surveillance aircraft of the RBINS (MUMM, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences) was called upon to scan the wider sea areas off the Belgian coast for any further pollution. Both aircraft made images of the orangeish, kilometre-long patches and streaks.
All the sailing and flying units involved came to the same conclusion: the patch probably indicated a large natural bloom, albeit on a very large scale. The sample taken by the Shipping Police was taken to the RBINS biological laboratories in Ostend where it could soon be confirmed that it was indeed a Noctiluca bloom.
The dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans or Sea Sparkle is a relatively large single-celled micro-algae (0.5 – 1 mm, so visible to the naked eye) that occurs in most seas of the world and belongs to the plankton. It looks like a gelatinous pellet with a tail (flagel), which catches food. In high concentrations – called blooms – Noctiluca forms highly visible orange-red spots that can occur in spring and summer. In case of turbulence, Sea Sparkle produces a bluish light that creates fairytale effects in the dark (‘lighting up’ of the sea). This bioluminescence is caused by luciferin, a pigment, and luciferase, an enzyme, when they come into contact with oxygen.
The high concentrations of Sea Sparkle that have now been observed are probably due to the very warm and calm weather of the past few days. The sampled Noctiluca was also already partly rotting, a process that consumes oxygen. Although it is essentially a harmless organism, mass extinction and rotting can locally lead to oxygen deficiency. At higher temperatures, less oxygen dissolves in water anyway, and the absence of strong winds and waves means that there was also little mixing that brought extra oxygen into the water. The resulting low oxygen tension due to the various phenomena can lead to the death of fish and other aquatic organisms, although under normal circumstances this is very unlikely in open sea conditions.
Modelling simulations by the RBINS, taking into account currents, meteorological conditions and the physical properties of the floating Noctiluca spots, illustrate that the remains of these spots could potentially wash ashore on Belgian beaches in the course of the next week.
In recent decades there has been a relative increase in the dinoflagellate community in the Belgian part of the North Sea. This increase could be related to the warming of the sea water (+ 1.6 ° C over the last thirty years). Noctiluca scintillans may also show an upward trend. In addition, blooms from other single-celled plankton organisms can also be expected, including some potentially dangerous species.
Marine science is rapidly entering the digital age. Expansions in the scope and scale of ocean observations, as well as automated sampling and ‘smart sensors’, are leading to a continuous flood of data. This leads marine science to enter the world of big data, where we are faced with large volumes of high variety data collected at high velocity. Big data offer the potential to transform the way we study and understand the ocean through more complex and transdisciplinary analyses and offers novel approaches for the management of human use of marine resources. However, more data do not necessarily mean we have the right data to answer many critical scientific questions and to make well-informed, data-driven management decisions. To increase the value of marine big data, it must be openly shared, interoperable, and available for complex analyses that can be based on artificial intelligence.
Future Science Brief on ‘Big Data in Marine Science’
The European Marine Board’s (EMB) 6th Future Science Brief on ‘Big Data in Marine Science’ presents recent advances, challenges and opportunities for big data to support marine science and covers topics including climate and marine biogeochemistry, habitat mapping for marine conservation, marine biological observations, and food provision from seas and the ocean. The document was launched on 28 April 2020 during a dedicated webinar, with over 400 participants, and is the outcome of the work of the EMB Working Group on Big Data, which kicked-off in May 2019. The Future Science Brief and infographic summaries are available on the EMB website and video recordings of the presentations are available on the EMB YouTube channel.
Recommendations
During the webinar Sheila Heymans, EMB Executive Director, presented an overview of the document and the key recommendations needed to fully bring marine science into the world of big data. These include open data sharing; data interoperability; availability of cloud computing infrastructures; continued development of ‘smart’ sensors to enhance data collection; specialized training programmes for marine scientists to adopt artificial intelligence in their work; and increased collaborations between marine scientists, computer scientists, data scientists and data managers.
Detailed examples
The webinar included four TED-style talks from selected co-authors of the document. Jerry Tjiputra (NORCE Norwegian Research Centre) illustrated how big data can improve climate modelling and forecasting that feeds into global climate negotiations and helps to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. Federica Foglini (Institute of Marine Science – Italian National Research Council) presented how big data can be used to create high resolution, multidisciplinary habitat maps for planning a new marine protected area in the Bari Canyon in Italy. Matthias Obst (University of Gothenburg) demonstrated how machines are drastically changing the way we observe biological processes in the ocean, and Ketil Malde (University of Bergen and Institute of Marine Research) presented on advances in machine learning and the data driven future of marine science.
EMB Forum on Big Data in Marine Science
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 7th Forum has been postponed to Friday 23 October 2020. The focus of the Forum will be Big Data in Marine Science, given its essential role during the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainability. You are invited to engage in the conversation and contribute ideas to feed into the Forum via the EMB LinkedIn page and Twitter (using #EMBForum). The registration for the 7th Forum will open soon on the EMB website.
For more information please contact: Dr. Britt Alexander, Science Officer, European Marine Board Email: balexander@marineboard.eu
The European Marine Board (EMB) is a leading European think tank in marine science policy. EMB is a network with a membership comprising over 10,000 marine scientists and technical staff from the major national marine/oceanographic institutes, research funding agencies and national networks of universities from countries across Europe. The Board provides a platform for its member organizations to develop common priorities, to advance marine research, and to bridge the gap between science and policy to meet future marine science challenges and opportunities. The Belgian Federal State is represented in the EMB by the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) and in the EMB Communications Panel by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS). The long-term storage, scientific processing and publication of Belgian marine big datasets at RBINS is taken care of by the Belgian Marine Data Centre (BMDC). Both RBINS datasets and datasets of partners and projects are eligible.
The European Marine Board’s (EMB) 6th 