ICES General Secretary receives Baltic Sea Fund Award (14/05/2012)

The Åland Foundation for the Future of the Baltic Sea, (the Baltic Sea Fund), held its annual award ceremony this past weekend, at which it honoured the work of ICES General Secretary Anne Christine Brusendorff for her active years as the head of HELCOM Secretariat. In this position she successfully planned and supported the implementation of increased protection efforts for the unique Baltic Sea marine environment.

The Åland Foundation for the Future of the Baltic Sea, a private and independent foundation recognizes individuals and organisations that have highlighted the important environmental issues that affect the Baltic Sea.

Brusendorff has been instrumental in preparing the Baltic Sea Action Plan, an ambitious programme that will work towards restoring the good ecological status of the Baltic marine environment by 2021. The award ceremony took place on Saturday, 12th  May, in Alandica Culture & Congress Centre in Mariehamn.
Read more.

Introducing the ICES data portal (EcoSystemData) (11/05/12)

ICES has released an improved version of EcoSystemData. EcoSystemData is the online catalogue of ICES datasets. Intended for use by both the ICES community and the wider public.

EcoSystemData displays an overview of the data by taxonomic categories, parameter, and new in this version, areas (OSPAR regions, HELCOM sub-basins, and ICES Areas). Through the summary tables, a link to a map is provided that enables the user to display and explore the datasets with geographical support. The map now has three view types: density/value grid, station/haul, and pie chart. The user can download the data as a plain text file or shapefile to load directly onto their geographical software. The Historical Plankton (years 1902-1912) dataset has also been added to this new version.

EcoSystemData 3.0 can be accessed here.

Call for ASC 2013 theme session proposals (11/05/12)

Theme session proposals for the Annual Science Conference (ASC) 2013 to be held in Reykjavik, Iceland, can be submitted using this online form.

Theme session proposers are encouraged to demonstrate that their objectives address the science priorities of the organization, as expressed in the ICES Science Plan. It is also useful for proposers to link their proposals to one of the five ICES Science Committee Steering Groups (SSGs) or to the ICES Advisory Committee. Please use this example to formulate your Theme Session proposal.

The deadline for submitting theme session proposals for the ASC 2013 is Friday, 7 September 2012. Theme session proposals emanating from meetings or consultations held during the 2012 ASC will also be considered provided the proposals are submitted by the end of Wednesday, 19 September 2012.
Unsuccessful proposals submitted in 2011 will not be considered, unless they are resubmitted using the online form for theme session proposals.

ICES cosponsors theme sessions at the PICES 2012 Annual Conference (02/05/2012)

ICES will be cosponsoring three theme sessions at the PICES 2012 Annual Conference in Hiroshima, Japan, 12–21 October.

This year’s conference is titled Effects of natural and anthropogenic stressors in the North Pacific ecosystems: Scientific challenges and possible solutions. Contributions from the ICES Science community are encouraged to the following cosponsored sessions:

Jellyfish in marine ecosystems and their interactions with fish and fisheries

Changing ocean biogeochemistry and its ecosystem impacts

Challenges in understanding Northern Hemisphere ocean climate variability and change

To submit an abstract or get more information click here.

Register for this year's ASC now (26/04/2012)

The registration to the 2012 Annual Science Conference has now opened. This year the registration fees have been increased to include a daily meal package. Please read more and register here.

Early career scientists conference taking place in Spain (26/04/2012)

Oceans of Change, the 2nd ICES/PICES Early Career Scientist Conference is currently taking place in Majorca, Spain. 130 early career scientists have gathered to discuss the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems , to analyze human impacts on coastal, offshore, and deepwater environments, and to examine new technologies and strategies to address the prospect of a changing ocean.

To watch some highlights from the first few days please follow this link.
Photos from the first few days can be viewed here.

All material is provided courtesy of Natalia Martín A., Communication and Scientific Culture IMEDEA CSIC-UIB.

Registration deadline approaching for ICES training courses 2012 (23/04/2012)

ICES Training Programme is looking forward to another successful year in 2012.
There are still places left on courses but the registration deadline is approaching soon.

New courses offered this year include:

Introduction to Bayesian Inference in Fishery Science, 11-15 June 2012
Registration deadline 27 April 2012, Instructors: Ray Hilborn and Samu Mäntyniemi

Communicating Science and Advice, 18-19 June 2012
Registration deadline 27 April 2012, Instructors:  Martin Pastoors and Kristian Teleki

How to Lead an Effective Technical Meeting, 20 June 2012
Registration deadline 27 April 2012 Instructor: Jim Berkson

For a complete list of training courses in 2012 please visit the ICES Training Programme webpage.

PhD summer school in Kiel – Equity and Efficiency in Fisheries (30/03/2012)

The summer school take place 2–5 September 2012 and welcomes PhD students of economics, ecology or related fields studying questions of efficiency, inter- and intra-generational distributive effects of managing natural resources, in particular fisheries. Distinguished scholars will give lectures and PhD students will be given the possibility to present and discuss their research. More information here.

Background, Aims and Scope
Traditionally, fisheries science and resource economics have been concerned with studying the consequences of overfishing and possible solutions, where overfishing means inefficiently high catches and inefficiently low stock sizes of fish. More recently, also the distributive effects of overfishing (for example, exploitation of West African waters by European and Chinese fleets) and fisheries regulation (for example by means of individual transferable quotas, ITQs) have gained significant public and scientific interest.

The summer school is jointly organized by: Future Ocean, the Department of Economics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, and the Centre for Fisheries & Aquaculture Management & Economics FAME, University of Southern Denmark.

NIWA seeks Scientist – Fisheries Acoustics– Wellington, NZ (28/03/2012)

NIWA is a leading provider of fisheries research and consultancy services for the Ministry of Fisheries and other interests in New Zealand and overseas. The position will involve the design, construction and calibration of acoustic survey equipment, development of methods for data processing and analysis, carrying out fisheries resource surveys at sea, research on target identification and measurement of fish target strength. Read more.

Marine Strategy 2012 Call for Presentations (15/03/2012)

The conference “Research and Ecosystem-Based Management Strategies in Support of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive”, takes place 14–16 May 2012 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Deadline for submission of abstracts is 30 March 2012. Read more.

ASC 2012 (15/03/2012)

Information about hotel accommodation in Bergen during the Annual Science Conference is now available.

IGB Seeks Post Doc in Fisheries Science in Berlin (07/03/2012)

The Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) is the principal German research centre for aquatic ecology and inland fish and fisheries research. The Young Investigator Group Besatzfisch (Stocked Fish Project)  invite applications for a 1.5 year scientist position (starting date June, 1, 2012). Read More.

Wakefield Symposium in Anchorage, Alaska 26­–29 March 2013 (07/03/2012)

The upcoming Wakefield Symposium in Anchorage, Alaska, is focused on
Arctic fisheries in a changing climate.

ICES report on Descriptor 3 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive now online (28/02/2012)

This report describes the process ICES has undertaken to provide information to support EU Member States in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Descriptor 3 - commercially exploited fish and shellfish. The report also describes the potential role of ‘ecosystem’ indicators collected under the fisheries Data Collection Framework (DCF) to support assessments of other MSFD Descriptors.

John William Ramster 1937–2011 (21/02/2012)

John Ramster, who served the ICES Journal of Marine Science as editor for more than 25 years and was a well-known ICES scientist, passed away recently. Read a tribute here.

Call for abstracts - 2012 Larval Fish Conference (21/02/2012)

Registration and abstract submission is now open for the 36th Annual Larval Fish Conference, taking place from 2 - 6 July 2012, in Bergen, Norway. Deadline for abstract submission is April 13th.

Vacancy: Executive Secretary at the Pelagic Regional Advisory Council (20/02/2012)

The Pelagic Regional Advisory Council (PRAC)seeks a new Executive Secretary. The PRAC is a foundation under Dutch law and its office is situated in Rijswijk, the Netherlands. The total staff consists of the executive secretary and an assistant secretary. Read more.

ICES General Secretary named Baltic Sea Fund Award winner (13/02/2012)

General Secretary Anne Christine Brusendorff was named as one of three award winners today by the Baltic Sea fund. Brusendorff is being recognized for her active years as the head of HELCOM Secretariat where she successfully planned and implemented increased protection efforts for the unique Baltic Sea marine environment. Brusendorff has been instrumental in preparing the Baltic Sea Action Plan, an ambitious programme to restore the good ecological status of the Baltic marine environment by 2021.
The prize-winners were announced Monday 13 February by Åland County Governor Peter Lindbäck.
The award ceremony will take place on Saturday, the 12th of May, in Alandica Culture & Congress Centre in Mariehamn.

Could you be the next Director of SAHFOS? (10/02/2012)

The Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS) invites applications for the appointment of a Director to lead the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey and other activities of the Foundation. Read more.

Fisheries/Ecosystem Modeller or Fisheries Analyst – Wellington, New Zealand (08/02/2012)
NIWA, a leading environmental research institute and key provider of atmospheric, freshwater and marine research and consultancy services in New Zealand, seeks a Fisheries/Ecosystem Modeller or Fisheries Analyst. Read More.

ICES Annual Science Conference (31/01/2012)

The online system for submission of abstracts for the 2012 ICES Annual Science Conference (ASC) has now opened. The deadline is Friday 20 April.

Changing captains (27/01/2012)

ICES President Michael Sinclair, ICES Delegates, ambassadors from ICES member states, and Secretariat staff, past and present, gathered for a special reception held at ICES Secretariat today, 27 January.
Guests came to bid farewell to outgoing General Secretary Gerd Hubold, who comes to the end of his six year term at the end of January,  and to welcome incoming General Secretary Anne Christine Brusendorff, who takes up her new post on 1 February.

Speeches from Michael Sinclair, Adi Kellerman, Head of Science, Hans Lassen, former Head of Advice, Paul Connolly, ACOM ICES First Vice-President, and Rolf Åkesson, Swedish Delegate, recollected Hubold’s contribution to the organization over the past six years. Hubold welcomed his successor, wishing Brusendorff and ICES good fortune for the future.

CIESM launches new online forum (23/01/2011)

The Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM) has launched an online forum within the MARCOM+ project.
It opens dialogue on the following two issues in fisheries and blue biotechnology:
• Blue Biotech: help research, stop bio piracy;
• The future of fishing is not a joke – could it be a video game?

Read more: http://www.ciesmseaforum.org

Tenure track positions available at SoMAS (10/01/2012)

Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) invites applications for three tenure track positions, one in Atmospheric Sciences, one in Physical Oceanography, and one in Fisheries Ecology, to begin as early as Fall 2012. Read More.

Professor Mário Ruivo Prize Seas and Us - Links between Ocean and Daily Life Activities Movie Contest (10/11/11)

Are there any budding student movie-makers out there? If so, you should check out the movie making contest that EurOcean are running right now. 

Make a Movie, do a documentary, interview people or simply tell a story, the OCEAN is the limit! If you want to come on board of this great adventure sign yourself up and your friends in the Mário Ruivo Prize Movie Contest.

The “Professor Mário Ruivo Prize” will award an original Movie, made by students on the theme: Seas and Us - Links between Ocean and Daily Life Activities. For that, you and your friends must be students between the ages of 12 and 21 who have produced a Movie using this theme. Please follow the link below on how to proceed.

EurOcean, in its role of promoting marine science and technologies in Europe, launches this prize which aims to raise public awareness on the relevance of the Oceans for society.

The Prize is named after "Professor Mário Ruivo" as a tribute to the first President of EurOcean and as recognition of his work as a pioneer in the field of marine sciences and research at the national, European, and international level.

Application Criteria
When applying to the Movie Contest please be sure you understand and agree with Rules and Regulations of the Prize:

For Entry Forms and Submission Information please access this site.

ICES Annual Science Conference 2012 (21/10/11)

The 2012 ICES Annual Science Conference website has now opened www.ices.dk/asc2012 .  Information about the 2012 Theme sessions will be posted here in November.

A royal visit (17/10/11)

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden visited ICES Secretariat on Monday 17 October. Click here to read more and see more pictures.

6th World Fisheries Congress – Edinburgh, Scotland, 7–11 May 2012 (30/09/2011)

The World Council of Fisheries Societies aims to promote international cooperation in fisheries science, conservation and management by encouraging and promoting sustainable management practices, excellence in fisheries research and the wise use of fishery resources. One important way in which the Council seeks to achieve these ends is through the organization of a major World Fisheries Congress every 4 years. For 2012, the 6th Congress moves to Europe, where it will be held in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland, hosted by the Fisheries Society of the British Isles. Read more here.

International Marine Phytoplankton Taxonomy Workshop (13/09/2011)

The Marine Biological Association (MBA) and The Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS) are jointly running the 2nd International Marine Phytoplankton Taxonomy Workshop.  The course will be held from 2 – 13 July 2012 in the city of Plymouth, UK.
The workshop is aimed at all those working in the marine phytoplankton field and participants will be expected to have a basic knowledge of microalgae.  This will be an interactive workshop which will cover classification & taxonomy of the major marine microalgal groups.  In addition, there will be a substantial practical element which will encompass a range of Methodologies & Techniques including: Sampling, Settling & Slide Preparation, Cell Counting, Isolation, Microscopy & Culturing. For more information, visit: www.mba.ac.uk/phytoplankton-workshop

Introducing the new ICES Spatial Facility (01/09/2011)

To support area based science and marine spatial planning, ICES in cooperation with STZ Geoinformatik has implemented the ICES Spatial Facility web system. The system is both for the ICES community, and the wider public. The ICES Spatial Facility enables ICES Expert Groups and others to upload and share their spatial data products and metadata descriptions. The front page of the system allows quick access to the most commonly used reference layers, such as the ‘ICES Statistical Areas’ and ‘ICES Statistical Rectangles’. The system includes services such as web map services (WMS), web feature services (WFS) and catalogue web services (CWS) allowing easy access to spatial resources and metadata from client applications.

The ICES platform is built on the open source structures GeoServer and GeoNetwork and uses standards generally adopted by the user community and also in line with the INSPIRE Directive (2007/2/EC),  for the sharing of spatial datasets and metadata.

The facility includes upload functionality, search capabilities as well as an online viewer for the spatial datasets. The ICES Spatial Facility can be accessed here.

Call for PhD Project Positions in the Future Ocean (01/08/2011)