Calendar

The ICES Annual Science Conference 2026 will bring together the global marine science community to share cutting-edge research and shape the future of ocean knowledge and management. Taking place 15–18 September 2026 in Brest, France, it is one of the leading scientific events in marine research.

The BLUE4ALL Travelling Photo Exhibition, What Does Marine Protection Mean to Me?, will be on display at the Isola dei Cavoli Lighthouse, Sardinia, Italy.

In this unique coastal setting, visitors will be invited to explore 30 photographs that reflect diverse personal connections to marine protection. Featuring four winning images and 26 runner-up photographs, the exhibition captures unique perspectives on the ocean, its challenges, and the many ways people across Europe relate to and value marine environments.

Set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea, the exhibition offers an inspiring opportunity to experience stories of marine protection in a place closely connected to the sea.

𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗣𝗔 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀? 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗣𝗔 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗛𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻! Discover how the MPA Solutions Hub can support your work, then try it out for yourself.
On the platform, you'll be able to explore tools for MPA planning, stakeholder engagement, ecosystem service valuation, financing, governance and management. 
We also want to hear from you: What works? What’s missing? What would make the Hub more useful for people working with MPAs? 🤔
Your feedback will help shape the next stage of the platform.
 

Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/3a239a6d-1cc0-4818-a8c0-e66d37fe7c35@4de94cef-db57-42ff-aab2-4b4652fcbae1?source=copyLinkLegacyShareLinkDialog

The BLUE4ALL Travelling Photo Exhibition, What Does Marine Protection Mean to Me?, is now on display outdoors at the Matsalu National Park Visitor Centre in Estonia through early autumn.

Set within one of Europe’s most remarkable nature parks, the exhibition brings together art, storytelling, and the natural landscape to explore personal connections to marine protection. It features four winning images and 26 inspiring runner-up photographs, each capturing a unique moment, issue, or relationship with the ocean.

Visitors are invited to experience powerful stories of the sea through the eyes of ocean lovers from across Europe.

The Blue4all final event will take place in Bruges, Belgium, on 16 November 2026, from 13:30 to 17:30 CET.

The event is organised together with the EU Blue Parks Community as its 7th Community Workshop, under the title From science to practice: co-creating effective MPAs to meet the EU marine protection targets.

The workshop will focus on the practical application of project results, tools, and lessons for Marine Protected Area (MPA) managers. It will include presentations of outcomes from Blue4all, the MPA Solutions Hub, and related tools and methods from other EU-funded projects and Mission Actions.

The event will be held back-to-back with the 7th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity.

Registration will open later in summer 2026.

The World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2026 will bring together the global marine biodiversity community to assess progress, share knowledge, and shape the future of ocean conservation. Taking place 17–20 November 2026 in Bruges, Belgium, the conference marks a key moment to align science, policy, and action midway through the UN Ocean Decade.