The EurOCEAN Conference took place on 10-11 October 2023 as an in-person event at the Auditorio y Palacio de Congresos Mar de Vigo, Vigo, Galicia, Spain, as a forum for the marine and maritime research community and wider stakeholders to interface with European and Member State policymakers and strategic planners. The aim of the EurOCEAN 2023 science-policy conference was to highlight the synergies between the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030, other EU research and innovation, and management initiatives, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. EurOCEAN 2023 attracted marine policy makers, marine scientists, science stakeholders and communicators, maritime industry representatives and European and national decision makers and programme managers, i.e. those that set, manage and implement the marine science agenda.
On Wednesday 11 October, the Vigo Declaration was presented and signed by our Chair Henning Wehde among the EurOCEAN2023 co-organisers. The Vigo Declaration “Speaking with One Voice to achieve the One Ocean we want” calls for:
- Integrated land-sea policies and management
- Sustained and better coordinated Ocean observation
- Increased citizen engagement
