The Origins: 1908 - 1919
The foundations of the Commission were laid in July 1908, during the 9th International Congress of Geography in Geneva, where a pivotal proposal by Professor Vinciguerra (1) of Italy set the stage. He argued that marine fisheries would greatly benefit from the oceanographic exploration of the Mediterranean Sea. In response, a special committee was established, chaired by Prince Albert I of Monaco, and composed of notable scholars such as Professors Vinciguerra (Rome), Krümmel (Kiel), Cori (Trieste), Regnard (Paris), and Commander Navarete (Madrid). This esteemed group was tasked with establishing what would eventually become the Commission of the Mediterranean.
Interestingly, the creation of a Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Atlantic was also recommended during the same Congress. However, historical developments and unforeseen circumstances led to a different path, highlighting the unique journey and legacy of the Mediterranean-focused initiative.
(1) Prof. Vinciguerra became the main promoter of the concept which he presented to the 4th International Fishery Congress in Washington and published in 1909 as: Decio Vinciguerra (April 1909). Sur l'opportunité d'une exploration océanographique de la Méditerranée dans l'intérêt des pêches maritimes. Bulletin de l'Institut océanographique, Monaco, n° 138, 10 p.
On March 30, 1910, under the patronage of Prince Albert I, the foundational meeting of what would become CIESM took place in the newly inaugurated Oceanographic Museum in Monaco. The meeting, absent Dr. Cori, included the special committee plus eleven distinguished scientists who were also guests at the Museum’s opening. Discussions centred on a proposal by Professors Vinciguerra and Krümmel for a systematic exploration of the Mediterranean, focusing on regular collection of hydrological and biological data. After refinements, the proposal was adopted with a significant amendment from Prince Albert I, mandating future Commission representation at the governmental level to enhance the impact of scientific recommendations.
The initial meeting was set to be followed by another in Rome in 1911, but geopolitical tensions delayed it until February 1914. This first Plenary Assembly laid the groundwork for a Constitutive Assembly composed of States bordering the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. However, the onset of the Great War postponed further progress.
In November 1919, Madrid played host to a crucial moment in marine science history as CIESM convened its Constitutive Assembly, the second Plenary Assembly Meeting, following earlier sessions in Rome and Paris. The opening ceremony, held on the 17th of November, was distinguished by the presence of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and was chaired by Prince Albert I of Monaco, who also assumed the role of the Commission’s first President.
This historic conference brought together representatives from Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Tunisia — the seven founding Member States, with additional observers from Turkey. These discussions marked CIESM’s formal recognition as the second intergovernmental science organization globally, following the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
A significant photograph from the event captures the ‘founding fathers,’ all prominent male figures of the time, gathered around Prince Albert I, with Dr. Jules Richard seated beside him. Dr. Richard was appointed Secretary General of the Commission, a position he would hold for the next five years, signifying the start of a structured scientific endeavour across the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
Scientific exploration: 1920 - 1939
In the early 1920s, CIESM rapidly established five scientific committees to spearhead its mission: Marine Physics; Chemistry; Meteorology; General Biology; and Applied Biology (Fisheries). Initial recommendations to Member States included the creation and consolidation of marine stations, systematic exploration of the Mediterranean Straits, preparation of a bathymetric map, and biogeographical studies of useful marine species.
These directives led to the establishment of Marine Stations in Algiers and Castiglione in 1921, and Salammbô in 1924. Concurrently, oceanographic expeditions were undertaken by Italy and Spain, with vessels like the Tremili and Marsigli exploring the Bosphorus and Strait of Messina, and the Giralda studying the Strait of Gibraltar. French vessels La Perche and L’Orvet concentrated on the Gulf of Gabes.
Following the death of Prince Albert I, the Commission’s headquarters moved to the Oceanographic Institute in Paris in 1924. That year, Dr. Edouard Le Danois was elected Secretary General, serving until World War II. Italy assumed the presidency with Senator Prof. Vito Volterra, succeeded by Great Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel from 1929 to 1940.
Publication efforts intensified with the launch of “Rapports du Congrès” in 1926, replacing the “Bulletin de la Commission Internationale pour l’Exploration Scientifique de la mer Méditerranée.” From 1927 to 1934, under Prof. Louis Joubin’s supervision, the “Faune et Flore de la Méditerranée” series described hundreds of marine species, compiled by 40 leading taxonomists.
This period is also one of geographic consolidation, as the founding Members are joined by Romania (1925), the Kingdom of Serbs (1927), Turkey (1928) and by territories then under British, French or Spanish mandate: Cyprus, Palestine (1929), Syria, upper-Lebanon (1930), Spanish Protectorate of Morocco (1933). CIESM now covers most of the Mediterranean perimeter as well as a good part of the Black Sea coast.
CIESM Congresses traversed Europe with meetings in cities such as Athens, Paris, Madrid, Venice, Malaga, Naples, Bucharest, and repeatedly in Paris, fostering a tradition of scientific exchange across diverse locations. However, the impending turmoil of European history in 1939 thwarted plans for a Congress in Venice, marking a significant pause in CIESM’s activities.
A turning point: 1951 – 1990
Post-World War II, CIESM faced existential threats as the United Nations (UN) Council considered imposing a new regional order that favoured UN agencies operating alone in the Mediterranean Basin. However, the Mediterranean nations resisted, successfully asserting their desire to manage their regional interests. The resilience and coordinated efforts of their National Committees led to a revival of the Commission. In February 1951, after a hiatus of 14 years, the 12th CIESM Congress convened in Paris, marking the renaissance of the Commission.
Jean Furnestin, a respected figure in international circles, served as Secretary General from 1954 to 1966, a period marked by significant growth and revitalization. His leadership, combined with that of Prince Rainier III of Monaco, who was elected Commission President in 1956, facilitated the inclusion of newly independent nations like Egypt and Israel in 1962, followed by Algeria in 1963 and Tunisia in 1964.
Keen to defend the scientific mission and authority of the Commission over the whole region, Professor Furnestin insisted that newly created UN Agencies such as UNESCO/ IOC, IAEA and FAO/ CGPM should work in close harmony with, and not independently from, CIESM interests in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. This led to trustful and fruitful collaborations that still endure today… except in matters of fishery science where the CIESM Board never agreed to leave the fish out of its reputed biological oceanography sector.
Under the watchful eye of the Commission’s leadership, concerned by the growing threats to marine environments, new committees focusing on marine pollution and radioactivity were established. Notably, CIESM organized the International Symposium on Marine Pollutions caused by Microorganisms in Monaco in 1964.
The 1966 Congress in Bucharest was a landmark event, presenting a record 270 scientific communications. Jacques Yves Cousteau was elected Secretary General during this congress, serving until 1988. His tenure was characterized by a focus on scientific committees, expanding them to ten in number, covering a diverse range of marine sciences.
In 1967, amendments to the statutes allowed non-coastal states with significant contributions to Mediterranean research to join CIESM, which enabled Germany and Switzerland to become members in 1969 and 1970, respectively.
In 1988, Prof. François Doumenge, Director of the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, was elected as the new Secretary General, a role he held until 2007. His leadership saw the adhesion of Malta to CIESM in 1990, further expanding the Commission’s influence across the Mediterranean.
A better governance of our seas: 1991 – 2019
In 1991, under the leadership of Prince Rainier and Prof. Doumenge, CIESM initiated a strategic move to regain its pre-eminence in the international arena by creating the post of Director General to oversee, on a permanent basis, the international research and policy activities of CIESM. Prof. Frederic Briand, a French-born marine scientist trained at the University of California, former Head of Conservation Science at IUCN and, at the time, UNESCO’s Director for North Africa, was appointed to this pivotal role by the Board. This marked the beginning of a period of rapid scientific expansion and reforms.
In 1992, the President and the Director General attended the World Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where they advocated for enhanced UN protection of the High Sea, highlighting the unique vulnerabilities of the Mediterranean region. In the same year, CIESM is invited by the European Parliament to prepare an independent, in-depth assessment of Mediterranean marine pollution. The Commission expanded with the addition of three new Member States: Croatia, Slovenia, and Ukraine, followed by Lebanon in 1995.
Recognizing the need for deeper engagement with Member States on policy and budget, 1995 marked the beginning of significant governance reforms. An Advisory Committee consisting of eight National Representatives was established to align research priorities more closely with regional needs. This phase continued with the restructuration and fusion of CIESM eleven scientific Committees into six, a challenging task which is achieved, after much consultation, at the 1998 Congress in Dubrovnik. Additionally, it was decided that Committee Chairs would be elected by their peers through a secret ballot during Congresses, which have been shifted to a triennial schedule.
From 1995 onwards, the Director General spearheaded numerous major publications to boost the scientific impact and visibility of the Commission. These included the CIESM Science Series, CIESM Workshop Monographs, CIESM Science Policy Series, and illustrated Atlases on Exotic Species.
In September 2001, Prince Albert II of the Principality of Monaco was elected unanimously as President of CIESM. That same year, the first CIESM / Ifremer high-resolution multibeam map of the Mediterranean seabed was produced, unveiling complex geological structures with unprecedented clarity. Portugal joined CIESM in 2004, and the Commission resumed its oceanographic explorations in 2005, after an 80-year hiatus, with two multi-disciplinary cruises onboard research vessels graciously lend by Italy.
The 38th CIESM Congress, held in Istanbul in 2007, featured 850 scientific communications, three times the number presented in 1966.
Following budget consolidations, a new wave of reforms enabled the rapid launch of CIESM programs designed to monitor key environmental variables across the Basin. These initiatives involved 60 coastal institutes employing consistent CIESM protocols, providing crucial data on ecological changes.
In 2009, following years of preparation (and many years of residence in the Principality), a formal Headquarters Agreement was concluded between the Monaco Government and the Commission, granting diplomatic status and full independence to the seat of CIESM.
The 2010 CIESM Congress in Venice was a landmark event, surpassing previous records by welcoming 1,000 scientists and facilitating over 900 communications. Remarkably, for the first time, the participation of women scientists exceeded that of men. This growth allowed the Commission’s Headquarters staff to expand, fostering new fields of cooperation with the OECD and the World Bank in marine biotechnology and marine economics, respectively.
During a special meeting in Siracusa, Italy, the Director General, supported by the CIESM President and the Italian Environment Minister, unveiled a significant initiative: the creation of eight cross-frontier, coast-to-coast, Marine Peace Parks in the Mediterranean.
2013 marked a significant expansion of the Commission with the adhesion of the Russian Federation as a permanent member of the Advisory Board. The 40th CIESM Congress, held in Marseille, introduced a new format that included up to 800 oral communications and 800 posters. At this Congress, Prince Albert II was re-elected by the Board for another mandate as President of CIESM, highlighting the ongoing evolution of scientific collaborations with prominent institutions like ICES, the Joint EU Research Centre in Ispra, and the French Academy of Science.
By 2014, CIESM celebrated 100 years since its First Plenary Assembly in Rome, boasting a significantly expanded geographic reach.
The following years see the Commission develop its outreach in many directions:
- Eastward, with the CIESM East-West International Conference in December 2014 in Sochi that brought together 100 leading marine scientists from the CIESM network and the Russian Academy of Science Shirshov Institute for intensive seminars on marine biotechnology, geohazards, oceanography, and marine information science.
- Northward, with the 41st CIESM Congress in September 2016 held for the first time in Germany at Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, featuring Mediterranean participants and high-level scientists from the Baltic and North Seas, who graciously accepted invitations to moderate Congress sessions.
- Westward, with the 42nd CIESM Congress held in 2019 in Portugal, marking the 15th Anniversary of its membership in the Commission. Inaugurated by the President of the Republic and moderated by leading marine scientists from the country, it focused successfully on Atlantic-Mediterranean exchanges. Monaco was re-elected to the Presidency of the Commission.
In December 2019, the Republic of Albania became the latest Member State of CIESM by an Act of Parliament, further expanding the Commission’s influence.
In addition to its geographic expansion, the commission saw an extension of its research themes with the launch in 2020 of its international Program on Highly Migratory Species, mainly focused on seabirds, sharks and rays. In its initial years, the program resulted in the creation of the digital Guide of Seabirds in the Mediterranean and adjacent Seas and the detailed tracking of the seasonal migrations of an endemic seabird from the Mediterranean: the Yelkouan Shearwater. Telemetry tracking from Croatia in 2021, Tunisia and Malta in 2022, uncovered a biological connectivity axis between nesting sites in the central Mediterranean and the northeastern Black Sea, highlighting the region’s role as critical spawning grounds for millions of anchovies. In 2022, the Guide of Mediterranean Skates and Rays was published online, covering the 38 species of skates and rays found in the Mediterranean and adjacent Portuguese and Moroccan waters.
A new chapter: 2023 - Now
On September 2023, Prof. Laura Giuliano – selected by the CIESM Board after a thorough international search – officially succeeds Prof. Frédéric Briand as Director General of the Commission.
