Last week, the Commission was pleased to participate in the conference “Riding the Wave: Advancing the EU Ocean Pact through Science, Innovation and Cooperation”, held in Cyprus.
Several discussions throughout the conference highlighted a growing challenge for ocean science: beyond the production of marine data itself, the importance of improving how scientific information is understood, shared and used across different communities, sectors and decision-making levels.
The exchanges also reflected a broader point repeatedly raised during the conference: ocean issues cannot be approached in isolation. Understanding marine environments increasingly requires connecting disciplines, perspectives and field realities across scientific, societal and policy dimensions.
These reflections strongly resonate with ongoing work across the Mediterranean and Black Sea, through the Commission’s scientific committees, long-term monitoring programmes, regional coordination efforts, and initiatives connecting research with field realities and stakeholders.
This includes workshops involving policymakers, as well as SHARKnowledge, where fishers actively contribute to research through observations and knowledge-sharing across several Mediterranean countries. The discussions also echoed current efforts to develop more accessible scientific tools, including PRISM, the Commission’s upcoming open-access 3D visualisation platform, soon available online, designed to facilitate the exploration and interpretation of complex marine datasets and support a better understanding of marine systems and informed scientific action.
The Commission was also proud to participate in an event hosted by Cyprus, a committed Member State strongly engaged in marine and maritime research.
We warmly thank CMMI, Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute for organising this conference and for their exceptional welcome and hospitality, as well as for the opportunity to present ongoing CIESM activities through a dedicated stand. We also thank the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research for its ongoing engagement and continued support and collaboration across the region.