News archive

Jana Van Elslander joined the European Marine Board Secretariat as Executive and Finance Officer on Monday 16 August 2021. Jana obtained a bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology at the HoWest University of Applied Sciences in Bruges, Belgium. Once graduated, she decided to go in a different direction. For the last few years she has worked as operations manager for an international fashion company where she handled sales, logistics and general operation. At EMB, she will manage the day-to-day running of EMB as well as handling finances and HR matters.

You can find her contact details here.

In her new blog, EMB Young Ambassador Dr Natalija Dunić talks about how she has been inspired to initiate a new oceanography outreach programme in her native Croatia.

On 4 June 2021, the new EMB Working Group on Marine Renewable Energy met for the first time during the kick-off meeting held online. The meeting was chaired by Takvor Soukissian (HCMR, Greece) and Anne Marie O'Hagan (UCC, Ireland).

EMB Executive Director Sheila Heymans is a co-author in one of three new papers presenting a new tool for assessing the impacts of reduced nutrient inflow into European rivers and the ocean. This work has relevance for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the achievement of Good Environmental Status in European waters.

Scientists have proposed the first steps towards a united global plan to save our ocean, for the sake of human health. In a commentary paper published in the American Journal of Public Health the researchers, including co-authors from the European Marine Board Secretariat, call for the current UN Ocean Decade to act as a meaningful catalyst for global change, reminding us that ocean health is intricately linked to human health.

Ana Rodriguez joined the EMB Secretariat on Monday 3 May 2021 as a Science Officer. Ana Rodriguez (PhD 2019) obtained a B.Sc. degree in Biology at the Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen (Germany) and subsequently completed an international M.Sc. in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Ghent University (Belgium), Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (Ireland) and Anton-de-Kom University (Suriname). She conducted her joint PhD degree at Heriot-Watt University and University of St Andrews (UK). Ana has experience working on marine conservation topics at WWF as well as at the European Commission. At EMB, she will take on the new upcoming H2020 project EcoScope which will focus on ecosystem-based management of fisheries, as well as other activities within the Secretariat.

In the run-up to the EMB Spring Plenary 2021 meeting, this social media campaign highlights the connections between those who have a link to EMB, even though meeting in person is still not possible. Anyone with a link to EMB is invited to engage on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!

The IOG Forum published it's final recommendations from the stakeholder consultation process during the 3rd IOG Forum online event on 20th April 2021. The document 'Setting the Course for a Sustainble Blue Planet: Recommendations for Enhancing EU Action' sets the course for a clean, healthy, productive, resilient and understood ocean by providing recommended actions for updating the EU's IOG Agenda. Increased global ambition for conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of marine ecosystems and biodiversity; integrated sustainability goals within the blue economy; a 'whole of ocean governance approach' to combating climate change; adoption of nature-based solutions; and increased coordination for ocean observations are among the key recommended actions.