To complement the EMODnet Open Conference 2023 on-site meeting and physical exhibition, a Virtual Exhibition was produced by the EMODnet Secretariat and Coordinators. contains many resources and updates on EMODnet thematic and data ingestion services, key partnerships spanning business to ocean observation and from EU to global, EMODnet videos and other communication outputs, the European Atlas of the Seas and community posters solicited and submitted specifically for the Open Conference 2023. This was showcased in Plenary during the EMODnet Open Conference 2023, just before community poster pitch presentations. The Virtual Exhibition remains open for 1 year until 30 November 2024. You can see the full EMODnet Virtual Exhibition by clicking on the button below.

The interactive dialogues at the EMODnet Open Conference 2023 included a series of Townhalls which provided a unique platform for focused discussions on various critical aspects of EMODnet. Topics for the 2023 Townhalls included: EMODnet, Ocean Best Practices, and Interoperability; EMODnet for EU Policy; EMODnet and the Blue Economy; and EMODnet, EU Mission Ocean and wider society. These were organized and co-Chaired by members of the EMOD-network and invited experts, with EMODnet and the European Marine Board Secretariats jointly serving as rapporteur and facilitators. For each Townhall, a representative presented key messages back to the Plenary on Day 2.

At the EMODnet Open Conference 2023, a new video animation was released that explains the EMODnet unified service, noting the centralisation of all 7 EMODnet thematics into one portal, and what is means for EMODnet’s diverse user community. Follow the link to watch the full video.

Between 27-30 November 2023 over 340 partners, associated partners, and stakeholders of the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) gathered in Brussels for the third EMODnet Open Conference and Jamboree. The week kicked off with a Partner Jamboree with the >120 partners exchanging on their latest service developments and joint activities. The Open Conference was a public event, moderated by Karen Coleman. With a line-up of over 75 speakers across the 1.5 days, the event highlighted EMODnet’s crucial role in the European Marine Data Ecosystem, focusing on a "Digital and Green Future." If you missed a session or want to revisit the insights, the Plenary video recordings together with event photos are now available on the Conference website, with Plenary and Townhall presentations also being made available over the next few days. A full conference report will follow in early 2024. This November 2023 EMODnet News Digest is dedicated to Conference and Jamboree 2023 highlights, with news articles also posted on the EMODnet Portal (see links below). Further updates of the EMOD-network activities will come in the end of year issue, coming out end of December.

On 29-30 November 2023, the full EMODnet partnership of > 120 organisations and wider stakeholders will gather in Brussels, Belgium for the third edition of the “EMDOnet Open Conference 2023: Powering the European Marine Data Ecosystem”. Save-the-date for this interactive event. Registration opening soon!

EMODnet showcased its European marine data services and best practices at the recent Ocean Best Practice Systems (OBPS) VII workshop that took place online between 5-19th October 2023. EMODnet showcased its contributions to the marine data and ocean knowledge ecosystem in several sessions and across multiple workshops, including a joint EMODnet Secretariat - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) presentation on the use of ERDAAP, where EMODnet’s Conor Delaney presented how ERDDAP is integrated across all EMODnet thematics before a second presentation on the unified EMODnet services and se of OGC standards, amongst others.

The 14th EMODnet Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting, was held online on 18th October 2023. At the TWG, EMODnet technical experts exchanged on the latest EMODnet Central Portal developments, including user-driven evolution for 2024 and beyond.

Over 100 stakeholders have already registered for the EMODnet Open Conference 2023! Do you have your ticket yet? We welcome all stakeholders across the ocean observation, marine data, information and knowledge value chain to join us on 29-30 November 2023 in Brussels, Belgium! The call for community (e-/digital) poster abstracts has been extended to 14th September. Don’t miss your chance to apply to present your work!

EMODnet centralisation may be complete, but EMODnet services continue to evolve. Discover the enhancements and latest technical upgrades to the EMODnet Map Viewer, brought to you by the Central Portal Technical team. These upgrades improve marine data discovery and visualization, including new map projections, customized parameter exploration, offering a more efficient and precise marine data exploration than ever before.

In this webinar on #WorldOceanDay, you are going to learn more about two of the Blue-Cloud 2026 VLabs, namely the “Carbon-Plankton Dynamics” VLab that was developed in the pilot Blue-Cloud, and the brand new VLab “Integration of Coastal Ocean observations along Europe”.

EMODnet was well represented at the European Maritime Day (EMD) 2023, which took place on 24th-25th May 2023, at the BREST EXPO, Parc des Expositions de Penfeld in Brest, France. EMODnet thematic and data ingestion Coordinators, the Central Portal and Secretariat teams were in attendance, with a variety of roles representing EMODnet at the exhibition and multiple stakeholder workshops related to marine and maritime data for innovation and sustained ocean observations.

On 26 January 2023, the EMODnet Secretariat hosted an online workshop on the added value and benefits of the EMODnet Sea-basin Checkpoint (SBCP) exercises that took place across six sea basins in 2013-2018. The workshop brought together more than 50 experts including EMODnet Sea-basin Checkpoint Coordinators, partners and expert panel members, EMODnet thematic and data ingestion Coordinators and representatives, EMODnet associated partners, the European Commission and wider invited experts from the European Ocean Observing, marine data and user community.

EMODnet invites inputs to a public survey on the benefits of the SBCP which remains open until 2 February 2023!

In October 2022, EMODnet was invited to join the Offshore Renewables and Marine Spatial Planning sprint workshop, organised by the UN Global Compact Ocean Stewardship Coalition ocean management working group ‘Offshore Renewables and Sustainable Ocean Planning’. The series of four weekly meetings gathered key knowledge stakeholders to identify, communicate, and address the challenges associated with Maritime Spatial Planning for offshore renewables. The EMODnet Secretariat and EMODnet Human Activities presented EMODnet to the international community bringing key updates on EMODnet’s offer of marine environmental, human activities data and data products, including the hosting of National EU Member State Maritime Spatial Plans. Key messages and testimonials from the recent EMODnet workshops on “Marine Data for the Offshore Renewable Energy sector” were also presented.

On the 1st of September, The Community of Practice (CoP) on Data sharing, information and communication technology serving Maritime Spatial Plans (MSP) organised its second Workshop meeting on "Coherence of the MSP data and information". EMODnet Human Activities attended the workshop online. Guest presentations were given by among others the Danish Maritime Authority and the Italian National Research Council, who both indicated to use EMODnet in their work.

On 19-20 May 2022, EMODnet experts from across the network joined hundreds of marine and maritime stakeholders in Ravenna, Italy and online for European Maritime Day 2022. At the event, EC DG MARE hosted a workshop on Ocean Observation and the Blue Economy Observatory, which presented the ‘EC Ocean Observation – sharing responsibility’ initiative, explored synergies with the Blue Economy Observatory and launched the EC Blue Economy Report 2022 co-produced with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) which features EMODnet and the European Atlas of the Seas.

On 19 May, EMODnet co-organised a workshop with European projects EuroSea and Blue-Cloud on ‘Ocean Observations, marine data and services for the European Green Deal’ with EMODnet Chemistry and the Secretariat presenting concrete use cases of EMODnet data and data products for the EU Green Deal. In addition, EMODnet Human Activities moderated a workshop on Aquaculture and EMODnet Biology presented at a workshop on the Digital Ocean.

Read more on EMODnet’s activities at EMD2022, including further information on EMODnet and European Atlas of the Seas’ contribution to the EC Blue Economy Report 2022.

The #OceanChallenge4Africa online hackathon aims to tackle ocean challenges in the coastal and marine regions of Africa and to pool African energies to grasp opportunities offered by the ocean. It is organized by Mercator Ocean International, IOC Africa and Garage48; and supported by the EU’s Copernicus Marine Service and Segal Family Foundation. It is further held in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme GEMS Ocean, GEO Blue Planet and the African Group on Earth Observations (AfriGEO). The deadline for idea submission and team formation is 22 March 2022.

The data set on fishing intensity made available by EMODnet Human Activities, previously only covering the North Sea, now also includes the Azores, the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast, the Baltic Sea, the Barents Sea, the Celtic Sea, the Faroes, Icelandic Waters, the Norwegian Sea and the Oceanic Northeast Atlantic.

EMODnet Human Activities has released a new data set on desalination plants in Europe.

Launched in February 2021, the data set on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is constantly increasing its coverage. Latvia has now joined Belgium, Denmark, Finland and the Åland Islands, whose MSP plans were already available on EMODnet.

Ocean-based industries and conservation organisations are working towards 2030 targets to reduce harmful practices and restore ocean health. The summit will assess whether the targets are ambitious enough, and what policymakers, industry, and investors should do to achieve them.