International

The World Congress of Marine Stations (WCMS), organised biennially by the World Association of Marine Stations (WAMS), plays an essential role in advancing the work of around 900 marine stations worldwide. This congress provides a critical forum for fostering collaboration, sharing expertise, and establishing partnerships that enhance transformative marine research and education.

WAMS has successfully convened two congresses, including the first Congress online in 2021 and the first in-person meeting in Japan in November 2024. These meetings have been instrumental in bringing together representatives from marine stations across the globe to discuss pivotal issues related to ocean health and sustainability.

The Climate Group In times of economic and climate uncertainty, collaboration, and learning from one another is key. There’s so much to talk about, so

International Shellfish Restoration Society (ISRS); Puget Sound Restoration Fund The 2026 International Conference on Shellfish Restoration will bring together 300+ practitioners from 25+ countries for

Convention on Biological Diversity; United Nations Environment Programme The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (CBD COP 17) will take

Marine Technology Society A three-day international conference convening researchers, practitioners, technologists, policymakers, and stakeholders from across sectors to advance knowledge and collaboration in environmental DNA

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the annual United Nations climate summit where nearly 200 countries negotiate

The 7th edition of the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity will be organized in Bruges between November 17th and 20th 2026. Find out more about the venue here.

The WCMB 2026 will fly the UN Ocean Decade flag, as it has been endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Event. The overall theme of the Conference is “The marine biodiversity insights we need, for the ocean we want”. As the Conference will take place a little over halfway through the UN Ocean Decade, it will provide an excellent opportunity to take stock of ongoing actions and initiatives, but also evaluate what still needs to be tackled by the end of the Decade.