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 International Blue Carbon Scientific Working Group (IBCSWG) will hold the 18th annual meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on September 14-17, 2026. The IBCSWG meeting will be co-hosted by our partners, WWF-Canada, the Community Eelgrass Restoration Initiative and the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq. Participants will include Canadian, regional, and global scientists and partners.

The IBCSWG meeting will focus on current scientific issues related to blue carbon’s role in climate action and what new information is needed to integrate blue carbon science in policymaking processes worldwide.

With the world's longest coastline, measuring over 240,000 kilometers and spanning three oceans, Canada is home to the longest extent of blue carbon ecosystems. Given the unique importance of coastal wetlands, kelp and eelgrass ecosystems to Canada, the meeting will provide an opportunity for the Working Group to coordinate blue carbon science, policy and project development in Canada as well as learn from and empower local Indigenous voices. This coordination extends beyond academia and will include Indigenous organizations, communities, and individuals who have been the stewards of these ecosystems since time immemorial.

Please join us for a discussion on the use of fiber-optic cable networks as large-scale, dynamic acoustic arrays for observing ocean processes and marine life.