ANNUAL REPORT - Aora€¦ · needs are required. Following on from the June meeting, two...

CO-ORDINATION AND SUPPORT ACTION

ANNUAL REPORT1 March 2016– 28 February 2017

atlanticresource.org 1

Acknowledgements

This Report was produced by the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Co-Ordination and Support Action.

This Action has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 652677.

The Lead Partner responsible for the Governance and Coordination Work Package in the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Co-Ordination and Support Action is the Marine Institute.

Disclaimer

Responsibility for the information and views presented in this report rest solely with the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, the European Union or Marine Institute. Neither the authors or the aforementioned bodies accept any responsibility whatsoever for loss or damage occasioned or claimed to have been occasioned, in part or in full, as a consequence of any person acting or refraining from action, as a result of a matter contained in this report.


Acronyms

AORA Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance

AORA-CSA Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Co-ordination & Support Action

ASMIWG Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group

ASPIRE Atlantic Seafloor Partnership for Integrated Research Exploration

CA Canada

CCG Canadian Coast Guard

CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa

CV Ciência Viva – Portugal Living Science

DFO Fisheries and Oceans Canada Pêches et Océans Canada

DST Department of Science and Technology South Africa

DK Denmark

EC European Commission

EC DG R&I European Commission -Directorate General Research and Innovation

ES Spain

EU European Union

FR France

H2020 European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme

ICES International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

IFREMER L’Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea

IMR Institute of Marine Research – Norway Havforskningsinstituttet – Norge

IRE Ireland

IRSO International Research Ship Operators

IS Iceland

JPI Joint Programming Initiative within the EU


KDM Konsortium Deutsche Meeresforschung German Marine Research Consortium

MA Massachusetts

MCTI Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação Brazil Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Brazil

MI Marine Institute - Ireland Foras na Mara na hÉireann

NL Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – USA

NOR Norway

OL Ocean Literacy

PLOCAN Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands – Spain Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias - España

PT Portugal

RANNÍS Rannsóknamiðstöð Íslands Icelandic Centre for Research

RV Research Vessel

TGSIC Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation Committee

US United States of America

WG Working Group

WP Work Package


Background

The Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Coordination and Support Action (AORA-CSA) was established through funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement Number 652677 and commenced on March 1st, 2015.

The AORA-CSA is tasked with supporting the implementation of the Galway Statement that was signed on 24 May 2013. This Statement establishes a formal Atlantic Ocean Research Cooperation (the so titled Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance - AORA) between Canada, the European Union, its Member States, the United States of America, and partner countries that builds on existing initiatives and programmes to increase coherence and coordination of ocean research cooperation.

The Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Coordination & Support Action is coordinated by the Marine Institute Ireland with a Project Secretariat based at the Marine Institute Ireland and eight other Work Package Leaders spread across European organisations. In addition, a High Level Advisory Board is in place. The work of the AORA-CSA is divided into eleven work packages as outlined in Table 1).

The overall objectives of the AORA-CSA are to:

• Support the Implementation of the Galway Statement and Atlantic Ocean Research Cooperation.

• Support improvement in the International Cooperation framework of Marine Research Programmes with the aim of creating the foundation for the development of future large-scale joint international marine research programmes.

• Establish a long term knowledge sharing platform with easy access to available information and data holdings on international research of significance for Ocean Management.


Table 1 Overview of Work Packages in AORA-CSA

Work Package WP Leader Organisation

Man

agem

ent &

Co

ordi

natio

n

Governance & Coordination Peter Heffernan Marine Institute Ireland

Networking & Conferences Peter Heffernan Marine Institute Ireland

Communications and Dissemination Peter Heffernan Marine Institute Ireland

Prio

rity

Rese

arch

The

mes

Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health and Stressors Mark Dickey-Collas ICES

Ocean Observation Joaquín Brito PLOCAN

Marine Biotechnology Sigurður Björnsson RANNÍS

Aquaculture Wojciech Wawrzynski ICES

Ocean Literacy Ana Noronha Ciência Viva

Seabed & Benthic Habitat Mapping Pål Buhl-Mortensen Institute Marine Research

Supp

ort

Them

es

Shared Access to Marine Research Infrastructures (MRI) Aurélien Carbonnière IFREMER

Knowledge Sharing Platform Neil Holdsworth ICES

The AORA-CSA facilitates the mapping and connectivity of relevant ongoing research activities and programmes in the Atlantic on the 6 priority research themes (shown in Table 1) and helping to identify common research areas and gaps. We contribute to the aligning of the planning and programming of future research activities with a view to launching joint research and innovation initiatives, while building on existing ones. Within these research themes, there are two underpinning or support themes, namely:

• Knowledge Sharing Platform A knowledge sharing platform is to be established as identified in the Galway Statement Priority Areas, to allow for the long term usability of data, information and knowledge thereby ensuring tangible value creation from invested resources. The platform will include a classification system which will allow for easy, focused, quick and reliable use and analysis of information collected and stored. The principle of open access will govern such a platform. Representatives from the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance will be consulted in the design to enhance exploitability of the platform to help in policy making and stakeholder consultations.

• Shared Access to Marine Research Infrastructure (MRI) The AORA-CSA will facilitate a shared use of Marine Research Infrastructures (MRI), to assist optimal exploitation of project results fostering mobility and networking of researchers from all states of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance.


Executive Summary

Recognising the evolving nature of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, the key characteristics of this coordination and support action is that the partnership be flexible, responsive, inclusive, efficient, innovative, value-adding and supportive to the EC Directorate General for Research and Innovation – the lead organisation in the European Union responsible for the implementation of the Galway Statement.

In its second year (1 March 2016 – 28 February 2017) the Coordination and Support Action once more provided excellent high quality scientific, technical and logistical support to the European Commission Directorate General Research & Innovation (EC) in developing and implementing the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA).

The Coordination & Support Action, follows the staggered approach of Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation Committee to push forward with their agreed research cooperation areas. Consequently, the research themes which have seen the most significant activity/focus in the second (12) month reporting period (1 March 2016 – 28 February 2017) of the AORA-CSA were Aquaculture, Ocean Literacy, Seabed Mapping and an Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors (ordered alphabetically). It should be noted that supports during the later end of the reporting period focussed on preparing status reports for each AORA Working Group that spoke to the achievements, deliverables to date, challenges, and forward looking recommendations for presentation at the planned Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation (TGSI) Committee meeting in April/May 2017.

• Aquaculture - our Aquaculture Work Package Leader Wojciech Wawrzynski, worked extensively with the Working Group (WG) trilateral Co-Chairs Jay Parsons (CA), Jacques Fuchs (EU), Paola Reale (EU) and David O’Brien (US). In this second year, the Bibliography or Inventory of major Canadian, European and US Aquaculture Research activities/projects was finalised. Wojciech also arranged dissemination activities once more at the World Aquaculture Society’s Aquaculture America Conference “Forging New Frontiers” in February 2017 and at major aquaculture and ocean economy conferences. Supports were also provided for compiling and drafting material for the TGSI Committee as well as to the AORA Aquaculture sub-Working Group on Genetics for a workshop on the OMEGA model in March 2017.

• Ocean Literacy - Ana Noronha - our Ocean Literacy Work Package Leader worked with the Working Group (WG) trilateral Co-Chairs Paula Keener (US), Anne Stewart (CA) and Ivan Alcolea Conesa (EU). Highlights during this reporting period to include a special session on Aquaculture organised by both Ana Noronha and Wojciech Wawrzynski at the European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA) conference in Belfast (EMSEA2016) 4-7 October 2016. The findings from this were presented at the session on Aquatic Food Products at FOOD2030: Research & Innovation for Tomorrow’s Nutrition & Food Systems held in Brussels, Belgium 12-13 October 2016. The Ocean Literacy WG undertook a collaboration with Mini-boat Educational Passages resulting in an Atlantic mini-boat Regatta – this is being supported by the Coordination and Support Action that also coordinates supports through the Horizon 2020 Ocean Literacy projects. In addition, our WP 8 Ocean Literacy Leader provided supports to the Trilateral OL Working Group to prepare a report for submission to the Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation Committee (TGSIC). The Ocean Literacy Trans-Atlantic Implementation Strategy (TIS) devised by the Ocean Literacy Working Group is maintained and updated by our WP Leader.


• Seabed Mapping –The Secretariat catalysed Seabed Mapping Transects continued in the second year with two more Atlantic mapping transits on: the Irish Research Vessel (RV) Celtic Explorer in May 2016 and the Canadian Coast Guard RV Louis St. Laurent in July 2016. Thus within the first 24 months of the Coordination and Support Action, five (5) transits were catalysed. Ramping up activity, a major communications piece was undertaken for the latter two transits whereby the Secretariat working with the Ocean Literacy Working Group ensured Blogs were organised and displayed on the official AORA website. In addition, the Secretariat provided administrative, logistical and travel supports to the ASMIWG. It should be noted that the first bursaries to assist early career researchers to participate in the AORA Atlantic transits were announced by INFOMAR called AtSeaMap Bursaries. These will support EU, US, Canada early career scientist participation on the Irish RV Celtic Explorer. The Coordination and Support Action also supported the ASMIWG meetings in Galway, Ireland held on the 29th of June 2016, in Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany held on November 11th 2016 and in NOAA/University of New Hampshire, Joint Hydrography Centre, Durham, New Hampshire, United States held on the 15-16th of February 2017, providing, logistical, technical and administrative supports.

• Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors – Our AORA-CSA Work Package Leader Mark Dickey-Collas organized a second scoping meeting in Brest, France alongside the MSEA 2016 meeting on June 4th, 2016. These scoping meetings helped identify a clear focus on the elements that the AORA Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors Working Group would use to better elucidate and understand how an ecosystem approach can be undertaken, and what data, information and research needs are required. Following on from the June meeting, two teleconference meetings were held on September 27th and December 14th 2016 and subsequently a three-and-a-half-day workshop on January 24-27, 2017 at RANNÍS headquarters in Reykjavik, Iceland. Again, the Coordination and Support Action provided supports to the Trilateral Ocean Health & Stressors Working Group to prepare a report for submission to the TGSI Committee. Furthermore, an inventory of major Canadian, European and US research activities/projects on ecosystem approach to ocean health and stressors with regard to the North Atlantic was compiled by Mark Dickey-Collas.

Once more the remaining AORA-CSA work packages were poised and engaged with the AORA stage of development regarding Ocean Observation, Data and finally Marine Microbial Biology (EU-US). The Coordination and Support activity concentrated in the early stages on scoping meetings, supporting wider Atlantic community participation at key workshops and acting as a coordination point between EU Horizon 2020 research projects funded under the Galway Statement. For example, the Coordination and Support Action provided some logistical and technical supports to the AtlantOS workshop held at PLOCAN, Gran Canaria, Spain, 2-4 November 2016 thereby ensuring wider Atlantic community participation in the workshop. The AORA-CSA has now also engaged with the coordinators of the 2016 funded Horizon 2020 projects ATLAS and SponGES and arranged for these projects to present their research objectives and progression to date to the AORA-CSA High Level Advisory Board in March 2017.

Again, our two key horizontal work packages Shared Access to Marine Research Infrastructures and Knowledge Sharing Platform have engaged closely with the AORA Co-Leads and the Co-chairs of the AORA Working Groups. For example, Aurélien Carbonnière WP Leader on Marine Research Infrastructures, participated in several of the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group (ASMIWG) meetings and also some international conferences during this reporting period. In addition, Aurélien organized a workshop alongside the International Research Ship Operators conference (IRSO2016), October 10-15, 2016) to obtain the input of the IRSO membership on the operational aspects of a Trilateral Mapping Campaign for the Atlantic. The workshop had vigorous participation by members present, the valuable workshop findings were shared with the ASMIWG at their meeting in Rostock-Warnemünde in November 2016. Likewise, Neil Holdsworth our Work Package Leader on the Knowledge Sharing Platform Work Package and the AORA-CSA Secretariat were active establishing contacts with Canadian and US data contacts and held several teleconference meetings throughout the reporting period with Canada and the USA endeavouring to establish a common base and needs.


The AORA objectives and the supports provided by the AORA-CSA are available for public viewing on the AORA-CSA website. The website continues to provide the first point of contact on the Galway Statement and the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance and the Galway Statement. The branded presentation templates are used by the Working Groups and AORA Leads when communicating at major conferences e.g. Washington D.C. events during March 2016. The shared workspace area developed by the Secretariat houses AORA Working Groups materials and also a Calendar of Events. This work space was rolled out to all working groups for their use within this second reporting period.

The first twenty-four (24) months has seen the delivery of the full suite of timed deliverables and the provision of the flexible and responsive services requested by AORA as acknowledged by the Trilateral Co-Chairs in their plenary meetings. We continue to operate in tandem with the stages of maturity in the AORA Theme Areas and alongside evolve a suite of support services commensurate with the AORA implementation programme.

A summary of the status of all deliverables at the end of the second year of its operation is given in Table 3 at the end of the report and also a list of the all the meeting/workshops/events attended, participated in or organized by the AORA-CSA (Table 4).


Work Package 1 Governance & Coordination

The AORA-CSA pays particular attention to having an open and engaged dialogue at all times with the EC Directorate of Research & Innovation, and therefore to the AORA, to ensure effective communication and responsiveness to the client’s needs.

AORA-CSA High Level Advisory Board Meetings:

The second AORA-CSA High Level Advisory Board (HLAB) Meeting was held on 30th June 2016 in Galway, Ireland. In order to facilitate wide participation at the board meeting, video-conferencing was employed to enable Board members to participate from Denmark and also from the AtlantOS conference being held at the same time in Germany. Following on from the HLAB, an “Atlantic Researcher Mobility/Fellowship” scoping meeting supported by the AORA-CSA also took place in Galway on 30th June to explore mission and mechanisms of a potential Atlantic Fellowship programme.

The third HLAB meeting was planned for late Quarter 1 2017, however, it became generally recognized that there would be difficulty arranging more than one High Level Advisory Board per year.

AORA-CSA Management Meetings:

Ad-hoc teleconference call meetings took place between the AORA-CSA Secretariat and individual Work Package (WP) Leaders with in-person meetings taking place between the Secretariat and the WP Leaders as follows:

• Alongside the 3rd Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference in Dublin, Ireland – meeting with WP 5 Leader Joaquín Brito on 27 September 2016 on Ocean Observation to discuss the requirements of the EC DG Research & Innovation at the upcoming AtlantOS workshop in November 2-4, 2016.

• Alongside the 3rd Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference in Dublin, Ireland – meeting with WP 8 Leader Ana Noronha on 28 September 2016 on Ocean Literacy.

• Alongside the EMSEA2016 conference on 5 October 2016, in Belfast, Northern Ireland – meeting with WP 8 Leader Ana Noronha and Vanessa Batista on their supports to the Ocean Literacy Working Group.

Interactions with the Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation Committee (GSIC):

Along with the AORA Working Groups, the Trilateral meeting provided an opportunity for the AORA-CSA to give an update on its activity to the Trilateral GSIC at their meeting in Brussels on June 13th 2016. At the meeting, the assistance of the Coordination and Support was requested to support the AORA Working Groups in collating status reports of achievements and deliverables to feed into the AORA Golden Paper. It was agreed that the AORA-CSA Work Packages would be proactive in supporting the AORA as a whole and that the website would be front and centre of the AORA supported by the AORA-CSA.


Interactions with the AORA International Working Groups:

The following AORA Working Group (WG) meetings/workshops/dissemination activities were supported:

AORA Aquaculture WG:

World Aquaculture Society’s Aquaculture America conference “Forging New Frontiers”, 19-22 February 2016.

Note: participation at this conference was catalysed by our Aquaculture WP Leader with an abstract submission on behalf of the Working group and subsequently presentation at the event on Trans-Atlantic Cooperation: Aquaculture Business, Research and Education Priorities. This resulted in an invitation from the World Aquaculture Society to write an article for the World Aquaculture Journal.

AORA Atlantic Seabed Mapping International WG (ASMIWG) meetings:

Three meetings were supported by the Secretariat and WP 9 Leader Pål Buhl-Mortensen during this second year of the AORA-CSA as follows:

• Marine Institute, Galway, Ireland – 29th June 2016

• Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (Institut für Ostseeforschung –IOW), Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany, 11th November 2016

• NOAA/UNH Joint Hydrographic Center, Durham, New Hampshire USA, 15-16 February 2017

ASMIWG meeting at Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany, 11th November 2016

AORA Ocean Literacy WG:

• Meeting with European and US WG Co-Chairs alongside the European Marine Science Educators As-sociation conference (EMSEA 2016) in Belfast, Northern Ireland 5th October 2016 where the collective thoughts of the EU, US and Canadian Marine Educators present were sought on Aquaculture Education moving forward.


AORA Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors WG:

AORA Luncheon Briefing sponsored by the AORA-CSA at the 6th International Symposium on Deep-Sea Coral, Boston USA, 12th September 2016 to raise awareness amongst that community of the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation between CA, EU and US and the endeavors of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance to implement it.

Other interactions catalysed by the AORA-CSA:

The AORA-CSA was instrumental in catalysing a roundtable discussion on Marine Cooperation in the Atlantic –the role of innovation and research chaired by the European Parliament Intergroup Seas Rivers, Islands & Coastal Areas (SEARICA) at the European Parliament on the 14th June 2016; thereby providing an opportunity for dissemination of the AORA objectives and activities at this SEARICA debate Seas in Motion - Activating the Atlantic Action Plan. Two roundtable sessions were discussed on the day, both chaired by:

• Mrs. Gesine MEISSNER, MEP, Chair of the Intergroup

• Mrs. Sofia RIBEIRO, MEP, Vice-Chair of the Intergroup

The first roundtable discussion on Developing the Atlantic Marine Economy- opportunities and challenges and the role of the Atlantic Strategy focussed on the economic development of the European Atlantic, the origins of the European Atlantic Strategy and its Action Plan, how it is being implemented and the opportunities that it presents as well as the challenges it seeks to address. This panel sought to answer the following questions: Focussing on how successful has the Strategy been to date? What stops it being more successful?

The second roundtable discussion on Marine Co-operation in the Atlantic –the role of innovation and research, focussed on the role of innovation and research, how this has been a driver of the Atlantic Strategy, as well as on the role of the Galway Statement and international co-operation in the achievement of the objectives of the Atlantic Strategy. It was moderated by Mrs Deirdre CLUNE, MEP, Member of the Intergroup. The Discussion Panel included the below – who addressed the question - “How is research within the Atlantic Strategy contributing to sustainable jobs and growth?”

• Mr Ricardo SERRÃO SANTOS, MEP, Vice Chair of the Intergroup

• Mr John BELL, Director for Bioeconomy, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission

• Mr Trevor SWERDFAGER, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ecosystems and Ocean Science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

• Mrs Pascale VAN DOREN, Support Team for the Atlantic

• Mr Enrique C. LOPEZ VEIGA, President of the Port Authority of Vigo, Spain


SEARICA Roundtable discussion I at the European Parliament: Developing the Atlantic Marine Economy- opportunities and challenges and the role of the Atlantic Strategy.

SEARICA Roundtable discussion II at the European Parliament: Marine Co-operation in the Atlantic –the role of innovation and research

Mr Enrique C. LOPEZ VEIGA, President of the Port Authority of Vigo, Spain , Mr Ricardo SERRÃO SANTOS, MEP, Vice Chair of the Intergroup, Mrs Deirdre CLUNE, MEP, Member of the Intergroup, Mr John BELL, Director for Bioeconomy, Directorate-General for

Research and Innovation, European Commission, Mr Trevor SWERDFAGER, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ecosystems and Ocean Science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mrs Pascale VAN DOREN, Support Team for the Atlantic

All deliverables for this Work Package 1 Governance & Coordination to date have been met – a summary is given in Table 1 at the end of the document.


Work Package 2 Networking & Conferences

The second year was very filled with a lot of fully engaged meetings, networking events, workshops and conferences. Whenever possible, the coordination and support action leveraged opportunities with the Galway Statement tagged Horizon 2020 projects as well as those organized by the custodians of the Galway Statement, namely, DFO Canada, European Commission and NOAA to synergize activities and improve participation by delegates from the three jurisdictions, to disseminate ideas in other appropriate networks as well as achieving time and cost efficiencies.

• Networking meetings were arranged by the AORA-CSA in Washington D.C. in March 2016 as follows:

• Reception for the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) at the Willard Hotel on 14 March 2016

• Business Leaders Lunch at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC on 15 March 2016

• These afforded opportunities to leaders in NOAA, NASA, NSF and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership to meet and informally be briefed on the efforts of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance.

At the Irish Taoiseach’ s Reception Washington D.C., 15 March 2016 (Left to Right) James Gavigan Delegation of EU to USA, Sigi Gruber EC,

Peter Heffernan CEO Marine Institute Ireland and AORA-CSA Coordinator, Kathy Sullivan Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, Craig McLean Assistant Administrator NOAA Ocean & Atmospheric Research, Margaret Rae Director

AORA-CSA, Terry Schaefer International Activities Office NOAA.

Left photograph: Peter Heffernan, Sigi Gruber, Terry Schaefer at NOAA Silver Spring Offices, Maryland 14th March 2016, Right photograph: John

A. Tarpley and Nancy Wallace NOAA Marine Debris Program, Sigi Gruber EC, Margaret Rae AORA-CSA, Terry Schaefer NOAA, Peter Heffernan


AORA-CSA 15th March 2016 at NOAA Silver Spring Offices.

Left photograph: Al Condes Associate Administrator Office of International and Interagency Relations NASA, Craig McLean NOAA, Rick Murray NSF, Sigi Gruber EC, Charles Bolden Administrator NASA at Business Leaders Lunch 16th March 2016, Washington D.C.

Middle photograph: Business Leaders Lunch with AORA-CSA dissemination; Right photograph: Al Condes NASA, Jon White President and CEO Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Peter Heffernan AORA-CSA, Craig McLean NOAA, Charles Bolden NASA

and Jonathan Margolis, US State Department, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science, Space & Health.

The following summarize the events participated in and attended by the Secretariat during the second year – see also Table 2 at the end of the document.

• 2016 Nippon Foundation –IHO/IOC GEBCO Forum for Future Ocean Floor Mapping, Monaco, 15-17 June 2016. Peter Heffernan member of Panel 4: Mapping the World Ocean Floor, 16 June 2016.

• Blue Economy Business and Science Forum – The Hamburg Summit 2016, 12 September 2016

• 3rd Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 27 September 2016.

In addition, contacts and effective communication mechanisms continued to be made within the wide Atlantic context and, in particular, with Horizon 2020 research projects successfully awarded from 2014 and 2015.

Finally, the AORA-CSA made strengthened contact with:

• DFO Canada (in particular the newly appointed Research Vessel Coordinator – appointed in Spring 2017), NOAA and UNOLS in the USA.

• ERVO European Forum of Research Vessel operators

• IRSO International Research Ship Operators

• French and Irish focal points of the Atlantic Strategy


Work Package 3 Communications & Dissemination

Website Presence

The AORA Website was launched online in August 2015 with the final website going live in January 2016 and further revamped in February 2017. The website provides information on the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA), the Cooperation Areas, its Working Groups and how they are implementing the Galway Statement. In addition, it provides information on how the Coordination and Support Action assists the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance and outlines the structure of the Coordination & Support Action.

AORA Working Group Reports, presentations and outputs are published on the website for public dissemination. Deliverables from the AORA-CSA such as the inventories of research theme areas are uploaded and published on the website.

In addition, ocean literacy and outreach activities (such as Trans-Atlantic transit blogs) are hosted on the site. Google Analytics are employed on the website to measure the success of the website – there are marked spikes in interest coinciding with the unique content of the outreach activities, and in particular, the blogs.

Catalysing and Supporting Blogs for the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group (ASMI-WG)

During the second twelve months (1 March 2016 – 28 February 2017) of the AORA-CSA, the AORA-CSA catalysed two further AORA seabed mapping transits beginning with the East-West Atlantic seabed mapping survey undertaken by the Marine Institute’s Research Vessel Celtic Explorer in May 2016, followed by the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel Louis St. Laurent in July-August 2016. The AORA-CSA supported these two surveys by working with the Research Vessel operators and organisation teams to secure and publicise the transits for the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group this time mainly via blogs ensuring a major communications and outreach success for the ASMIWG.

4st Trans-Atlantic mapping Survey - Irish Research Vessel Celtic Explorer, 11 -21 May 2016:

Mobilised on 11th May 2016 at Galway, Ireland and demobbed in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada on 21st May 2016.


5th Trans-Atlantic Mapping Survey - Canadian Vessel CCG Louis St. Laurent, 22 July– 5 August 2016:

CCG Louis St. Laurent mobilised on 22nd July 2016 at Halifax Nova Scotia and demobbed in Tromsø, Norway.

The website continues to be adapted on an ongoing basis to meet the needs of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance.

Twitter @AtlanticAll

A twitter presence was established in January 2016. All news items, meetings and events are highlighted via Twitter and the Website, with pertinent messages from sister endeavours also being retweeted to ensure broad dissemination across the Atlantic community.

Extranet Site or Wider Shared Work Space Area

The full shared work space area was rolled out in May 2016 – this site is based on Office365 and Sharepoint. This provides a dedicated shared work space for each of the AORA Working Groups as well as the AORA-CSA work packages.

External Communications:

Branded flyers for each of the AORA working groups were planned in 2016 to be executed in 2017.

Awards – Recognition of success of the AORA-CSA in 2016

The AORA-CSA was delighted to have been awarded the International Cooperation Award implementing the EU Atlantic Strategy by EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella, DG Environment, Maritime Affairs & Fisheries, at the 3rd Atlantic Stakeholder Platform conference in Dublin on 27th September 2016.

Presentation of the International Cooperation Award for the EU Atlantic Strategy, 27th September 2016. (Left) Peter Heffernan AORA-CSA Coordinator accepts award from EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella, (Right) Patricia Killian, Margaret Rae, Ana

Noronha, Peter Heffernan and Joaquín Brito enjoying the Award.


WP 4 Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors (EA2OHS)

This work package actively supports the dedicated AORA Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors Working Group.

Overall Achievements in the reporting period (1 March 2016 - 29 February 2017):

WP4 has been working steadily in the reporting period. The main achievements have been the (re) establishment of the Working Group on EA2OHS and fostering the group in the development of the agreed/shared roadmap of activities (see overview of Roadmap in Figure 1).

Following on from the January 2016 workshop in Copenhagen the following meetings of the EA2OHS Working Group were actively supported:

Meetings:

• 14 April 2016 Skype meeting with working group members to prepare for the physical meeting plannedfor June.

• 4 June 2016 physical meeting of the working group in Brest, France. Meeting summary available here.

• 27 September 2016 Skype meeting with working group members. Meeting summary available here.

Workshops organized:

AORA EA2OHS WG workshop - Reykjavik, Iceland, 24-27 January 2017. At this workshop the working group prepared input to the Status Report needed for the AORA “Golden Paper” and agreed on next steps for a roadmap to advance the science needed for Ecosystem Based Management in the North Atlantic Ocean

Participants at AORA-CSA WP4 Workshop Meeting 24-27 January 2016 at RANNÍS, Headquarters, Reykyavik, Iceland,


Workshops attended/participated in:

• Ecosystem Approach to management; Status of implementation in the Arctic. Fairbanks, Alaska, 23-25August 2016. Presentation: Making the Ecosystem Approach operational across the Atlantic.

• MSEAS 2016 Understanding marine socio-ecological systems: including the human dimension inIntegrated Ecosystem Assessments. 30 May - 3 June 2016, Brest, France

Connections/Networking

• World Ocean Council, Sustainable Ocean Summit. Rotterdam, Netherlands. 29 November 2016.

• Participation in this meeting was aimed at engaging with stakeholders and assessing the extent to whichevents like these may be able to help facilitate this engagement.

Other:

• ICES Council meeting. Copenhagen, Denmark, The work of the ICES lead AORA-CSA work packages,including WP4 was presented to ICES Council (governing body with 2 national representatives from eachof the 20 ICES member countries).

Reports/Deliverables:

1. Report from the June meeting. At the June meeting the scope and vision of the working group began tocrystallize, including an agreed definition of ocean health.

2. The report from the January meeting of the AORA Working Group on EA2OHS proposes an 8-steproadmap for the following 18 months as a means to make progress on the science to support EBM. Thesteps cover development of common language as a basis for collaboration, stakeholder engagement,review of governance mandates, linking sectors and ecosystems effects, identifying gaps in knowledgeand uptake of science, identification of tools for EBM, and communication of key research priorities.

Figure 1: Roadmap for EA2OHS Working Group


WP 5 Ocean Observation

This work package is led by José Joaquín Hernández Brito, Manager of the Spanish Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (www.plocan.eu). Joaquín is a member of both the AORA-CSA and also the AtlantOS ocean observation research project funded by the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Joaquín is working towards connecting people and ensuring that the three CA/EU/US jurisdictions are well networked to enable a thorough dialogue on an Atlantic Ocean Observing System.

Meetings:

• Oceanology International 2016. London, UK, 15th March 2016.

• Knowledge Shared Platforms (KSP) meeting. Gran Canaria, Spain, 18th May 2016.

• 5th Meeting of the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group (ASMIWG), Galway Ireland,29th June 2016.

• 3rd Annual Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference- Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovation in theAtlantic Area. Dublin, Ireland, 27th September 2016.

• 29th International Research Ship Operators (IRSO) meeting, Capri, Italia, 10-13th October.

• MARTECH 2016. Barcelona, 27th- 28th October 2016.


• AtlantOS WP3 and WP6 joint workshop on strategies, methods and new technologies for a sustainedand integrated autonomous in-situ observing system for the Atlantic Ocean, supported by the AORA-CSA(WP5 and WP10), Gran Canaria, Spain, 2-4th November 2016.



• Workshop on Ocean Observations and Sensors. Gran Canaria, Spain, 16-17th May 2016.


• Liaison with potential partners from the University of Calabar (Nigeria), CONICET (Argentina) andProoceano (a CLS Group Company, Brasil) have been established in order to work on specific projects andinitiatives related to ocean observations in the Atlantic basin.

Other:

• Oceanographic Cruise MSM61. 17th- 27th February 2016, led by GEOMAR and joined by MARUM, MBARI,OSCM, INDP and PLOCAN.


• Rio Follow up meeting. Brussels, Belgium, 8th March 2016.

• Réchauffement Climatique et Acidification des Océans de la Région Nord-Ouest Africaine, Cassablanca,31st May and 1st June 2016.

• Workshop on Essential Ocean Variables. Kiel, 22nd June 2016.

• 7th EGO conference on autonomous ocean gliders and their applications. Southampton, 26th – 30th

September 2016.


• D5.2- Short bibliography on European Ocean Observing Research Activities is finalized.

• D5.3- Preliminary Assessment is finalized.


WP 6 Marine Biotechnology/Marine Microbial Ecology

This work package is led by Sigurður Björnsson, Head of Research and Innovation at the Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNÍS).

The Trilateral dialogue has not yet progressed to this research theme area and therefore the timelines on this work package have been pushed out and amended to reflect this. As part of the flexible and responsive nature of the AORA Coordination and Support Action, to the on-going deliberations and negotiations between the three jurisdictions Canada, European Union and United States of America, meetings and preparation materials are held and drafted according to timings deemed appropriate by the EC DG R&I Marine Resources Unit in conjunction with the Trilateral AORA Leadership; therefore note that timings of deliverables and milestones depend on the sequence with which the Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation Committee wishes to progress dialogue on the negotiated research priorities and the scheduling of parallel/mirror Canadian, EU and US activities.

Physical Meetings organised/attended:

RANNÍS hosted the Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors (EA2OHS) Working Group’s four-day meeting at its Reykjavík offices in January 2017.

Reports produced

A Short Bibliography on current European Marine Biotechnology Research Activities has been completed and is available on the AORA website. This bibliography summarizes European Research projects funded in the area for marine biotechnology covering both those funded funded by the EU’s research funding programmes, namely, i) Framework Programme 7 (covering years 2007 – 2013) and ii) Horizon 2020 (covering years 2014-2020).

The projects summarized are:

• Horizon 2020 Research & Innovation projects (2 projects):

о European Marine Biology Resource Centre preparatory phase 2 (pp2EMBRC)

о European Marine Biology Research Infrastructure Cluster to promote the Blue Bio-economy (EMRIC)

• Seventh Framework Programe –FP7 (& projects)

о Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology (Micro B3)

о Increasing Value & Flow in the Marine Biodiscovery Pipeline (PharmaSea)


о From sea-bed to test-bed: harvesting the potential of marine microbes for industrial biotechnology (SeaBioTech)

о Development of global plankton database and model system for eco-climate early warning (GreenSeas)

о BluePharmTrain

о Marine Metagenomics for New Biotechnological Applications (MAMBA)

о Bacterial Degradation of Marine Particles: Colonisation, Dispersal, and Impact on Vertical Export in the ocean (BacPac)

• ERA-Net Marine Biotechnology Projects (6 projects)

о Biorefinery and biotechnological exploitation of marine biomasses (Mar3Bio)

о Enhanced biorefining methods for the production of marine biotoxins and microalgae fish feed (MarBioFEED)

о Discovery and training of microbial biocatalysts for biomass conversion using moving bed technology (MicroMBT)

о Novel Extraction Processes for multiple high-value compounds from selected Algal source materials (NEPTUNA)

о The Seaweed Biorefinery – for high value added products (SeaRefinery)

о Thermophilic cell factories for efficient conversion of brown algae biomass to high-value chemicals (ThermoFactories)

• European Research Council –ERC (4 projects)

о Functional redundancy of bacterial communities in the laboratory and in the wild (Redundancy)

о Assessment of bacterial life and matter cycling in deep-sea surface sediments (ABYSS)

о Microbial Ecology of the Deep Atlantic pelagic realm (MEDEA)

о From micro-scale interaction networks to ecosystem-level processes in microbial communities (MINT)


Work Package 7 Aquaculture

This Work Package facilities and supports the AORA Working Group on Aquaculture by providing technical, logistical and scientific support. Wojciech Wawrzynski, deputy Head of Science at ICES is the work package leader. This work package has been extremely busy right from the start of the AORA-CSA, bringing together leading providers of applied marine science for society for the AORA Aquaculture Working Group.

Overall Achievements in the reporting period (1 March 2016 -29 February 2017):

Work in this period was focused on preparation of the AORA Aquaculture Working Group’s roadmap and on communication / liaison with parallel initiatives.

The meetings/workshops/ other events organized and/or attended by our Aquaculture Work Package Leader are as follows:

Meetings:

• Aquaculture America, 2017, San Antonio, TX, USA. Annual conference organized by the U.S. AquacultureSociety (formerly U.S. Chapter of WAS), the National Aquaculture Association and the AquacultureSuppliers Association. Work package leader gave an AORA-CSA presentation ‘TRANS-ATLANTICCOOPERATION: AQUACULTURE BUSINESS, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PRIORITIES’ at the ‘MarineAquaculture’ session.

• WGSEDA, April 2016, Saint-Malo, France. The ICES WGSEDA was updated with the progress of the AORA-CSA Aquaculture work, The WGSEDA Chair is one of the active experts of the AORA-CSA sub-theme‘social perception / acceptance’. This work is also linked to the EU-COST Action “Oceans Past Platform”which opens up new opportunities to engage with researchers from different social science disciplineson the topic of aquaculture.

• WGAQUA, April 2016, Yereseke, the Netherlands. The ICES WGAQUA was updated with the progressof the AORA-CSA Aquaculture work, and a strategic discussion on how to explore cooperation linksbetween the AORA Aquaculture Working Group and the developments in the system of the ICES WGsrelated to aquaculture work was held. Some of the WGAQUA members took part in the AORA-CSAaquaculture events in 2015 and 2016.


• Fourth EMSEA Conference - From fishing to farming: aquaculture, Belfast, October 2016 in conjunctionwith the AORA Ocean Literacy Working Group and our own WP 8 Lead on Ocean Literacy.



• Council Strategic Initiative for Aquaculture (CSIAQUA), Gdynia, Poland, February 2017. ICES pledgedto reintegrate its work with aquaculture. Different scientific priorities were discussed, including thoseidentified by the AORA Aquaculture Working Group.

Other:

• ICES Council meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark, March 2017. The work of the three ICES’s led AORA-CSA work packages, including WP7 was presented to ICES Council (governing body with 2 nationalrepresentatives from each of the 20 ICES member countries).


A report on best practices for the introduction of Aquaculture in Ocean Literacy will be produced by AORA – CSA (Work Package Ocean Literacy), with inputs from participants and in collaboration with the AORA Galway Implementation Committee, Ocean Literacy Working Group and the Aquaculture Working Group.” EASME WS 2016


WP 8 Ocean Literacy

Our Work Package Leader Ana Noronha, Executive Director of Ciência Viva in Portugal, facilitates and supports the AORA Ocean Literacy WG.


This year provided significant progress in terms of networking and AORA Working Group workshops:

Networking activities:

As a result of the workshops described below, an ongoing collaboration has been set up between Work Packages 8 and 7 (Ocean Literacy and Aquaculture), with participants from both sides of the Atlantic. As an epilogue to these efforts, a similar workshop was organized at NMEA 2017, the National Marine Educators Association Annual conference and a joint report is being produced by the Ocean Literacy Working Group as a main deliverable;

A joint meeting of the AORA Working Groups Aquaculture and Ocean Literacy will be scheduled to prepare a list of actions and recommendations for the stakeholders in both Working Groups.

Meetings:

AORA-CSA Technical Meeting, Dublin, September 28th, back to back with the 3rd Atlantic Stakeholders Conference 2016. The meeting was arranged to make an update on the Ocean Literacy Work Package and clarify contents of some deliverables.


From fishing to farming: aquaculture – Workshop at the 4th Annual Conference of the European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA), 4th - 7th October 2016.

The workshop From fishing to farming: aquaculture was organized by AORA- CSA in collaboration with the H2020 Sea Change. A welcome address by Ana Noronha (CIENCIA VIVA / AORA CSA/Sea Change), Wojciech Wawrzynski (ICES / AORA CSA) and Paula Keener (U. S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/ Ocean Literacy Working Group Co-Lead), was followed by short presentations by David Cline (President Elect, U.S. Aquaculture Society), Kim Thompson (Seafood for the Future, Aquarium of the Pacific) and Laura Guimarães (CIIMAR/Sea Change). The participants discussed their views on aquaculture public perception and aquaculture education. The barriers found and suggestions are presented in detail in the Workshop Report (Annex).

David Cline had previously made a key-note address at the Conference. Programme can be found here.


The EMSEA Conference is an annual meeting point for educators, from formal and non-formal settings, scientists and all those committed to communicating the importance of the ocean, including local authorities and local industry representatives. European Marine Science Educators Association conference 2016 (EMSEA 2016) took place at the science center Titanic Belfast, the Northern Ireland’s centre of excellence for ocean literacy, having recently been awarded both the Sandford Award for Heritage Education and the kitemark for excellence in Learning Outside the Classroom. The conference was organized in collaboration with the Irish Ocean Literacy Network.

Participants of EMSEA 2016 and the Ocean Literacy Working Group Co-Lead Ivan Conesa – Alcolea in the conference hall, a replica of the Titanic Ballroom.


• 3rd Atlantic Stakeholders Conference 2016, Dublin, September 27th

The Atlantic Stakeholder Conference is a meeting point for stakeholders of the EU Atlantic Strategy for networking and to identify areas for cooperation, share information about projects ideas and funding opportunities. The Conference in 2016 also gave prominence to the international dimension of the Atlantic Strategy, embodied in the Galway Statement. WP8 attended this conference because the project AORA-CSA was awarded the 1st Atlantic Project International Cooperation Award 2016.

Aquatic food products and new marine value chains, Food2030: Research & Innovation for Tomorrow’s Nutrition & Food Systems, High Level Event Food2030, October 12th 2016, Brussels


The results of the Workshop held at EMSEA 2016 were presented by WP8 representative at the Workshop “Aquatic food products and new marine value chains”, where a lively debate took place about key issues for European aquaculture: fish by-products processing for food and food ingredients, potential of new algae value chains for food, consumer acceptability of aquaculture products, including algae. The workshop was held in Brussels on October 12th within the High Level Event “Food 2030 Research & Innovation for Tomorrow’s Nutrition & Food Systems”, organized by the Marine Resources Unit of the Directorate General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission and was chaired by Head of Unit Sigi Gruber.

Full report and presentations can be found here.

Supporting Marine Research Exchange for Blue Growth, October 13th, 2016 SEARICA

The EP Intergroup Seas, Rivers, Islands & Coastal Areas (SEARICA) organized the debate Supporting Marine Research Exchange for Blue Growth at the EU Parliament with MEPs Gesine Meissner and Ricardo Serrão Santos. Besides representatives from the European Commission (DG MARE and DG RTD), the event included presentations by members from maritime clusters, smart specialization groups and relevant European projects and initiatives. The discussion was focused on the need to reinforce the “triple helix” for Blue Growth and the importance of the interaction with society.

WP8 attended this European Parliament event for networking and to make the point of the importance of ocean literacy from very early ages to ensure future blue careers. This issue was reinforced by other stakeholders present.


Both events largely contributed to launch networking between aquaculture industry and ocean literacy actors and specialists, on both sides of the Atlantic.


• From Fishing to Farming: Aquaculture – Programme and Abstract from the Workshop held at the EMSEA2016 Annual Conference, Belfast, UK, October 4th


WP 9 Seabed & Benthic Habitat Mapping

The objectives of WP9 (Seabed and Habitat Mapping) of the AORA-CSA is to provide the EU-USA-Canadian Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance with relevant and responsive information on the status of Seabed and Benthic Habitat Mapping in Europe relevant to scientific and industry needs in the North Atlantic. During the reporting period, this was being provided through the provision of a desktop preliminary mapping and connectivity assessment of relevant on-going seabed and benthic habitat mapping research activities and programmes in Europe relevant to the North Atlantic.

The overall achievement by our WP 9 Leader in this reporting period was the production of a bibliography of seabed and habitat mapping relevant for mapping in the offshore North Atlantic. This bibliography lists 330 publications in nine (9) main themes, literature references are provided along with relevant websites and a relevant though non-exhaustive list of European seabed mapping projects – based on their general methodological or theoretical relevance.

This work package supports the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group (ASMIWG). Pål Buhl-Mortensen, Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, is our AORA-CSA work package leader, and is a member of the ASMIWG. During this reporting period together with the AORA-CSA Secretariat we provided administrative, logistical, technical and scientific supports. Of particular note was i) the catalysing of trans-Atlantic seabed mapping surveys by the AORA-CSA Secretariat and the promotional materials produced by the Secretariat from the first AORA trans-Atlantic cruise - later used to successfully promote the AORA, ii) a large bibliography “Mapping the Atlantic Seabed and its Habitats” undertaken by Pål reviewing existing knowledge and technology.

The below summarises very briefly the meetings/workshops and other interactions organised/attended/participated in by the AORA-CSA:

Meetings:

• WP 9 Leader participated in the following three AORA Seabed Mapping Working Group meetings duringthis second year of the AORA-CSA as follows:

• Marine Institute, Galway, Ireland – 29th June 2016

• Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (Institut für Ostseeforschung –IOW) Rostock-Warnemünde,Germany, 11th November 2016

• NOAA/UNH Joint Hydrographic Center, Durham, New Hampshire USA, 15-16 February 2017

• Marine Research Infrastructures workshop at IRSO 2016 Anacapri, Italy organised by WP10 Leader

Reports produced

A Bibliography of Seabed and Habitat Mapping relevant for mapping in the offshore North Atlantic has been completed and is available on the AORA website.


WP 10 Shared Access to Marine Research Infrastructures

Aurélien Carbonnière is our Work Package Leader on this underpinning and support workpackage. Aurélien is based at the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER), in the Department for European and International Affairs with geographical portfolios: North, Central and South Americas. WP10 has been supportive of several initiatives/topics currently in discussion at the transatlantic level and which may consider the need for more targeted infrastructure discussions in the future.

Connections were made with the International Research Ship Operators (IRSO) forum at their annual meeting in California, October 2015 for the ASMIWG. The AORA-CSA made requests to the IRSO regarding Seabed Mapping Vessels of Opportunity through Aodhán Fitzgerald, Head of Research Vessel Operations at the Marine Institute Ireland and Chair of International Research Ship Operators (IRSO) and also Per Wilhelm Nieuwejaar - Director of the Research Vessel Department at the Institute of Marine Research, Norway.


This year provided significant progress in terms of:

• Networking activities: new interaction has been established with the WP11 leader and newInfrastructure relationship has been initiated with the newly appointed Research Vessel Coordinatorsponsored by Canada. Intergovernmental Organisation such as NATO and IOC have been also involved inAORAC WP10 specific activity;

• Operational support to AORA ASMIWG specifically to improve the link between scientific challenges(bathymetry and improved knowledge of the seabed) and the mobilisation of research vessels inthe North Atlantic: the AORAC-SA Workshop 1 (DEL 10.4) was designed in this perspective andenabled discussion and targeting of specific (simple) measures and actions to adjust and improvethe coordination between science and operations. This first AORA-CSA workshop by WP10 thereforedemonstrated clear involvement and interests from the operators to contribute to the Galway process(See report, DEL 10.5). Implementation of these actions is to be later assessed jointly by Research VesselCoordinator, AORA Seabed Mapping Working Group (ASMIWG) and AORA-CSA WP10 and it is expectedthat potential new WP10 activities may be in line with those new developments.

• In general, next WP10 actions are subject to any targeted requirements and demands coming from thebroad AORA community (this process can take some time). In a complementary manner, WP10 pursuesits proactivity by investigating avenues of specific interests for AORA in the infrastructure field.


Meetings:

• WP11 via telephone conference, 18/05/17 – Knowledge Sharing Platform meeting with Canada and UScounterparts. The meeting was to identify opportunities and synergies in the data management field;

• ASMIWG – Galway (IE) 29/06/16 – updates on current activities and presentation of the AORAC-SAWP10 Workshop proposal to be held in October 2016;

• ASMIWG – Durham (USA) 15-16/02/17 – update on current activities and interactions with other groups(e.g Atlantic Seafloor Partnership for Integrated Research Exploration network -ASPIRE;


• Joint AORA-CSA IRSO Workshop: “Marine Research Infrastructures & the transatlantic cooperation onseabed and habitat mapping” (13th October 2016, Anacapri, Italy)

The first AORA-CSA WP10 workshop was held back-to-back with the IRSO 2016 Forum in Capri (Italy), Thursday 13th October 2016. The goal was to stimulate interactions between international fleet management practices and seabed mapping strategic recommendations as underpinned by the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group (ASMIWG).

The workshop gathered 20 experts from 11 countries and was composed of fleet operators (IRSO national delegates), European (AORAC-SA and AtlantOS projects) and international (IOC-JCOMMPS, IHO, NATO) program managers.

Several findings and recommendations came out of this workshop. Overall, we note a huge willingness from marine and maritime stakeholders to improve and share bathymetric data acquisition processes and protocols.

These recommendations are detailed in the AORAC-SA DEL 10.3 or 10.4: AORA-CSA WP10 Workshop Report 1 (see website)

IRSO members and AORA representatives at CNR Facility, Anacapri, Capri, Italy.



Forum for Future Ocean Floor Mapping

The Forum was held on 15 to 17 June 2016 (Monaco) and brought together over 150 senior representatives, scientists and scholars from major ocean-related and international organizations to discuss the importance of understanding the shape of the ocean floor. It culminated in the development of a Roadmap for Future Ocean Floor Mapping. WPL10 attended this forum because of its international dimension and to better identify links and strategies between sciences needs and infrastructure capabilities and support.

EOOS launching event (Brussels, 08/09/16)

This joint event organised by the European Marine Board and EUROGOOS aimed at informing the EOOS challenges, with the upcoming roadmap and workplan.

WP 10 Leader attended this European Parliament event to get further information on the EOOS roadmap and upcoming survey and to assess the interconnections with EU RI related strategies.

EuroFleets2, Final General Assembly (Brussels 31/01/17)

The final general assembly aimed at disseminating the project’s results and achievements in terms of fleet management strategies, training, regional coordination, joint research activities etc.

WPL 10 attended the meeting to get a better insight on achievements and future strategies for the North Atlantic, moreover in the development of the next Eurofleet3 project and potential links with AORA.


Regular interactions have now been set-up with the newly elected Research Vessel Coordinator (RVC) Keith Levesque DFO Canada, in order to keep each other informed about updates, potential opportunities and developments in the Research Infrastructure field.


• DEL 10.3 – Preliminary Assessment is complete and can be found on the AORA website here.

• DEL 10.4 – First WP10 consultative AORA-CSA Workshop on Marine Research Infrastructures. (Complete)

• DEL 10.5 – Present Preliminary report to AORA: “Marine Research Infrastructures & the transatlanticcooperation on seabed and habitat mapping” (13th October 2016, Anacapri, Italy) – completed.

• DEL 10.3/4: AORAC WP10 Workshop Report 1 on “Marine Research Infrastructures & the transatlanticcooperation on seabed and habitat mapping” (13th October 2016, Anacapri, Italy) - completed.


WP 11 Knowledge Sharing Platform

Our Work Package Leader for the Knowledge Sharing Platform is Neil Holdsworth. Neil is Head of Data and Information at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). This work package is on the staggered approach.

(Left) From Data to Knowledge, (Right) How Work Package 11 KSP fits within the AORA-CSA


A European Catalogue of Marine Data and Information Portals was developed and submitted. The purpose of the European catalogue is to set the foundation from which to build understanding between European and North American partners on what infrastructure is already in place, and the focus of the infrastructure. This baseline can then be used to identify common aims across the Atlantic, recognise overlaps as well as gaps, and acknowledge where cooperation and synergy may be possible.

Meetings:

• 18 May 2017- Skype Meeting with CA & US representation

• 10 November 2017 - Skype Meeting with CA & US representation

• 9 December 2017 - Skype Meeting with CA & US representation

• 24 February 2018 - Skype Meeting with CA & US representation

All meeting summaries are available here:


Other

• ICES Council meeting. Copenhagen, Denmark, The work of the ICES lead AORA-CSA work packages,including WP4 was presented to ICES Council (governing body with 2 national representatives from eachof the 20 ICES member countries).

Reports:

A European bibliography of marine information and data portals was published on the AORA website here.


Table 3 - Deliverables:

FULLY COMPLETED PARTIALLY NOT COMPLETED Not Yet Started

WP No.

Title

Lead Participant

D. No. DeliverableDue Date

(Month)Date Update

WP1

Coordination & Governance

MI

D.1.1 Establish AORAC-SA Secretariat Office 1 31-Mar-15 V

Interim office established until full recruitment

completed

D.1.2

Establish liaison mechanisms with the Commission Rep on the Atlantic Research Alliance

1 31-Mar-15 V A period of trial and error until found what worked

best for all.

D.1.3 Recruit Project Team 4 30-Jun-15 VRecruitment completed & Team in-place by 6th June

2015

D.1.4 Establish Financial Control and Reporting systems 6 31-Aug-15 V

Working with MI Research Support and MI

Financial Control

D.1.5

Establish written procedures for Management and Operational Board Meetings

6 31-Aug-15 VDrafted and presented to High Level Board Meeting

9th December;

D.1.6 Organise Meetings & Reports 2 30-Apr-15 On-going

D.1.7 Organise Operational Board Meetings and Reports 2 30-Apr-15 Meeting held in June

2016, Galway, Ireland

D.1.8 Annual Reports (due moth 14, 26, 38, 50) 14 30-Apr-

2016 Annual Report Year 1 & 2 completed and published

on website.

WP2

Networking & Conferences

MI

D.2.1 Organise and host launch Conference 8 31-Oct-15 V

Launched April 16-17, 2015, Palais d’Egmont,

Brussels,

D.2.1b Organise and host Mid-Term conference 30 31-Aug-17

Contributed to conference in Belém,

Portugal July 2017

D.2.1c Organise and host Final Conference 58 31-Dec-18

D.2.1Provision for Unscheduled Expert Meetings and Workshops as required

30 31-Aug-17 On-going


WP No.

Title

Lead Participant


(Month)Date Update

WP3

Communications & Dissemination

MI

D.3.1Prepare communications Strategy and agree with Operational Board

8 31-Oct-15 V Approved

D.3.2 Establish and maintain Support Action Website 8 31-Oct-15 V

Interim site up and active by September 2015, new

website established by end January 2016

D.3.3 Prepare project livery 8 31-Oct-15 On-going

D.3.4 Issue Press releases and Information Up-dates 60 28-Feb-19 On-going

WP4

Ecosystem Approach

ICES

D.4.1Bibliography on European Ecosystem Research Activities

4 30-Jun-15 In progress, likely delivery by Sept 2016

D.4.2

Engage with national programmes to identify ecosystem approach priority research

6 31-Aug-15 On-going, Workshop held Jan 2016, report delivered April 2016

D.4.3 Preliminary Assessment 16 30-Jun-16 In-progress, to be finalized May-June 2016

D.4.4Present Preliminary Report to Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance

20 31-Oct-16 Planning to deliver at/for June AORA Meeting

D.4.5Follow up activities as requested by the Atlantic Research Alliance

30 31-Aug-17

D.4.6 Ecosystem Approach Shared Vision Report 36 28-Feb-18

WP5

Ocean Observation

PLOCAN

D.5.1 Establish liaison with other relevant initiatives 2 30-Apr-15 On-going

D.5.2Short bibliography on European Ocean Observing Research Activities

4 30-Jun-15 V Completed

D.5.3 Preliminary Assessment 16 30-Jun-16 In progress, likely delivered in July 2016

D.5.4 Host 1st Consultative Workshop 8 31-Oct-15 V Workshop held in May

2016 (Telde, Spain)


20 31-Oct-16 On-going.

D.5.6 Host Post Assessment Workshop 24 31-Aug-17

D.5.7 Follow-up activities as requested by the AORA 30 31-Aug-17


WP No.

Title

Lead Participant


(Month)Date Update

WP6

Marine Biotechnology

RANNIS

D.6.1

Establish liaison with other relevant initiatives 2 30-Apr-15 On-going

D.6.2

Short Bibliography on European Marine Biotechnology Research Activities

30-Jun-15 In-progress, in addition drafted concept note

for circulation to North American colleagues

D.6.3 Preliminary Assessment 16 30-Jun-16

D.6.4 Host 1st Consultative Workshop 8 31-Oct-15

Postponed, staggered approach between WPs

being adopted


20 31-Oct-16


D.6.7Follow-up activities as requested by the Atlantic Research Alliance

30 31-Aug-17

WP7

Aquaculture

ICES


D.7.2Short Bibliography on European Aquaculture Research Activities

4 30-Jun-15 Almost finalized, planned delivery by summer 2016

D.7.3 Preliminary Assessment 16 30-Jun-16 Almost finalized, planned delivery May 2016

D.7.4 Host 1st Consultative Workshop 8 31-Oct-15 V

At the Aquaculture Europe Conference,

Rotterdam, October 2015


20 31-Oct-16 At the AORA Trilateral

Meeting in St. John’s NL, Canada October 2015



30 31-Aug-17 On-going


WP No.

Title

Lead Participant


(Month)Date Update

P8

Ocean Literacy

CV


D.8.2Short Bibliography on European Ocean Literacy Activities

4 30-Jun-15 V

Finalized and submitted to EC DG R&I.

Next steps – this is now to be joined with North American bibliography.

D.8.3 Preliminary Assessment 14 30-Apr-16 Trans-Atlantic

Implementation Plan in final review stage

D.8.4 Host 1st Consultative Workshop 6 31-Aug-15 V

TOL 2015, Lisbon, 5 June 2015 – report submitted to EC DG R&I in Q4 2015.

D.8.5 Present Preliminary Report to AORA 16 30-Jun-16

Partly presented by Ocean Literacy WG at

St. John’s, Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation

Committee, 26 October 2015;

Rest will presented by Ocean Literacy

WG at the Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation

Committee meeting in June 2016.

D.8.6 Host Post Assessment Workshop 20 31-Oct-16

D.8.7 Follow up activities as requested by the AORA 30 31-Aug-17 On-going


WP No.

Title

Lead Participant


(Month)Date Update

WP9

Seabed & Benthic Habitat Mapping

IMR


D.9.2

Short Bibliography on European Seabed and Benthic Habitat Mapping Activities

4 30-Jun-15 In-draft, circulated to the ASMIWG and EC DG R&I

D.9.3 Preliminary Assessment 16 30-Jun-16 On-going

D.9.4 Host 1st Consultative Workshop 8 31-Oct-15 Planned for late 2017


20 31-Oct-16



30 31-Aug-17

WP10

Shared Access to Research Infrastructures

IFREMER

D.10.1 Establish liaison with other relevant initiatives 2 30-Apr-15 V Done, in action

D.10.2Short bibliography on European Marine Research Infrastructures

4 30-Jun-15 V Sent to Coordinator and EC 27/08/15

D.10.3 Preliminary Assessment 12 29-Feb-16

A 1st Discussion paper aimed to set-up the scene on MRIs & the

transatlantic cooperation was send to Coordinator

and EC services (21 January 2016)

D.10.4 Host 1st Consultative Workshop 6 31-Aug-15 V

Delivered 13 October 2016, alongside IRSO

meeting, Anacapri, Italy


16 30-Jun-16 VPresented findings to the ASMIWG, 11th November

2016, Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany

D.10.6 Host Post Assessment Workshop 20 31-Oct-16


30 31-Aug-17


WP11

Knowledge Sharing Platform

ICES

D.11.1 Establish WP Team 2 30-Apr-15

In-progress, working with Terry Schaefer NOAA and Karen Davison DFO Canada to establish key figures

D.11.2 Establish liaison with other relevant initiatives 4 30-Jun-15 On-going

D.11.3

Short bibliography on European Marine knowledge Sharing Platforms

4 20-Dec-16 VDelivered to European

Project officer on 20-12-2016

D.11.4 Preliminary Assessment 12 29-Feb-16 On-going

D.11.5 Design Principles for Knowledge Sharing Platform 18 31-Aug-16

D.11.6 Development of a classification system 20 31-Oct-16


24 28-Feb-17

D.11.8Workshop: Design specifications of a pilot Knowledge Sharing Platform

28 30-Jun-17

D.11.9 Establish pilot on-line Knowledge Sharing Platform 30 31-Aug-17

D.11.10 Beta testing of Knowledge Platform & Users Workshop 36 28-Feb-18

D.11.11 Launch Knowledge Sharing Platform 44 31-Oct-18

D.11.12 End User Workshop 50 30-Apr-19

D.11.13Options for long term viability of Knowledge Platform

56 31-Oct-19


Table 4 List of all events attended, participated in and/or organized by the AORA-CSA collectively.

WP Meeting/Conference Dates/Location

WP1-3 Meeting with EU Delegation to the USA 14 March 2016 Offices EU Delegation to the USA on 2175 K Street N.W., Washington D.C.

WP1-3Meeting with Paula Bontempi, NASA Program Scientist, Ocean Biology & Biogeochemistry, Earth Science Division

14 March 14th2016, NOAA HQ, Silver Spring MD

WP1-3Meeting with Jon White (President) and Kristen Yarincik (Vice-President) Consortium for Ocean Leadership

14 March 2016, 1201 New York Ave., NW, Washington D.C

WP 5 Oceanology International 2016. London, UK, 15th March 2016. 15th March 2016, Excel Arena, London

WP1-3 Meeting with NOAA Marine Debris Program – Nancy Wallace & John A. Tarpley

15 March 2016, NOAA HQ, Silver Spring MD

WP1-3 Meeting with US National Science Foundation Ocean Sciences Division

15 March 2016, NSF Offices, Arlington, Virginia

WP1-3 Networking at Irish Ambassador’s Reception for Taoiseach Enda Kenny

15 March 2016, Willard Hotel, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington D.C.

WP1-3 EU Science Update to European Embassies at EU delegation to US site

16 March 2016, Offices EU Delegation to the USA, on 2175 K Street N.W., Washington D.C.

WP1-3 Networking at US Business Leaders Lunch16 March 2016, Four Seasons Hotel, 2800 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington D.C.

WP5 Knowledge Shared Platforms (KSP) meeting. Gran Canaria, Spain, 18th May 2016.

WP7 Working Group on Social and Economic Dimensions of Aquaculture (WGSEDA)

IFREMER station, St. Malo, France, 11–14 April 2016.

WP4 Teleconference Preparation for June 4 2016 Workshop (Brest, France) on Preliminary Assessment 14 April 2016 Teleconference

WP8 Ocean Literacy Coordination – H2020 OL Conference 11-13 May 2016, Athens, Greece.

WP5/WP2-3

Ocean Observation Regional Conference – Ocean Observation & Sensors: Synergies with Energy Industries - presentation included about AORA & AORA-CSA

16-17 May 2016, PLOCAN, Gran Canaria,Spain

WP1/WP11/WP5

Knowledge Sharing Platform teleconference meeting between WP Leaders 11, 5 with Canadian designates for data Benoît Pirenne (ONC) and Tobias Spears (DFO Canada)

18 May 2016

WP4Preliminary Assessment Meeting of Scoping Group for the Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors (back to back with MSEAS 2016)

4 June 2016 , Hotel L’Amirauté, Brest, France,

WP1 Trilateral Galway Statement Implementation Committee Meeting

13 June 2016, EC Offices, Covent Garden, Brussels, Belgium

WP1, 3 European Parliament “Seas in Motion – Atlantic Strategy” 14 June 2016, Brussels, Belgium,


WP 3, 9 2016 Nippon Foundation – IHO/IOC GEBCO Forum for Future Ocean Floor Mapping 15-17 June 2016, Monaco.

WP2 MRae Informal Meeting with Kathryn Sullivan NOAA alongside IIEA Seminar 16 June 2016, Dublin, Ireland

WP1/WP9/WP5 Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group meeting 29 June 2016, Galway, Ireland

WP1 AORA-CSA High Level Advisory Board Meeting 30 June 2016, Galway, Ireland

WP1,2 Atlantic Researcher Mobility Scoping Meeting 30 June 2016, Galway, Ireland

WP1 Margaret Rae meeting with Terry Schaefer NOAA 2 July 2016, Galway, Ireland,

Ecosystem Approach to management; Status of implementation in the Arctic. 23-25 August 2016, Fairbanks, Alaska.

WP2 Blue Bio-economy Business and Science Summit 12-13 September, Hamburg, Germany

WP1/WP4 AORA Briefing at the 6th International Symposium on Deep-Sea Coral 12th September 2016, Boston, USA

WP4, 7 & 11 ICES Annual Science Conference 19-23 September 2016, Riga, Latvia

WP1-3 3rd Atlantic Stakeholders Platform Conference 27 September 2016, Dublin, Ireland

WP1, WP8 AORA-CSA Ocean Literacy Coordination Meeting 28 September 2016, Dublin, Ireland

WP2, WP8 European Marine Science Educators Association conference (EMSEA2016)

4-6 October 2016, Belfast, NorthernIreland

WP7 FOOD2030 Research & Innovation for Tommorow’s Nutrition and Food Systems, Aquatic Food Products 12-13 October 2016, Brussels, Belgium

WP2-3, WP10 WP10 Workshop at International Research Ship Operators meeting 13 October 2016, Anacapri, Italy

WP 5MARTECH 2016. Barcelona,

27th- 28th October 2016.

WP1-3, WP5, AtlantOS Workshop supported by AORA-CSA 1-4 November 2016, PLOCAN, GranCanaria, Spain

WP1/WP9 Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group meeting

11th November 2016, Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany

WP4 WOC Sustainable Ocean Summit 30 Nov – 2 December 2016, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

WP4 Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors Workshop

24-27 January 2017, RANNÍS Offices,Rekyavik, Iceland

WP1Preparatory Meeting with Terry Schaefer, Daniel Constantin Strugariu, Katie Geddes, Margaret Rae for Trilateral Meeting in April.

14 February 2017, University of New Hampshire, USA

WP1/WP9 Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group meeting

15-16 February 2017, University of NewHampshire, USA

WP7 “Forging New Frontiers” World Aquaculture Society, Aquaculture America 2017 Conference

19-22 February 2017, San AntonioMarriott Rivercenter, San António, Texas,USA

ANNUAL REPORT - Aora€¦ · needs are required. Following on from the June meeting, two...

Documents

Transcript of ANNUAL REPORT - Aora€¦ · needs are required. Following on from the June meeting, two...