🐚🌊 Big Seashell Survey on 21 March 2026! Join thousands of beachcombers along the coast of The Netherlands, Belgium and France & contribute to marine science! 👉 www.vliz.be/en/events/bi... @vliz.be | @naturalis.bsky.social | @CPIE Flandre Maritime

🌍 Join us on 4 March 2026 for the VLIZ Marine Science Day #VMSD26 in Ostend: marine science through an international lens 🌊 A full day of science, pitches, posters & networking. ✅ Free registration for marine scientists, students, policymakers, blue economy & press. 👉 www.vliz.be/vmsd/en @vliz.be

🎓👏 Hisham Shaikh defended his PhD, Uncovering the diversity & ecology of North Sea viruses on 13 February at VLIZ, from Ghent University. Supervisors: Anne Willems (UG), Maarten De Rijcke (VLIZ) and Corina Brussaard (NIOZ). Read more 👉 www.vliz.be/en/news/unco...

We were pleased to welcome rector UGent @petradesutter.bsky.social to @vliz.be in Ostend. A valuable exchange on strengthening our long-standing partnership with UGent & MarineAtUGent in marine sciences. #Collaboration #MarineResearch #OceanScience #BlueScience @janmees.bsky.social

🌊 Project MareGraph: results webinar Join the public results webinar with a live demo of linked marine data from @eurobis.bsky.social, @marinespecies.bsky.social & @marineregions.bsky.social and see how the results can be reused beyond the project. 3 March - 14:00–15:30 maregraph.pulse.ly/sp6x7tkzyg

Today, during a visit to Ostend, we had the honour of welcoming H.E. Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes, Ambassador of France, to the VLIZ facilities to learn more about our collaboration with France. 🤝🌊

🌊 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲’𝐬 𝐕𝐋𝐈𝐙 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 2026 at the InnovOcean Campus in Oostende: 18 PhD researchers share inspiring work across ocean science, technology & management. Great discussions, strong collaborations, and valuable connections throughout the day. Thanks to everyone who joined!

📊🌊 Over 350 citizen scientists, data experts & innovators gathered in Ostend and online this week to launch the Marine Citizen Science Data Network (MCSDN).🔗 The EU-funded #CSMACH1 project will help make marine citizen science data more #FAIR and support trusted flows into services like EMODnet.🛰️

📍VLIZ is pleased to host the 𝐂𝐒-𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐇1 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 (3–4 Feb). ‼️ Join us online 👉 bit.ly/3Z4oZpZ For marine citizen science project leaders, cost-effective tech/app developers, data manager/aggregators, scientists 🤝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭: [email protected] #CitizenScience #MarineData

🫱🧬🫲𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐃𝐍𝐀? We invite you to share 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 through our 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 on proposed actions to help refine them and move toward a more optimal eDNA digital environment. 🌅 Up until 12 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 2026 👉 bit.ly/4rbc41j @ednaquaplan.bsky.social #eDNA @embrc-eu.bsky.social

A VLIZ delegation is visiting Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) in Mombasa, Kenya to meet director Dr Paul Swage Orina & team. The visit highlights a strong Kenya-Belgium marine science legacy and explores renewed VLIZ-KMFRI collaboration ahead of #OurOceanConference2026. #SDG14

Leandro Ponsoni (PI, Marine Robotics Centre) and Steven Dauwe (Science Officer, Policy Information Division) joined the “AMOC in Focus” First Author Writing Workshop ✍️ as part of the JPI Climate & JPI Oceans AMOC assessment. 🌊 Proud to contribute! 🤝🌍 #AMOC #OceanScience #ClimateAction

🌊𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫⚡ Proud to coordinate #ClayTectonics at @vliz.be. Delivering key data & insights on disturbed clay layers to support safer offshore wind construction & #BlueEconomy 🎥 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 youtu.be/GvyhSawgCxI?... OWI_Lab@VUB, RCMG@ugent, BlauweCluster,VLAIO

⛵️ New paper by #MPI-M, @uni-hamburg.de, geomarkiel.bsky.social & @vliz.be: data from sailing boats #TeamMalizia fills in blind spots @socatco2.bsky.social, improving estimates marine carbon sink. Calibration & more observations remain crucial. 👉 bit.ly/45f7qHj #ClimateScience #CitizenScience

🌊 VLIZ underwater robots reveal how bottom currents continue to reshape seafloor of the Belgica Mound Drift off Ireland — from past formation to present-day dynamics. PhD research by Alice Matossian (UGent) using VLIZ #ROVzonnebloem, #AUVbarabas and #gliderYoko, 🔗 Read more: bit.ly/45FE1pH

✨A warm start to the new year at #VLIZ ✨ Team moments, an inspiring New Year’s address by Director Jan Mees, and a potluck with local specialties – connecting colleagues, sharing ideas, and looking ahead together. 🤝✨ 🌊

VLIZ is hiring: a Fish Behavioral Ecology Researcher 🐟 Ready to make an impact on healthy fish populations and marine biodiversity? Join our vibrant research team and work on cutting-edge European projects. 👉 Apply no later than 25 January. More info viahttps://vliz.pulse.ly/dfkavmwxh1

VLIZ proudly congratulates its vice research director Dr Gert Everaert on receiving the KVAB Laureate of the Academy Prize in Natural Sciences — a major recognition for his excellence in marine research and leadership of research team . 🌊🏆 https://vliz.pulse.ly/zjpjc8xciv

🌱 Hopeful and active into 2026! A small action with a big impact: colleagues planting marram grass to strengthen our coast. 🌊 💙 Happy 2026 from the entire VLIZ team. #HappyNewYear

Today, H.E. Ambassador Bitange Ndemo & a delegation of the Kenya Embassy 🇰🇪 in Brussels visited VLIZ in the presence of Carl Decaluwé, Jan Mees, Colin Janssen and Ann-Katrien Lescrauwaut. They discussed the marine science cooperation between Kenya and Flanders/Belgium.

New study in Nature Communications investigates the fate of human lead emissions in the ocean and shows that the Arctic Ocean is strongly affected by past use of leaded gasoline. Read the full article 🔗 nature.com/articles/s41...

✨ Happy Holidays! ✨ Our office is closed from Dec 25–Jan 1. Back from Jan 2. 🌊 #HappyHolidays #SeasonsGreetings

Research of @naturalsciences-be.bsky.social & @vliz.be shows that NASA’s new PACE/OCI hyperspectral sensor can detect blooms of Phaeocystis in the Southern North Sea. This research wouldn't have been possible without the PANTHYR system developed by VLIZ & deployed on the Blue Accelerator of POM WVl.

🌊 Dive into marine biodiversity at WCMB 2026 in Bruges 🇧🇪 📅 17–20 Nov 2026 🔬 Global #MarineBiodiversity experts meet to explore biodiversity trends, innovation & science-to-policy. 📣 Abstracts open → 17 Mar 2026 🎟️ Registration now open 👉 www.wcmb2026.org #WCMB2026 #UNOceandecade #VLIZ

The VLIZ scientific diving team took a training dive in the Put van Ekeren. On the programme: lift-bag tests, navigation practice & sending up a surface marker buoy (SMB) on a reel. At the same time they tried out new kit. More about the VLIZ diving team 🔗 www.vliz.be/en/scientifi...

We are calling for your nominations for the WoRMS Top Ten Marine Species of 2025! Details: marinespecies.org/news.php?p=s... Nomination form: form.vliz.be/en/form/worm... Deadline: Sunday January 25th 2026 @oceancensus.bsky.social @unoceandecade.bsky.social @vliz.be @lifewatcheric.bsky.social

“Fish don’t know borders, so our science shouldn’t either.”, said Ecologist Jan Reubens (@lifewatchbelgium.bsky.social @lifewatchvliz.bsky.social) See how the @vliz.be ETN network connects researchers in Europe 👉 bit.ly/48nObgw @inbo.be

🌍📷@EMarineBoard has launched a new survey on social media usage in science environments, and we’re inviting researchers, science communicators, policy-makers, journalists, educators, NGOs and industry experts to take part. 📷 Take the survey: www.marineboard.eu/embcp-survey...

Every year, @vliz.be surveys the marine research landscape in Flanders and Belgium 🇧🇪📊. The 2024 inventory (2008 - 2024) demonstrates that Belgian marine research is truly multidisciplinary and internationally collaborative 🫱🏿‍🫲🏽 Read the full report 🔗 www.vliz.be/en/news/mult...

VLIZ recruits: a Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) Data Engineer. Are you passionate about leveraging data to advance marine sciences and contribute to EU & global initiatives such as @icos-ri.eu & @socatco2.bsky.social? Join us! Apply no later than 4 January 2026. 🔗 www.vliz.be/en/jobs/vliz...

How effective are plastic clean-up technologies and what risks do they pose? Giulia Leone’s PhD dives into remediation technologies, citizen perceptions & issue of bycatch. A multidisciplinary look at tackling plastics. Congratulations, Giulia! #VLIZ #UGent #INBO 🔗https://vliz.be/en/node/140321

Vlaams Viceminister-president & minister van Wonen, Energie & klimaat, Toerisme & Jeugd Melissa Depraetere bezocht het #VLIZ. Ze maakte kennis met ons klimaatonderzoek, de ingezette technologieën en onze beleidsinformerende instrumenten. Ook blauw toerisme en de energietransitie kwamen aan bod.

Exciting event coming up! The CommOcean Conference team will be hosting an online talk on 'Driving more impactful communication, the World Ocean Assessment as example' on 11 December 2025 at 15:00-17:30 CET! Register here to join us and discuss marine #scicomm: commocean.org/online-talks

Use case testimony by Jan Reubens (@vliz.be) about onboarding fish tracking data from the European Tracking Network (ETN, @aquatictracking.bsky.social) in #EDITO. #DOF2025 #EuropeanDigitalTwinOcean #MissionOcean

Aiman Shaikh @vliz.be introduces the EDITO Forum at #DOF2025. "A collaborative platform designed to foster ongoing collaboration, networking & cooperation among both current & future EDITO projects". Release: January 2026. @mercatorocean.bsky.social @emodnet.bsky.social @copernicusmarine.bsky.social

Stijn Vermaere (IT project manager @vliz.be) shares his experiences of onboarding data of the European Tracking Network in #EDITO. “If everyone is open with their data you have so much more to win than you have to lose” #DOF2025 @aquatictracking.bsky.social

Cyrielle Delvenne (VLIZ) announces #edito ’s first call for financial support for third parties at #DOF2025. Samuel Fooks (VLIZ) talks about his team’s award winning application ‘TwinTrack’ at the Blue-Cloud Hackathon 2025.

EU Digital Twin Ocean #EDITO has entered its 2nd phase with a €14 million investment. Led by @mercatorocean.bsky.social & @vliz.be on behalf of @ec.europa.eu this stage will enhance the platform’s technological capabilities + expand co-creation with Europe’s marine community. 🔗 tinyurl.com/yjr6hcfx

#VLIZ is represented at the Digital Ocean Forum #DOF2025. Scientists, policymakers, innovators & members of the wider ocean community gather to explore the latest advances of the EU DTO @mercatorocean.bsky.social @horizoneu.bsky.social @emodnet.bsky.social @copernicusmarine.bsky.social

Last night, the #LifeWatch SeaWatch-B training took place at the InnovOcean Campus. Alongside an insightful talk on archaeological findings, participants were given a first look at SeaWatch-B data collected over 11 years. @vliz.be

Save the date: the next CommOcean conference will take place 2-3 September 2026 in Bergen (Norway). Awaiting this CommOcean conference, the @emarineboard.bsky.social Communication Panel organises a dedicated CommOCEAN Online Talks on 11 December 2025, 15:00 - 17:30 CET. Register: lnkd.in/eQYq9b_X

🌊 The call for abstracts for the VLIZ Marine Science Day 2026 (#VMSD26) is open! 📅 Deadline: 11 Jan 2026 📍 Ostend, 4 March 2026 🎤 Pitch & poster opportunities. More info here: vliz.be/en/news/vliz... #MarineScience #Research

DuneFront at the Science Day at the @vliz.be 🌊

Joint meeting of the IOC Groups of Experts on Ocean Literacy & of Capacity Development in UNESCO's HQ in #Paris has started. VLIZ is represented by Ann-Katrien Lescrauwaet & @juanajimenez.bsky.social (GoE Capacity Development) and Jan Seys (GoE Ocean Literacy). @unesco.bsky.social

New @emarineboard.bsky.social report shows current marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (#mCDR) methods are not yet ready for large-scale deployment – cutting CO₂ emissions remains essential and MRV frameworks developed. Proud that Peter Landschützer (#VLIZ) contributed.👇 www.vliz.be/en/news/mari...

REGISTRATION for the 7th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity in Bruges, Belgium (17-20 november 2026) IS NOW OPEN! Start your countdown - #WCMB2026 is happening exactly one year from now! 🔗 lnkd.in/eEJEkpHW

VLIZ is hiring: PhD researcher "Immune effects of sea air". Join the VLIZ research group Life's Roots & Rates and unravel the mechanistic links between marine microbial diversity, endotoxin composition & human immune responses. Apply no later than Tuesday, December 9th 🔗 www.vliz.be/en/jobs/vliz...

Peter Landschützer – #VLIZ research director and author of next @ipcc.bsky.social report – contributed to #GlobalCarbonProject 2025: mainly collaborating to insights on role of #ocean in global carbon budget & impact #ClimateChange on extent carbon absorption by ocean. 📎 www.vliz.be/en/news/glob...

#VLIZ is hosting a North Seas Energy Cooperation meeting @InnovOcean Campus. We’re honoured to contribute to the grow of renewable energy. Mathieu Bihet: ‘Holding this meeting in Ostend, Belgium’s main offshore hub, shows our country’s central role in the NSEC’ @fodeconomie.bsky.social @ec.europa.eu

Congrats to @michielperneel.bsky.social on defending his PhD (#VLIZ #VIB #ugent)! 🎓 His research reveals how plankton in the North Sea shape oxygen production & marine food webs, using metatranscriptomics to uncover their hidden daily lives. 🔗https://tinyurl.com/5dejnyac @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social