At the time of writing, the large, annual Danish Marine Science Meeting is underway. This year, DTU Aqua is the host, and the conference is fully booked with over 400 registrants and a program that abounds in variation from oxygen depletion and pressured ecosystems, over storm surges to observation technology.
These days, DTU Aqua has the honor of hosting the large annual meeting of marine scientists. With more than 400 participants and a fully sold-out hall, this year is not only the 22nd meeting of marine scientists but also the largest ever.
The Danish Marine Science Meeting takes place on 23, 24 and 25 January. It's three days of a broad pallette of treats from the sea - the field of marine research is widely represented ranging from the latest news on biodiversity, oxygen depletion and pressured ecosystems, to observation technology and the development of new technological fishing tools for specialty coups, storm surges and the future of the sea.
See the program with presenters on the website of the Marine Science Meeting
For Karen Edelvang, who is section leader and in charge at DTU Aqua for the Marine Science Meeting this year, it is also 30 years since she attended the eighth Danish Marine Science Meeting in Odense, which was held on 10 January 1994. She remembers that she was heavily pregnant, and was somewhat out of breath during his presentation. This year, it is the many registrants who take her breath away:
"It is fantastic to have such great support for this year's Marine Science Meeting. I see the large influx to this year's meeting as a sign that we marine scientists take it seriously. Our ocean suffers from climate and environmental impacts, and it is important that we share knowledge and talk about what can be done. It's a bit of a maritime saying, "all women and men on deck", says Karen Edelvang.
When asked why it is so important to get all men and women on deck for this cause, Karen Edelvang says:
"There is a long tradition of marine researcher meetings. Over the years, it has been a unique forum where both researchers, students, technicians, laboratory technicians and decision-makers have been able to meet informally and share their common passion for the sea.”
The sea has come up high on the political agenda
Karen Edelvang points out that when there are so many participants this year, it also reflects that with the UN's Decade of the Oceans 2021-30 and the Danish Ocean Plan, the sea has also come up very high on the political agenda.
Since Karen Edelvang attended her first Marine Research Meeting in January 1992 in Århus, the Marine Science Meetings have been held at all the country's universities, all of which will also participate in the conference in 2024.
When Karen Edelvang had welcomed and sharpened a number of practical things for the participants, Head of Institute at DTU Aqua, Fritz Köster, kicked off the conference days with a speech in which he emphasized the importance of us continuing to do research in the North Atlantic.
In 2026/2027, Denmark will get a new research ship, the Dana V, while both the Faroe Islands and Greenland already inaugurated their new ships Jakup Sverri and Tarajoq last year. It will strengthen cooperation in marine research in both Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
The annual Marine Science Meeting presents the broad range of research into life in the sea, marine environment, observation technology for the sea, aquatic environment and much more. In addition to keynote speakers and various presentations, there are scientific posters where you can immerse yourself in all the marine research projects that are underway around the country's marine research institutions.
Photos: Anne Trap-Lind
In charge of this year's conference Karen Edelvang presents Head of institute at DTU Aqua Fritz Köster who welcomes the participants
Professor at Århus Universitet Stiig Markager is the first keynote speaker
Coffee break among the more than 400 participants at this year's Danish Marine Science Meeting.
After lunch, the breakout sessions begin in the smaller i DTU's building 116.
Danish Marine Science Meeting also presents a bunch of different scientific posters to explore.
Day 2, the participants are in for a keynote speech on sea currents under transformation by Professor Kathrine Richardson from University of Copenhagen. GLOBE..
The audience had several good questions for the professor | photo below by Troels Lange
The lunch at this year's Danish Marine Science Meeting was a variation of vegetarian + fish = pescetarian | photo below by Troels Lange
