Successful 2007 ASC in Helsinki

In his opening address, ICES President Joe Horwood, told the conference participants, “The science conference is becoming increasingly popular. Almost a victim of our own success, we may have to limit numbers next year”.

He pointed out that the conference had attracted 650 attendees from over 30 countries. “We are very pleased that ICES was able to provide support for ten young scientists to attend this year’s ASC, and, for the first time, we have invited ten young fishermen to come and see our work and meet the people”.

Strong measures needed to achieve better health of the marine ecosystems of the Baltic Sea

Erik Bonsdorff, professor at the Åbo Akademi University in Helsinki, gave the Opening Lecture on “The role of science in the management of environmental problems of the Baltic Sea”.

Nils Hammer, Chair of the Baltic Committee: At the beginning of the ICES Annual Science Conference in Helsinki the Baltic Committee discussed extensively how ICES work and ICES research in the Baltic Sea should in future be organized and embedded in the ICES structure. The Baltic Committee is one of 8 permanent Committees within ICES. It is, however, presently the only regional one. It is a regional committee for a good reason: the Baltic is an area of very specific hydrography, ecology, biology and environmental problems. Throughout the past decades the scientists of the bordering countries have formed an effective scientific network in projects and scientific working groups of ICES. This provides the basis to work intensively on the integration of biological, ecological and environmental factors in the assessments. This structure was analysed and reviewed in the context of the internal structural discussions of ICES. In a nutshell it was concluded that this regional approach to structure the present cooperation is successful and should be continued.