VLIZ Annual report 2014: what challenges were there in 2014 for VLIZ?

To highlight some activities among others in 2014: the extension of the sailing schedule of the research vessel Simon Stevin, the fully operational Marine Station Ostend (MSO), the publication of derived products based on the Compendium for Coast and Sea, the launch of the secretariat of the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) at the InnovOcean site, and the many (re)new(ed) cooperation agreements with authorities, the industry and scientific institutions in Belgium and abroad. Equally important for the operation of VLIZ are the many organized events and conferences such as the World Ocean Day, the SeArch seminar, the annual Young Marine Scientists' Day, the Seaside Dip for Teachers and the startup of an enthusiastic volunteer group with the sea as charity (SeaWatch-B).