News

Did you know Flanders has been able to develop a unique set of biodiversity data systems and observation infrastructure? And that these services are consulted daily by hundreds to thousands of users worldwide? This achievement was possible due to the many years (2012-2020) of commitment by the Flemish government to the European LifeWatch ESFRI infrastructure – an ambitious project to support...

Barely 7 months after laying the foundation stone of the new InnovOcean Campus in Oostende the shell of the six-storey building is a fact. The boards of ILVO and VLIZ visited the site in the presence of the contractor. They were assured that the construction is well on track to move into the new campus in the autumn of 2022.

Ocean experts from Europe, Brazil, South Africa, Canada and the US join forces to map and assess both current and future risks from climate change, disasters and human impact on the entire Atlantic ecosystems.

The new results of the national monitoring programme for Belgian marine recreational fisheries, with the focus year 2019, reveal higher catches of sea bass compared to 2018, but also indicate a worrying decline in cod catches in the southern North Sea.

Researchers have created a network of more than 130 artificial reefs – Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) – on the ocean floor in all the European regional seas, helping scientists to understand long-term changes in coastal habitats and providing an early warning system for the arrival of non-indigenous species, the impact of climate change or human activities.

Based on data collected from around the world, the second Global Ocean Science Report 2020 (GOSR2020) offers a global record of how, where and by whom ocean science is conducted. The GOSR monitors our capacity to understand the ocean and seize new opportunities for research and innovation. VLIZ director Jan Mees has personally co-shared the editorial board of the report that was be launched by...

The number of projects involving citizen scientists in the North Sea area has increased significantly in recent years. No fewer than 127 marine citizen science initiatives had the North Sea as their study area. Almost half of the initiatives focus on the investigation and follow-up of one or more plant or animal species. But many projects also zoom in on marine litter. This shows the first...

VLIZ philanthropy opens five grants worth 5.000 euro to young, original thinking marine researchers. PhD students and junior postdocs in Flanders, as well as PhD students from the South, who dare to think out-of-the-box, are eligible for this research funding. Deadline for proposals: 29 January 2021.

The VLIZ Marine Science Day 2021 will come with a spicy and concise digital program on 3 March 2021. Send us your abstract for an online presentation or digital poster (video) presentation before December 16.

On the 2nd of October 2020, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) launched the 'Ocean Innovation Space', an expansion of its Marine Station Ostend. With the new building, VLIZ will be able to increase its research capacity and meet the intensive and rapid growth of the institute.

On 6 October a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to confirm the existing Flemish-Ecuadorian cooperation in marine research and strengthen the exchange of data, information and expertise between the two countries.

To recognize the work of meritorious marine researchers, encourage them to continue doing this in the future, and promote marine scientific research in Flanders: that is what the Flanders Marine Institute wants to achieve with its annual science awards. Until 13 December, candidates for the VLIZ North Sea Award, VLIZ Master Thesis Awards and VLIZ Professional Bachelor Thesis Award can register for...

On 30 June Flemish Minister of Economy, Innovation and Agriculture Hilde Crevits laid the symbolic foundation stone of the new InnovOcean Campus. By the end of 2022, this state-of-the-art and energy efficient building will be the new accommodation for the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and its (inter)national partners, where we will co-house with the Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries...

The amount of plastic in rivers and the ocean is increasing all the time. Within the frame of the PLUXIN project, Flemish scientists, entrepreneurs and The Blue Cluster are joining forces to map the plastics transported to the sea via ports and rivers, using innovative and automatic detection methods. The ultimate goal is to provide solutions and to set up pioneering commercial initiatives in...

Plastic litter is a worldwide problem. Once in the environment, the plastic crumbles into smaller particles. Also through the use of synthetic clothing and cosmetics, abrasive paint layers and car tires, etc. small plastic particles are released. They end up in the air, water and soil. And ultimately also in the sea. Detection and quantification of the smallest fraction of plastics - the so-called...

The marine environment offers a wide variety of organisms. All of them can contain potentially interesting bioactive compounds. Under the motto “who does not seek, does not find”, the PROBIO project aims to intensively screen a selection of marine organisms from Belgian waters for potentially interesting bioactive molecules. The research consortium aims to provide an essential knowledge base for...

To contain the second corona wave, VLIZ is taking measures. Visitors are temporarily not allowed in the offices of VLIZ, including the library. The Marine Station Ostend is exceptionally accessible to third parties, but only by appointment. Most of our employees work from home, but they remain accessible. The VLIZ offices, including the library and the Marine Station Ostend, are currently only...

The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) is also experiencing the consequences of the Corona pandemic. But COVID-19 also created opportunities. In recent weeks, VLIZ has adjusted its activities to focus on social services and new research in the context of the current crisis. This resulted in a varied package of initiatives: