MARBENA Creating a long-term infrastructure for MARine Biodiversity research in the European economic area and the Newly Associated states

The Eigth MARBENA e-conference will run for two weeks, from 15 to 26 November 2004:

Marine biodiversity research that matters!

Conference chairs:

• Dr Carlo Heip, Netherlands Institute of Ecology; Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, The Netherlands

co-chairs:

• Dr Ies de Vries, Rijksinstituut voor Kust en Zee (RIKZ), The Netherlands
• Dr Wim Wolff, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
• Dr Sergej Olenin, Klaipeda University; Coastal Research and Planning Institute, Lithuania
• Dr Henn Ojaveer, University of Tartu; Estonian Marine Institute, Estonia
• Dr Han Lindeboom, University of Wageningen; Alterra; Team Wad & Sea, Landscape Centre, The Netherlands
• Dr Ricardo Serrao Santos, University of the Azores; Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Portugal

The following case studies will be addressed:

Topic	Starting date	Title	Introduced by
1	15 November	Introduction	Carlo Heip
2	15 November	Species Invasions: Marine bio-invasions and research policy - Ballast water as vehicle for exotic marine species invasions	Sergej Olenin
3a	16 November	Fisheries - Management of fish resources - The Baltic Sea	Henn Ojaveer
3b	17 November	Fisheries - Marine Protected Areas in the North Sea: To protect fisheries or biodiversity? - The Plaice Box	Han Lindeboom
4	18 November	Marine Protected Areas: Natura 2000 and beyond (OSPAR) - The Azores	Ricardo Serrão Santos
5	19 November	Eutrophication - Nitrogen input in coastal waters	Ies de Vries
6	22 November	Exploitation - Exploitation of shellfish in the Wadden Sea, project EVA II	Wim Wolff
	25 - 26 November	General discussions and synthesis	Carlo Heip

Within each case, the discussion will be focused on the success or failure of the INTERACTION between scientists, policymakers and the public at large. Preferably each discussion should end with a list of factors that positively or negatively influenced the interactions between science-policy-public, their effects on the overall success or failure of the case, and recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the interaction. The input of policymakers is warmly welcomed.