New study led by Mercator Ocean expert highlights potential of miniaturised tags for tracking young sea turtles
A new paper published in the international peer-reviewed journal Animals has shed light on new technologies to track sea turtles during their so-called “lost years”. Led by Tony Candela, oceanographer and marine ecosystem modeler at Mercator Ocean, the study describes the results of 3 years of experiments in which scientists equipped 160 young specimens of […]
New study reveals climate change’s toll on fish populations and calls for sustainable fisheries
A new study, led by Dr Angus Atkinson, the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, sheds light on a pressing concern: climate change is silently undermining the Ocean’s capacity to sustain fish populations. Co-authored by Mercator Ocean International’s oceanographer Maria Grigoratou and 9 authors from 6 different countries, the research uncovers a hidden amplification mechanism when changes in […]
Exploring Mercator Ocean’s partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Mercator Ocean International (MOi) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have been closely cooperating on a broad range of initiatives since the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2022. Areas of mutual interest include the development of global Ocean and coastal observation initiatives, the promotion of enhanced environmental management in developing economies […]
Launching the OceanPrediction DCC Website: Empowering the Global Ocean Prediction Community
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre (OceanPrediction DCC) website, a significant milestone in Mercator Ocean International’s (MOi) mission to enhance global cooperation surrounding Ocean prediction. As a pivotal component of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the OceanPrediction DCC, implemented by MOi, strives to […]
New Paper Co-Authored by MOi Oceanographers Reports Record-Breaking Ocean Heat Content Levels In 2023
A new research paper in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment “Ocean Heat Content in 2023” has provided insight into the worldwide increase of Ocean Heat Content (OHC), which indicates the quantity of energy absorbed by the Ocean at varying depths and locations. The authors, who include Mercator Ocean oceanographers Karina von Schuckmann and Audrey Minière, […]
Strengthening collaboration with the marine stakeholders and Ocean data users in Africa
In the framework of the GEO Blue Planet initiative, Mercator Ocean International in collaboration with UNEP organised a four-day workshop from 4 to 7 March 2024, entitled, “Ocean observation and prediction for coastal sustainability in Africa”. The workshop took place at the UN Office at Nairobi (UNON), bringing together 58 participants from 17 countries representing […]
NECCTON project – officially endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade
The NECCTON project, which stands for “New Copernicus Capability for Trophic Ocean Networks”, is a pioneering four-year initiative funded under the Horizon Europe, the ambitious EU research & innovation framework programme for 2021-2027. NECCTON received an official endorsement by the UN Ocean Decade as project of the Marine Life 2030 programme, reconfirming its commitment to […]
Enhancing Coastal Observation and Forecasting with FOCCUS
Mercator Ocean International is part of a 19-member consortium set to implement the EU-funded FOCCUS project kicking off on 6-8 March 2024 in Berlin – at the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Wissenschaftsforum. FOCCUS (Forecasting and Observing the Open-to-Coastal Ocean for Copernicus Users) is part of the 2023 Horizon Europe calls for Space supervised by HaDEA, the Health […]
2023 was an unusual year for sea ice extent. What to expect from this season’s Arctic and Antarctic sea ice?
This time of year, maximum and minimum sea ice coverage is expected in the Arctic and in the Antarctic, respectively. At opposite seasonal cycles, the north and south poles reach their freezing and melting peaks every year between February and March. Scientists at Mercator Ocean International (MOi) have been monitoring seasonal sea ice changes using […]
Making Ocean knowledge accessible to all with revamped Ocean Explainers and a brand-new Ocean Climate Portal
In a bid to make ocean science accessible to all, Mercator Ocean has unveiled new digital features on the Copernicus Marine Service web platform. New elements include an upgrade of the Copernicus Marine’s Ocean Explainers, originally released in 2021, and the launch of the brand-new Ocean Climate Portal. These two initiatives aim to improve the […]
ACCIBERG: improving the quality of arctic forecasts
Navigating Arctic waters poses significant challenges due to the presence of sea ice and icebergs. While forecasts for sea ice are available through the Copernicus Marine and Climate Change Services, information about icebergs is limited, only derived-satellite observations are provided in specific regions. The ACCIBERG (Arctic Cross-Copernicus forecast products for sea Ice and iceBERGs) project, […]
Mercator Ocean becomes Observer of the OSPAR Convention
In July 2023, Mercator Ocean International (MOi) became Observer of the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic. The OSPAR Convention, governed by the OSPAR Commission, works to address environmental issues affecting the North-East Atlantic region. OSPAR’s latest publication, the Quality Status Report 2023, provides a comprehensive assessment of […]