Workshop on Ocean and Coastal Information in Support of Marine Resources and Biodiversity in the Macaronesia

The AIR Centre is working to define scientific and technological initiatives to undertake in the Macaronesia and Sao Tome and Principe region. In coordination with the GEO Blue Planet Initiative, the Marine Biodiversity Network (MBON), the Cape Verde National Institute of Fisheries Development (INDP), the Cape Verde Ocean Science Center Mindelo (OSCM), the AIR Centre organized a workshop in Mindelo, Cape Verde on “Ocean and Coastal Information in Support of Marine Resources and Biodiversity in the Macaronesia and Sao Tome and Principe region. The workshop focused on identifying Earth Observation (EO) ocean and coastal needs for fisheries, marine aquaculture, biodiversity and marine spatial planning in the region. This initiative was aligned with the Praia Declaration topic “Marine Resources and Biodiversity: Promote Sustainable Fisheries, aquaculture and ecosystem valorization”, signed by eight countries at the 3rd AIR Centre High Level Dialogue that took place in Praia, Cape Verde, May 7-8, 2018. Workshop Objectives • Inform local and regional stakeholders about the technology and methods for deriving ocean and coastal information for use in sustainable fisheries management, aquaculture site selection and management and biodiversity monitoring; • Support local and regional decision makers on the use on ocean and coastal information to assess marine and coastal spatial planning options; • Identify potential marine resources and biodiversity initiatives for the AIR Centre and relevant partners to pursue in the region; • Map capacities needed in the region for deriving ocean and coastal information, identify gaps and promote capacity and institution building initiatives in the region. Outcomes This workshop produced a list of user stories related to coastal and information needs to be shared and discussed with data and service providers such as NASA, NOAA, ESA and Copernicus. The workshop was seen as a first stepping stone into a series of Atlantic regional workshops aimed at the development of innovative user-oriented Earth observation services and products as well as the identification of new initiatives for the AIR Centre to pursue, such as workshops covering other topical and regional areas (as the Southern-West and Southern East Atlantic). Participants The workshop was open to all local and regional stakeholders and interested data/service providers, including: • National Statistical Offices; • Ministries of Environment, Education and Maritime Economy Industry; • Local and regional Small and Medium Enterprises; • Non-governmental organizations; • Traditional community representatives; • Providers of ocean and coastal data, products and information; • Representatives from SDG custodian agencies.