Flanders Marine Institute · Presentation VLIZ – 2 May 2007. 1 Flanders Marine Institute Vlaams...

Presentation VLIZ – 2 May 2007. 1

Flanders Marine Institute

Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee -VLIZ

Jan Mees, director


Introduction - VLIZ

• Founded in 1999, operational since 2000• Financially supported by the Ministry of Flanders

(85%) and the Province of West Flanders (15%)• Autonomous institute• Supports marine scientific research• Does not undertake actual research activities• All marine sciences: multidisciplinary• All ocean, coastal and estuarine systems


Target groups• Researchers in universities and scientific institutes

• The government and administrations – at local, provincial, regional, federal, European, multilateral levels

• Private companies

• The media, teachers, interested individuals, the public at large


Area of Interest• Geographic

• Belgian continental shelf and Schelde estuary• Southern Bight of the North Sea• All regions where our scientists are or have been

active• All ‘marine habitats’ (incl. coastal and estuarine)

• Topics• All marine sciences


Marine sciences in Belgium

• 99 research groups (650+ people)

• 52 teams in Flemish universities• 28 teams in francophone universities• 7 teams in Flemish institutes• 12 teams in Federal institutes

+ some 35 private companies


VLIZ is• An information and coordination centre for marine,

coastal, and estuarine scientific research in Flanders• A coordination platform for policymaking, for

international cooperation and for logistic support• An oceanographic platform that puts a RV and

shared research equipment and infrastructure at the disposal of researchers

• A marine data and information centre, incl. a multimedia library

• A science-supporting service, with emphasis on popularization and public awareness building


Objectives VLIZ

• Promote, support and stimulate marine scientific research in Flanders

• Increase international visibility and function as an international focal point

• Increase visibility of marine research to the public at large

• Supply policy makers with scientific information about the sea (and land-sea interface)


Activities VLIZ• Facilitating marine scientific research logistically

• Integrating in international networks

• Managing an Oceanographic Data Centre

• Facilitating a network of scientists and other stakeholders

• Providing objective, scientific information.


Coastal dune research


RV “Zeeleeuw” and associated facilities

• VLIZ-cruises for monitoring• Sampling campaigns for scientists• Investments and maintenance equipment• Development data acquisition system


Objectives Data Centre• To provide researchers, the government and those

interested with data and information, in a suitable and prompt way

• To stimulate networking by documenting availability of data of research groups and governmental authorities, also on international scale

• To detect needs; create databases for interdisciplinary research, taking into account the accepted international standards

• Integration of different types of data, including control on consistency and quality


Activities• Website• Development of databases

• Information: IMIS• Data: IMERS, Aphia, Eurobis, biological databases• Other external datasets

• Services to VLIZ members• Collaboration in projects/international

organisationshttp://www.vliz.be

http://www.vliz.be/


Other activities

• Sharing expertise• in projects, but also as part of core activities

• Archiving datasets• danger of data loss after end of (PhD-, MSc-)

project• long-term, well documented• catalogue

• Redistributing datasets• Representation in international forums


Information service

• Answer questions...• Give information and advice...


Underlying principles, framework• Scientific institute, but no research.• Multi- and interdisciplinary.• All marine, tidal and coastal systems.• All domains and areas of interest to our scientists.• Science-base of all information.• Promoting integrated approach.• Neutral and open.• Promoting sustainability.


International collaboration• ESF Marine Board• EurOcean• ERVO• EURASLIC• MARS• ASFA

• NODC for Flanders (IODE/IOC/UNESCO)

• EurOBIS (CoML)

FP6 (EU financement tool)

• MarinERA (for AWI)• MarBEF

• MARBENA• MarineXML

• ENCORA• SeaDataNET


International collaboration

Interreg• Collaboration with Nord-Pas de Calais• Southern Bight of the North Sea: SAIL• Integrated Coastal Zone Management:

DEDUCE, COREPOINT

Regions of Knowledge• MAREDFLOW: Flanders Maritime Knowledge

Region


International collaboration

Bilateral collaboration:• Focus on The Netherlands• ‘Priority countries’ for Flanders: central and

eastern Europe• ‘Twinning’ with institutes abroad (Bulgaria,

Ukraïne, Kenya/Tanzania, Chile)


Examples of databases and websites


Promoting Marine Science in the wider community:-Expedition ‘Zeeleeuw’ (Sea lion): targets youngsters

-‘Young Marine Scientists Day’ annual event to promote research to and from these young researchers


VLIZ-Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee

Flanders Marine Institute

Wandelaarkaai 1

B-8400 Oostende

http://www.vliz.be

© Westtoer

© Westtoer

Flanders Marine Institute · Presentation VLIZ – 2 May 2007. 1 Flanders Marine Institute Vlaams...

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