Marine scientists gather in Brest for ICES flagship conference

• September 15, 2026

More than 800 delegates attend the 2026 Annual Science Conference, with the PHAROS project represented and a specialist CEDRE tour on the agenda.

The 2026 Annual Science Conference (ASC) of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) opened today at Le Quartz National Stage in Brest, France, bringing together more than 800 international marine scientists, managers, policymakers and early-career researchers.

Running from 15 to 18 September, the ASC is ICES’s flagship scientific meeting. It provides a forum for marine scientists from around the world to present new research, exchange knowledge and foster scientific collaboration.

Among those attending is Gordon Dalton, Project Coordinator of PHAROS, who is representing the project at the conference. We showcased our unique virtual reality tour using VR goggles where participants gained the ability to dive in first-person view and see our Gran Canaria demonstration site.

The four-day programme features 18 theme sessions, seven network sessions and poster presentations. Topics under discussion include ecosystem science, ocean conservation, human impacts and emerging technologies. The scientific programme covers a broad range of subjects across ICES science.

As part of the proceedings, a specialised tour of CEDRE, the Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution, has been organised. The tour is intended to showcase technical capabilities and operational strategies in managing marine pollution.

The conference continues until Friday 18 September.