The AIR Centre’s Executive Director, Miguel Miranda, participated in the International Conference on Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture (CIPAS 2025) in Luanda, Angola, showcasing the application of Copernicus Earth Observation data to enhance ocean monitoring and support fisheries operations in Angolan waters.
Organized by Angola’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources under the theme “Responsible Fishing and Sustainable Aquaculture: A Challenge, a Commitment, a Mission Uniting the Nation,” the two-day conference brought together national and international experts to foster dialogue on sustainable fisheries.
On November 5, Miguel Miranda presented “Integration of Copernicus Data into the INIPM Portal: Supporting Ocean Monitoring and Fisheries Operations” as part of the Science, Data and Ocean Monitoring panel. His presentation highlighted the AIR Centre’s collaboration with Angola’s National Institute of Fisheries and Marine Research (INIPM) to enhance ocean observation capabilities using advanced satellite data. He also promoted the sea state forecasting service supported by the AIR Centre, which provides real-time data on significant wave height, peak period, currents, temperature, salinity, and elevation for Angola’s coastal waters – essential parameters for safe and efficient fisheries operations. This service is now fully accessible via INIPM’s official portal.
By integrating Copernicus data into local monitoring systems, the AIR Centre is supporting Angola in strengthening its capacity for evidence-based fisheries management and ocean surveillance, bridging Earth Observation technology with practical applications for ocean sustainability.
The conference was opened by José de Lima Massano, Minister of State for Economic Coordination, who emphasized Angola’s commitment to the National Development Programme 2023-2027 and the National Strategy for the Sea of Angola 2030, aligning with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the African Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050.
The AIR Centre’s participation in CIPAS 2025 reinforces its commitment to supporting sustainable ocean management and fostering international collaboration in marine science across the Atlantic basin.
ESAPlastics
ESAPlastics – De-Risk Action: Spectrometer for Marine Litter. This action will evaluate and develop at a low TRL, prospective technology that in the future can lead to the development of a spectrometer for marine litter detection from space. Clearly there is an opportunity to develop innovative technology that can take advantage of Earth Observation satellite constellation to provide a continuous monitoring of earth oceans and coastal areas.
Networking Friday with the Portuguese Hydrographic Institute
On April 9th, 2021, 1-2 PM UTC, Miguel Bessa Pacheco, Technical Director, and João Vitorino, Oceanographer, will tell us how the Portuguese Hydrographic Institute (Instituto Hidrográfico) contributes to expand the scientific knowledge of the Atlantic Ocean.
Image of the Day | March 31, 2021 | Sahara Dust
Image taken by NASA’s Terra using the MODIS instrument on March 30, 2021 showing a plume of dust heading from North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula.