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.
Networking Friday with Sheila Heymans (European Marine Board)
On June 12th, 1-2 PM TC, Sheila Heymans used the the EMB – European Marine Board timeline to look at the larger marine science policy landscape in Europe and share her experience with people from other backgrounds and geographies. Sheila is the Executive Director of EMB, Co-chair of the Steering Group and member of the Advisory Committee of EOOS – European Ocean Observation System and Professor in Ecosystem Modelling at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) in Scotland. The moderator was Wendy Watson Wright, inaugural CEO of the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI). Headquartered in Atlantic Canada, former Executive Secretary and Assistant Director General of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) and Founder and CEO of 7 Mile Bay, which is a consulting practice on ocean governance, science, policy, literacy, and other ocean-related issues.
UPDATE #5: Water quality improvement
Networking Friday with Yasser Omar (IST – University of Lisbon)
On June 5th, always at 1-2 PM UTC, we will meet Yasser Omar, Professor at Instituto Superior Tecnico, University of Lisbon. He will present LEA – Listening to the Earth under the Atlantic, a pioneering project aiming at developing real-time sensing at the bottom of the Atlantic, namely to monitor the oceanic environment and its relation to climate change, as well as to sense submarine earthquakes live, opening way to novel and more reliable solutions for the early-warning of tsunamis, civil protection, and coastal resilience. The session will be moderated by Jose Barros, Director of External Affairs of ANACOM, which is the Portuguese National Regulatory Authority for communications.