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.
G-STIC 2019
This year’s G-STIC was the key meeting place and global platform for market-ready integrated technological solutions aiming to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Starting in 2017 with a conference attended by more than 1000 participants, this year’s edition took place from the 20th to the 22nd November and attracted a larger crowd.
Setting sail to solve plastic pollution, the eXXpedition project
“We don’t need more data to prove we’ve got a problem, we just need to solve it.” Is the statement made by Emily Penn, an ocean advocate and skipper who has been working on the plastics issue for the last 12 years. Following the very same issue, in 2014 Emily co-founded eXXpedition. She is the mission director of the current voyage, Round the World, a 2-year voyage which started on 7th October 2019 and will continue to April 2021, counting on 300 women sailing 38000 nautical miles divided into 30 legs.