International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

For the ICES civil engineering software package see COGO
COGO
COGO is a suite of programs used in civil engineering for solving coordinate geometry problems.COGO was originally a subsystem of MIT's Integrated Civil Engineering System , developed in the 1960s. Other ICES subsystems included STRUDL, BRIDGE, LEASE, PROJECT, ROADS and TRANSET, and the internal...

.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) (Conseil International de l'Exploration de la Mer (CIEM) in French) is the world’s oldest intergovernmental science organization. ICES is headquartered in Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...

, Denmark, where its multinational Secretariat staff of 51 provide scientific, administrative and secretarial support to the ICES community. It was established on July 22, 1902 in Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Functions

ICES is a leading multidisciplinary scientific forum for the exchange of information and ideas on all aspects of marine sciences pertaining to the North Atlantic, including the adjacent Baltic Sea

Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...

and North Sea

North Sea

In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...

, and for the promotion and coordination of marine research by scientists within its member nations. Its principal functions, both when it was established and continuing to the present time, are to: (i) promote, encourage, develop, and coordinate marine research; (ii) publish and otherwise disseminate results of research; and (iii) provide non-biased, non-political scientific advice to member nation governments and international regulatory commissions.

History

In the late 19th century, a growing concern over the well-being of fish stocks in the North Sea coupled with efforts by different groups of scientists in neighbouring countries to promote and encourage international scientific marine cooperation resulted in the establishment of ICES on July 22, 1902 in Copenhagen, Denmark by eight founding nations: Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

, Finland

Grand Duchy of Finland

The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

, Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

, and the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. The Council’s membership has fluctuated over the years with nations joining/leaving/rejoining at different times as a result of wars and political decisions.

An exchange of letters among the original eight member nations was sufficient to establish the Council in 1902. This type of arrangement continued until the early 1960s when this informal status became unacceptable in light of the establishment of the United Nations and its subsidiary bodies as well as other international organizations. Steps were initiated to achieve full international recognition of the Council by the host country Denmark. At a conference convened in Copenhagen on September 7, 1964, a formal Convention was signed which subsequently came into force on July 22, 1968 following its ratification by the then 17 member nations.

ICES today has 20 member nations including the eight original members plus twelve additional nations: Belgium, Canada, Estonia, France, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. It also has affiliate institutes with observer status from: Australia, Chile, Greece, Peru, and South Africa. Formal observer status has been given to two non-governmental organizations: Worldwide Fund for Nature and Birdlife International

BirdLife International

BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...

Structure

The principal decision and policy-making body of ICES is the Council. The Council consists of a President and two Delegates from each of the 20 member nations. Delegates elect the President, First Vice-President, and five additional Vice-Presidents (all for three-year terms) to comprise the Bureau or Executive Committee. The Bureau is responsible for carrying out the Council's decisions, preparing and convening Council meetings, formulating Council budgets, appointing a Secretariat staff, and performing other tasks as assigned by the Council. A Finance Committee consisting of five Delegates provides oversight to the Council’s fiscal matters. Delegates are also responsible for appointing a General Secretary, who serves as the Council's chief executive officer and is charged with managing the Council's Secretariat facilities and staff, finances, meetings, reports, publications, and communications.

The Council's scientific work is accomplished by various committees and working groups. During the long history of ICES, the committee and working group structure has changed periodically to reflect the needs of the time. At present, there is an Advisory Committee (ACOM) that provides advice to clients on fisheries and marine ecosystem issues, a Science Committee (SCICOM; formally the Consultative Committee as established in the ICES Convention) that oversees all aspects of the scientific work, and steering groups that coordinate the more than 100 expert groups covering most aspects of the marine ecosystem that work under them.

A recently prepared Strategic Plan focuses on science that is broad based, relevant, and farsighted, and providing advice that is rigorous, reliable, and objective. The Plan identifies a Mission which calls for 1) establishing effective arrangements to provide scientific advice; 2) informing interested parties and the public objectively and effectively about marine ecosystem issues; 3) coordinating and enhancing physical, chemical, biological, and interdisciplinary research; 4) fostering partnerships with other organizations that share a common interest; and 5) developing and maintaining accessible marine databases. The Strategic Plan addresses six critical themes: 1) Science, 2) Collaboration, 3) Advice, 4) Data, 5) Communication, and 6) Service support. An Action Plan specifies the activities that will be undertaken over the coming years in order to achieve the goals. It explains how ICES will continue to advance scientific knowledge and improve scientific advice, whereas the goals in the Strategic Plan tell what the overall objectives will be.

ICES work

The scientific work of ICES is done by a community of more than 1600 marine scientists from research institutes and universities in member and affiliate nations collaborating in working and study groups to gather information about the marine ecosystem, fill gaps in existing knowledge, and develop unbiased, non-political advice in addressing terms of reference developed each year by the Advisory and Science Committees at the week-long ICES Annual Science Conference (ASC). The reports of the expert groups are presented at the ASCs and made available on the ICES website . Some groups produce special reports, such as “ICES Report on Ocean Climate” or “ICES Zooplankton Status Report”, that are published in the ICES Cooperative Research Report series.

The ASC (formerly called the Statutory Meeting), held every year in September, generally attracts 500–700 scientists from around the world. The programme features plenary lectures by noted scientists, theme sessions of contributed papers addressing timely multidisciplinary topics, and poster sessions. In addition, meetings of the Committees, , Bureau, and Council are held to conduct the necessary business of the organization.

During the year, meetings of the more than 100 expert groups and workshops are held either at ICES headquarters in Copenhagen or at venues in member (and occasionally affiliate) nations to address terms of reference developed at the previous ASC.

Symposia are an important part of the ICES work programme, not least because they foster the broadening of the diversity of scientists who participate in ICES activities. ICES welcomes proposals for stimulating symposia on topics that are fundamental to the science components of the ICES Strategic Plan including (a) understanding the physical, chemical, and biological functioning of marine ecosystems, (b) understanding and quantifying human impacts on marine ecosystems, including living marine resources, and (c) evaluating options for sustainable marine-related industries, particularly fishing and mariculture. ICES generally sponsors, either itself or in collaboration with other organizations, at least two, and sometimes as many as seven or eight, scientific symposia in a calendar year.

The ICES Recognition Programme honours individuals whose contributions have improved ICES and the community of scientists associated with it, advanced marine science, and/or exemplify the objective application of ICES scientific information to societal decisions concerning the sustainable use of marine ecosystems. The Programme consists of four awards:

Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes a sustained, outstanding performance and exceptional contribution by a member of the ICES community whose career has been distinguished by a sustained commitment to excellence in such endeavours as science and research, and leadership.
Prix d’Excellence Award recognizes the highest level of contribution to the ICES vision of “An international scientific community that is relevant, responsive, sound, and credible, concerning marine ecosystems and their relation to humanity”.
Merit Awards give formal recognition to the best research paper and poster given at the Annual Science Conference, and to the best up-and-coming new scientist making a presentation at the Annual Science Conference.
Service Awards recognize the achievements and contributions of outgoing chairs of expert groups, science and advisory groups, and conveners of Annual Science Conference theme sessions and ICES symposia which further the objectives of ICES.

Advice

The Council has delegated its advisory authority to the Advisory Committee (ACOM), which designs strategies and processes for the preparation of advice, manages the advisory processes, and creates and delivers advice, subject to direction from the Council. ACOM works on the basis of scientific analyses prepared in the ICES expert groups, and the advisory process includes peer review of the analyses before it can be used as the basis for advice. ACOM has one member from each member nation under the direction of an independent chair appointed by the Council.

Unbiased scientific advice is provided to member nation governments and international regulatory commissions in support of the management and conservation of coastal and ocean resources and ecosystems. Advice on the management of 135 separate finfish and shellfish stocks is provided to the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC), North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO

North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization

The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization is an international organization established under the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean from October 1 1983....

), and the European Commission (EC

European Commission

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

). Advice and scientific information on anthropogenic impacts to the marine environment are provided to the Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR

Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic

The or OSPAR Convention is the current legislative instrument regulating international cooperation on environmental protection in the North-East Atlantic. It combines and up-dates the 1972 Oslo Convention on dumping waste at sea and the 1974 Paris Convention on land-based sources of marine pollution...

), the European Commission (EC), and the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM

Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission

The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission is an international organization governing the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area . HELCOM works on protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea...

Publications

ICES produces a variety of publications reflecting its commitment to excellence and the diversity of ICES concerns. Many of these publications can be found on the ICES website for download and viewing. ICES issued its first publication within a year of its establishment. Since then, it has published thousands more, including many that are now considered to be the standard references in their fields. The following are the present publications series:

ICES Journal of Marine Science (Journal du Conseil) constitutes a primary source for articles on fishery-oriented marine science and is a standard reference for work in the fields of ecology, population studies, plankton research, and physical and chemical oceanography, among others. Since January 2007, the Journal has been published by Oxford University Press.
ICES Advice annually presents the collected information from the Advisory Committee (ACOM). The advice is based on an ecosystem approach to management.
ICES Cooperative Research Report (Rapport des Recherches Collectives) presents reports prepared by ICES Expert Groups and ad hoc groups, and edited reports on cooperative research activities organized by the Council.
Techniques in Marine Environmental Sciences presents detailed descriptions of methods and procedures relating to chemical and biological measurements in the marine environment.
ICES Identification Leaflets for Plankton (Fiches d’Identification du Plancton) furnish keys, in a standardized form, for the identification of the major plankton species in the North Atlantic.
ICES Identification Leaflets for Diseases and Parasites of Fish and Shellfish (Fiches d’Identification des Maladies et Parasites des Poissons, Crustacés et Mollusques)

serve as diagnostic aids and present, in a standardized format, information about the most important diseases and parasites of fish and shellfish in the North Atlantic and adjacent seas.

ICES Fisheries Statistics present nominal catch statistics for the Northeast Atlantic for 1973–2000, presented using FishStat Plus software, as well as catch statistics for the entire Atlantic for 1950–1998.
ICES Marine Science Symposia (Actes du Symposium) contains the scientific papers and proceedings of Symposia and Special Meetings held under the auspices of ICES independently or in collaboration with cooperating organizations. Since 1995, most of these volumes have been published as special numbers in the ICES Journal of Marine Science, but continue to be included in the consecutive numbering system of the ICES MSS series.
ICES Insight is an annual publication that offers more in-depth articles exploring subjects that feature prominently in ICES work.
ICES Annual Reports recap ICES annual activities and scientific network.
ICES Inside Out is a regularly appearing electronic newsletter that updates subscribers on the activities of ICES and its Secretariat.
CD-ROMs contain papers (CM Documents) presented at ICES Annual Science Conferences and may be ordered from the Secretariat.
ICES Newsletters from years past are archived and available at the ICES website.
Miscellaneous publications not included in the above series are available on the ICES website.

Data

Scientists working through ICES gather information about the marine ecosystem. The data from this work is held at the ICES Data Centre, a cross-discipline department with expertise in fisheries, oceanography and the marine environment. The Data Centre holdings include some of the largest databases in the world on these subjects. The Data Centre is staffed by data managers and programmers who manage the data submissions and guidelines and develop tools and products to facilitate the use of the data by end users ranging from scientists to policy-makers. In addition, the ICES Data Centre acts as the Marine Data Centre for the regional marine convention in the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) http://www.ospar.org and the Baltic Sea (HELCOM) http://www.helcom.fi

List of presidents

Dr Walther Herwig
Walther Herwig
Walther Herwig was a Prussian administrative lawyer, and the founder of the German fisheries science....

, Germany (1902–1908)
Mr W.E. Archer, UK (1908–1912)
Mr F. Rose, Germany (1912–1915)
Prof. Otto Pettersson, Sweden (1915–1920)
Mr Henry G. Maurice, UK (1920–1938)
Prof. Johan Hjort
Johan Hjort
Johan Hjort FRS was a Norwegian fisheries scientist, marine zoologist, and oceanographer. He was among the most prominent and influential marine zoologists of his time.- The early years :...

, Norway (1938–1948)
Dr K.A. Andersson, Sweden (1948–1952)
Mr A.T.A. Dobson, UK (1952–1955)
Prof. H.U. Sverdrup
Harald Sverdrup
Harald Ulrik Sverdrup was a Norwegian oceanographer and meteorologist who made a number of important theoretical discoveries in these fields. Having first worked in Bergen and Leipzig he was the scientific director of the North Polar expedition of Roald Amundsen aboard the Maud from 1918 to 1925...

, Norway (1955–1957)
Dr Å. Vedel Tåning, Denmark (1957–1958)
Dr J. Furnestin, France (1958–1963)
Dr J. Hult, Sweden (1963–1966)
Dr A.E.J. Went, Ireland (1966–1969)
Prof. W. Cieglewicz, Poland (1969–1972)
M R. Letaconnoux, France (1972–1975)
Prof. G. Nikolsky, USSR (1975–1976)
Mr B.B. Parrish, UK (1976–1979)
Prof. Gotthilf Hempel
Gotthilf Hempel
Gotthilf Hempel is a retired German marine biologist and oceanographer.Hempel studied biology and geology at the universities of Mainz and Heidelberg. In 1952 he gained his Ph.D. with a study on the energetics of grasshopper jumps from Heidelberg University...

, Fed. Rep. of Germany (1979–1982)
Prof. W.S. Wooster, USA (1982–1985)
Mr O.J. Østvedt, Norway (1985–1988)
Mr Jakob Jakobsson, Iceland (1988–1991)
Mr D. de G. Griffith, Ireland (1991–1994)
M A. Maucorps, France (1994–1997)
Dr L. Scott Parsons, Canada (1997–2000)
Prof. Pentti Mälkki, Finland (2000–2003)
Dr M.P. Sissenwine, USA (2003–2006)
Dr Joe Horwood, UK (2006–2009)
Dr. Michael Sinclair, Canada (2009–2012)

List of General Secretaries

Dr P. P. C. Hoek, The Netherlands (1902–1908)
Captain C. F. Drechsel, Denmark (1908–1927)
Captain K. Schøning, Denmark (1927–1932; Administrative Secretary)
Captain M. W. Nellemose, Denmark (1932–1944)
Ms E. Brønniche, Denmark (1944–1945; Acting Administrative Secretary)
Dr H. Blegvad, Denmark (1945–1950)
Dr P. Jespersen, Denmark (1950–1952)
Mr V. Dessau, Denmark (1952–1953)
Mr Á. Fridriksson, Iceland (1954–1964)
Mr H. Tambs–Lyche, Norway (1964–1983)
Dr B. B. Parrish, UK (1983–1989)
Dr E. D. Anderson, USA (1989–1993)
Prof. C. C. E. Hopkins, Norway (1994–1999)
Mr D. de G. Griffith, Ireland (2000–2006)
Dr G. Hubold, Germany (2006 –

External links

Le CIEM fête ses cent ans ("The ICES celebrates its 100th birthday"); brief overview of the history of the ICES in French.

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