Indo-EU workshop on marine ecosystem in Kochi next week

KOCHI: To popularise scientific works and to explore the possibilities for collaboration, an Indo-European Union workshop on marine ecosystem and climate in India will be held here next week.

Kerala Fisheries Minister K Babu will inaugurate the two-day meet being jointly organised by Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) and Nansen Environmental Research Centre (NERCI), India under the auspices of the EU-INDO-MARECLIM project of European Union FP-7.

KUFOS officials said the workshop is aimed at commercialising and disseminating the knowledge and information based on the current status of scientific works conducted in the country and to initiate a tie-up between India and the European Union on protecting marine ecosystem.

Eminent oceanographers, naval exponents, maritime industrialists and environmentalists from the European Union Members States and India will attend the workshop that will deal with the issues such as climate change, sea level variations coastal zone management and other climate issues, they said.

"The workshop will be a platform for the experts to discuss scientific, academic, environmental and climatic aspects related to oceans," said B Madhusoodana Kurup, Vice Chancellor of KUFOS.

The meet is expected to discuss ways and means to use ocean resources and to reach out to a mutual co-operation between India and the European Union Member States, said N R Menon, Coordinator of INDO-MARECLIM project and Co-Chairman of NERCI.

The INDO-MARECLIM project envisages developing an institutional network in India to embark on joint research ventures from a case to case basis.

The project aims at facilitating and improving the co-operation between the European Union members states and associated countries and India.