This week, MBARI and our education and conservation partner, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, hosted the Oceano Azul Foundation and ARDITI (Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation) for a two-day workshop to develop strategies for advancing ocean exploration and science in support of conservation and policy.

The Oceano Azul Foundation is a Portuguese nonprofit organization committed to advancing science, driving policy change, and transforming decision-making to ensure a healthy and resilient ocean. ARDITI is a private, nonprofit organization that supports research, technological development, innovation, and scientific capacity-building in Madeira, a strategically located Northeast Atlantic region that is strengthening its role as a hub for deep ocean science, marine technologies, and data-driven approaches to conservation, monitoring, and sustainable ocean governance.

Members of the boards of directors for both organizations visited MBARI and the Monterey Bay Aquarium to discuss how new developments in ocean science and technology can help support the collection of scientific data critical for monitoring ocean conservation efforts, especially in the high seas around the Azores and Madeira. 

Collaboration is essential to MBARI’s work. We share our research, technology, and expertise with peers around the world to provide the data resource managers and policymakers need to make informed decisions about the future of the ocean.

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