On 20 January 2025, Costas Kadis, the EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans – at the invitation of, and in the presence of, Minister Crevits, Governor Decaluwé and a delegation of European, federal, regional and local dignitaries – visited the research facilities of the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) in Ostend. Early that morning, the delegation had also visited the Ostend fish market and Marifish.Inc, the incubator for aquaculture start-ups. Later that day, they visited the Rederscentrale, the Zeebrugge fish auction and a newly built fishing vessel.
This visit provided an excellent opportunity to exchange views with all Flemish stakeholders in marine research and the fisheries/aquaculture sector on opportunities and challenges. In addition, ways of working together were explored.
On 13 May, Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation and Industry, Foreign Affairs, Digitalization and Facilities Management, visited VLIZ. It was an engaging day of exchange on marine research, with an insight into our activities, a short trip on the workboat RV Abbé Mann, and a meeting with Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of IOC/UNESCO.
