Two new reports from Andromeda 

MaREI researchers from the SCEI group teamed up with their Andromeda project partners in the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and in the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) to develop two online workshops as a focal point for proactive engagement and mutual exchange of specialist knowledge between project partners and participating ANDROMEDA stakeholders. These workshops were developed to interactively present, discuss, and build a consensus around cost-effective microplastic analysis methods for seawater sampling.

The first workshop brought ten researchers and scientists representing eleven research organisations from across eight European countries together and collated expert input concerning preliminary results of the ANDROMEDA survey on cost-effective microplastic analyses methods for seawater samples and resulted in a set of recommendations relevant for policy and decision-makers from a research perspective – more detailed information here: Kopke K., Meyers N., Dozier A., Fitzgerald E., Power O-P., Agnew S., Everaert G., De Witte B., (2023). Scientist Perspectives on the Cost-Effectiveness of Microplastic Analysis Methods for Seawater Samples: ANDROMEDA Workshop 1 Event Summary & Participant Recommendations on Cost-effectiveness. 

The 2nd workshop in this series gathered input and feedback from eight policy experts and decision-makers representing OSPAR, JPI Oceans, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO), the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), The Marine Institute Ireland (MI), the Marine Environment Division of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in Ireland and the UK Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS). The 2nd workshop built on the outcomes of workshop 1 and developed a set of recommendations that focused on how the presented cost-effectiveness tool can be adapted to microplastic monitoring requirements in relation to relevant policy and regulation and future research in the subject area – more detailed information here: Kopke K., Meyers N., Dozier A., Fitzgerald E., Power O-P., Agnew S., Sempéré R., (2023). Policy & Decision Makers Perspectives on the Cost-Effectiveness of Microplastic Analysis Methods for Seawater Samples: ANDROMEDA Workshop 2 Event Summary & Participant Recommendations on Cost-effectiveness. 

Feature Project

ANDROMEDA

The JPI Oceans-funded ANDROMEDA project brings together a multidisciplinary consortium of 15 international partners to improve the quantification of nanoplastics and microplastics in our oceans and seas.

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