On September 11, 2024, the TechOceanS project hosted a dynamic online policy workshop, bringing together key stakeholders from science, industry, and policy sectors to discuss the latest advancements in marine technologies and their integration into regulatory frameworks. The event featured a distinguished panel, including Gabriele Pieri, coordinator of the NAUTILOS project, who highlighted NAUTILOS’s pivotal role in advancing marine monitoring technologies.
The workshop began with an overview of the TechOceanS project, led by coordinator Matt Mowlem, showcasing cutting-edge tools such as samplers, eDNA detection systems, and machine learning applications for ocean monitoring. This rapid-fire presentation emphasized innovations like the UVP (Underwater Vision Profiler) and LOC (Lab-on-a-Chip) technologies, developed to combat pollutants like microplastics and enhance real-time data collection in the marine environment.
The panel discussion explored how these technologies, including those developed by NAUTILOS, can be applied to drive impactful policy changes and address emerging environmental challenges. Gabriele Pieri’s insights on the NAUTILOS project underscored the importance of machine learning and microsensors in improving the accuracy of ocean monitoring, reducing human errors, and supporting sustainable marine management.
The workshop concluded with the presentation of the draft TechOceanS Policy Roadmap, featuring recommendations in seven key areas to guide innovation, policy integration, and environmental sustainability. Feedback from participants, including those representing NAUTILOS, will inform the roadmap’s further development.
This workshop marked an important step in bridging the gap between innovation and policy, ensuring that the advanced technologies developed in projects like TechOceanS and NAUTILOS contribute meaningfully to global efforts to protect marine ecosystems.