History

The European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS) dates back to 1960, when Otto Kinne, Director of the Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, began organizing a series of conferences focused on marine biology. These conferences quickly gained recognition and, following a peer consultation, the first official EMBS was established in 1966 with the goal of uniting marine biologists from across Europe annually, independent of any international organization.

Since its inception, the EMBS has been held every year—except in 1973—in 20 different countries. It now attracts marine scientists from around the globe, providing a platform to discuss critical topics and exchange ideas in a welcoming and collaborative environment.

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The key objectives of the EMBS are to:

• Bring marine biologists together in an informal and international setting

• Advance marine science through keynote talks, presentations, panel discussions, and poster sessions on carefully selected themes

• Raise awareness about marine biology and the crucial role healthy seas and oceans play in society

• Foster networking, international collaboration, and the dissemination of research data

To preserve the symposium's informal and collaborative spirit, an elected President and Secretary lead an international committee that supports new host institutions in organizing the EMBS each year.