Did you hear? The 7th edition of CommOCEAN took place this week on 2-3 September 2026 in Bergen (Norway). The overarching theme was ‘Communication for and within the UN Ocean Decade: Setting Sails for 2030’. CommOCEAN is the International Marine Science Communication Conference series dedicated to fostering effective communication within the marine science community and beyond. These conferences aim to bridge the gap between scientific research and public understanding and sense of care, facilitating meaningful dialogue and collaboration among communicators, scientists, policymakers, educators and the public. By embracing innovative approaches to communication, such as multimedia presentations, interactive workshops, and digital storytelling, CommOCEAN empowers attendees to convey complex marine science concepts in engaging and accessible ways.
Have a look at the CommOcean 2026 progamme to get a sense of the large diversity of topics addressed and ways to communicate about the ocean. Wish to know more? Click on hyperlinks in the programme to read abstracts of presentations and posters. Before you leave the CommOCEAN website, make sure you also visit the online exhibition!
In the European Atlas of the Sea’s team, we love to communicate about the ocean with maps! With the Map of the Week, we enjoy deepening our understanding of the ocean and sharing knowledge with you! This week, we bring you to the ocean depths with the map layer ‘Mean underwater depth’. Have a look at the legend and click on different locations on the map to see the average depth of the water column at these locations. The data in this map layer was provided by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet).
How was this map layer developed, you ask? The bathymetric map was derived from individual bathymetric surveys and composite Digital Terrain Data/Models (cDTM). Read the EMODnet Technical Quarterly Blog titled ‘Behind-the-scenes of the new EMODnet Bathymetry Digital Terrain Model (DTM)’ to get the technical details!
Your turn now! Select a map in the European Atlas of the Seas or create a map with your own data using the Atlas’ ‘My Locations’ tool and work through the following questions:
- Who provided the data in this map (check the description of the map by clicking on the information icon in Atlas map layers)?
- How was this map developed?
- What can we learn from analysing this map?
- Are there links between this map and recent news, policy developments or upcoming events?
Looking for educational resources for the new school year? We have gathered some interesting resources for you!
- Dive into the European Atlas of the Seas’ map-based exercises, quizzes and games;
- Check out the UNESCO Ocean Literacy Portal;
- Explore the BlueLightS Knowledge hub;
- Discover Mr.Goodfish educational resources;
- Adopt a float;
- Learn about My Ocean Challenge with Team Malizia.
Make sure you stay tuned to the European Atlas of the Seas’ Map of the Week series published on the Atlas Community of the Maritime Forum. Every Thursday, you’ll learn something new about the ocean!
Best wishes for a very interesting new school year to all teachers and students!
The data in the map is provided by EMODnet.
The European Atlas of the Seas is powered by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). Don’t miss the latest news, register for the monthly EMODnet News Digest.