India-EU workshop on Marine Primary Production jointly organized by Nansen Environmental Research Centre (India) (NERCI) and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) is inaugurated at KUFOS Auditorium, Panangad, Kochi, India. This workshop is under the auspices of INDO-MARECLIM “Indo-European Research Facilities for studies on marine ecosystems and climate in India”, a European Union FP-7 project coordinated by NERCI. INDO-MARECLIM aims at facilitating and improving institutional co-operation between the European Union Members States and Associated Countries and India and includes partners from UK, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway, involved in research topics of relevance to India. The workshop is aimed at bringing scientists, faculties and students from India and EU countries on a common platform to discuss the current status of scientific work on estimation of marine primary production in Indian waters and to explore possibilities for collaboration in the future.Participants at the EU FP7 INDO-MARECLIM workshop on marine primary productivity in Cochin, March 12-15, 2013.

The workshop addresses questions such as - Can we add value to this work through enhanced collaboration and coordination? What aspects of the problem are yet insufficiently studied? What innovative thinking can be brought to bear an understanding on the implications of variability in marine primary production for resources at higher trophic levels, including commercially exploited fisheries? Is there a need for standardising methods of measuring primary production, to facilitate comparison of results?

Dr. V. N. Sanjeevan, Director, Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi inaugurated the workshop. Prof. (Dr.) B. Madhusoodana Kurup, Hon. Vice-Chancellor of KUFOS presided over the function. Prof. Ola M Johannessen Chairman of IndoMareClim steering committee and Dr. K. Ajith Joseph, Executive Director of NERCI welcomed the EU and Indian delegates. Prof. Trevor Platt, Executive Director POGO and Prof. N.R. Menon, Coordinator, Lasse H.Pettersson, the Deputy Coordinator, of the IndoMareClim project explained the scope and objectives of the workshop and Dr. N. Nandini Menon, Scientist, NERCI also spoke on the occasion. Seventeen delegates from EU and Associated countries and about 80 scientists from Indian institutions including ISRO, ICAR, MoES, CSIR institutions and Indian universities and research institutions are participating in this workshop. The workshop will conclude on 15^th March.

The inagrugation of the India-EU workshop at KUFOS in Cochin.

Picture left: Dr. V.N. Sanjeevan, Director, CMLRE inaugurates the India-EU workshop on Marine primary production. From Left; Lasse H.Pettersson (NERSC, Norway), Dr. K.Ajith Joseph (Director, NERCI), Prof. Ola M. Johannessen (President, Nansen Scientific Society, Norway), Prof. N. R. Menon (Coordinator, INDOMARECLIM/NERCI), Prof. B. Madhusoodana Kurup (VC, KUFOS), Prof. C. Mohanakumaran Nair (PVC, KUFOS) and Prof. Trevor Platt (Executive Director, POGO, PML, UK).