International Relations

International Relations Coordinator: Carlos García Soto

Since its foundation in 1914, the IEO has among its functions representation in international organizations. The current Statute of the IEO states that this body can represent the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in international scientific forums related to oceanography and fisheries, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Representatives of the Institute regularly assist the community fisheries councils for technical measures and TACs and quotas, and meetings of the Scientific and Technical Committee for Fisheries (STCF). Likewise, the IEO participates as representative of the MICINN in the ERANET MARIFISH, European network whose main objective is to promote and promote European cooperation and coordination in fisheries research in the framework of the future European Research Area (ERA, in its acronym in English).

The IEO also holds national representation in the following multilateral organizations:

  • Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), belonging to UNESCO.
  • International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
  • International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea (CIESM)

In relation to the IOC, in 1996 a collaboration agreement was established between both institutions for the establishment of a Noxious Algal Scientific and Communications Center that has been established in the IEO Oceanographic Center of Vigo.

It also participates in various international programs and services of the IOC, such as the World Oceans Observation (GLOSS), the World Experiment on the Circulation of the Oceans (WOCE), the Service on the International Oceanographic Data Exchange (IODE) and the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) in which the IEO holds, by delegation from the CICYT, the national representation in the program EuroGOOS.

Scientific staff of the IEO participates directly with the presentation of communications and scientific papers in the meetings of the following International Organizations and their Working Groups:

  • International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
  • East Central Atlantic Fisheries Committee (CECAF).
  • General Council of Fisheries of the Mediterranean, FAO (CGPM). 
  • Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
  • International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
  • North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO).
  • International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea (CIESM).
  • Oslo and Paris Conventions for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Northwest Atlantic.
  • London Convention on the protection of marine pollution caused by discharges from ships and aircraft.
  • International Whaling Commission (IWC).
  • Subsidiary Body on Scientific-Technical Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
  • Permanent Service of the Mean Sea Level (PSMSL).
  • National Oceanographic Data Centers (NODC).
  • Advisory Body of Experts of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Since 1995, the IEO participates as a founding member in the ESF Marine Board under the auspices of the European Science Foundation (ESF).