Old cockles and record number of shells at the eighth edition of the Big Seashell Survey

The eighth edition of the Big Seashell Survey was a record-breaking event. No fewer than 3,500 participants scoured 400 km of coastline in northern France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, collecting and identifying nearly 150,000 shells from 72 different species. This year, the differences between the three countries were less pronounced, with the cut trough shell ranking as the most frequently found species across all regions. The Atlantic jackknife clam, the banded wedge shell, and the common cockle consistently appeared in the top five. A one-time focus on the cockle in Belgium revealed that most of these shells originated in a distant past, with only a handful of live populations remaining in the shallow continental North Sea.

Applications for the Ocean Census Species Discovery Awards 2025 are open

Thanks to the contribution of The Nippon Foundation, the Ocean Census is offering financial awards of $5,000 to $20,000 to support marine species discovery around the world.

IMARPE presents the Peruvian Register of Marine Species platform

This verified database groups the marine species recorded from Peru.

WoRMS press release: Ten remarkable new marine species from 2024

As for previous years, the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) has again released its annual list of the top-ten marine species described by researchers during the past year to coincide with World Taxonomist Appreciation Day on March 19th!

Call for taxonomy projects to describe deep-sea species - One Thousand Reasons Edition 2025

The "One Thousand Reasons" campaign just launched its second open call (Edition 2025) for taxonomy projects to describe deep-sea species.The ultimate goal of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is to generate a lasting legacy in deep ocean sciences: the description of at least 1,000 species new to science in areas beyond national jurisdictions by 2030. Expressions of interest can be submitted by 15 April 2025.

WoRMS Philanthropy Grants 2024

In 2024, the VLIZ Philanthropy program awarded four grants to help WoRMS editors enhance the completeness of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). These efforts led to nearly 9,000 edits and additions to WoRMS and its sub-registers.

Return of the twaite shad to the Scheldt River After a Century-Long Absence

The twaite shad, a migratory fish that once disappeared from the Scheldt River due to pollution, has made a remarkable return in the past decade. Known locally as the “May fish,” the twaite shadspawns in the river between late April and early May. Researchers from the Institute for Nature and Forest Research (INBO) have been studying the species since its return in 2014, using LifeWatch Belgium acoustic telemetry and data loggers to track the fish’s movements and habits.

New Study Monitors Fish Migration in the Leie and Scheldt Rivers

Over recent weeks, researchers from the Institute for Nature and Forest Research (INBO) have deployed an extensive network of detection devices alo

Call for nominations for the WoRMS Top-Ten Marine Species of 2024

Once again taxonomists have continued to publish many wonderful new species throughout the last year. As we approach the end of 2024 it is time to think about nominations for The WoRMS Top Ten Marine Species of 2024!

First ETN datasets available through GBIF

The first datasets from the Permanent Belgian Acoustic Receiver Network are now available via GBIF. Over 507,000 fish tracking records from Belgian waters offer new insights into species movement and biodiversity.