Dr. Kirsten Gilardi, GESAMP Vice-Chair, made an online presentation on the work of GESAMP at the virtual PICES Marine Environmental Quality (MEQ) committee business meeting on October 30, 2024. This meeting was held in advance of the in-person PICES Annual Meeting, which will take place November 8-14, 2025, in Yokohama, Japan.
Dr. Gilardi clarified that scientists from PICES member nations are eligible to serve as independent experts on GESAMP working groups. The discussion, chaired by Tom Therriault, identified key areas for future collaboration, leveraging PICES' expertise in ocean plastics, invasive species, and ocean and human/animal health.
The committee expressed a strong interest in providing North Pacific scientific representation for relevant GESAMP assessments. It was also noted that both organizations share a commitment to better integrating early- and mid-career scientists and social scientists into their expert working groups.