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IMBeR Newsletter April 2026

The IMBeR Cross-Grand Challenges synthesis paper concludes IMBeR’s second decade (2016-2025)

Key contributions and lessons learned have been synthesized to demonstrate the broader value of global research networks in driving transformative ocean science aligned with the UN Ocean Decade.

See the Special Feature in this issue for more details

Call for Applications: 2026 Excellent Young Scientists Fund Program (Overseas) via State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research

The State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research (SKLEC), based in Shanghai and established in 1957 as China’s first national laboratory dedicated to estuarine and coastal studies, is recruiting outstanding early-career scientists (born after 1 January 1986) with an overseas PhD or international research experience.

SKLEC offers a competitive package including a professorship appointment, PhD student quota, research funding, housing support, education assistance, and spousal employment support.

How to apply:

Please send your CV to lwang@sklec.ecnu.edu.cn with the subject line:

Overseas Young Talent – [Name] – [Field]

Application deadline: 31 May 2026

For further details, please refer to the program guidelines.

Read more

ECNU Young Scientists (Scholars) International Forum 2026 – Marine Science Sub-forum

The Marine Science Sub-forum of the 2026 ECNU Young Scientists (Scholars) International Forum is scheduled to be held in mid-to-late July 2026.

The forum aims to provide a platform for communication and cooperation for outstanding scholars both at home and abroad, and to support the recruitment of young talents to the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research (SKLEC).

Fields include hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics, coastal morphodynamics, coastal and offshore engineering, physical oceanography, marine geology, chemical oceanography and biogeochemistry, biological oceanography and ecosystem dynamics, coastal ecosystems and aquatic environments, observation systems and numerical modeling, as well as computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, and digital twin systems.

Eligible applicants include early-career researchers with a PhD. Positions available include Zijiang Outstanding Young Scholar and Zijiang Young Scholar, with competitive salary, research funding, housing support, and additional benefits.

Registration deadline: 30 June 2026

Forum date: mid-to-late July 2026

For more information and registration, please visit:

http://www.jobs.ecnu.edu.cn

http://www.sklec.ecnu.edu.cn

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The IPO is delighted to share recent advances in deep-sea observation being developed at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB). This work builds on their Marine Remote Imagery Platform (MaRIP) and ongoing research activities across the Indian Ocean. Further details are available in the poster below. 

To gather relevant information and perspectives from the community, we have prepared a short Call for Contributions survey. We warmly invite IMBeR partners and collaborators to share relevant activities, case studies, resources, or areas of interest by completing the survey. (Deadline EXTENDED)

With continued community interest, the survey deadline has been extended till 8 June 2026.

For any questions, please contact the IMBeR IPO at imber@ecnu.edu.cn.



New article reflects on IMBeR’s lessons for transformative ocean science

“Lessons for transformative ocean science from the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR) project” Published

The paper reflects on IMBeR’s experience as a long-running international research project dedicated to understanding marine biosphere change and its connections with human societies. Over the past decade, IMBeR has worked to strengthen collaboration across disciplines, regions, and communities, with a particular focus on linking natural and social science perspectives in ocean research.

Drawing on this experience, the article discusses what is needed for ocean science to become more integrated, more inclusive, and more useful for addressing real-world sustainability challenges. It highlights lessons related to interdisciplinary collaboration, international research coordination, capacity development, and the co-production of knowledge for ocean sustainability.

As the ocean faces accelerating pressures from climate change, biodiversity loss, and expanding human activities, the article offers timely reflections for future research programmes, including those contributing to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Article information

Lessons for transformative ocean science from the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR) project

ICES Journal of Marine Science, Volume 83, Issue 4, April 2026, fsag039,

Read more

This issue’s Editor Picks focuses on fisheries science under global change, highlighting how climate warming, extreme events, and human activities are reshaping marine populations and ecosystems. The selected studies show that rising temperatures can alter key life-history traits such as growth and size-at-maturity, while processes like drought and environmental gradients influence fisheries productivity and population connectivity in complex ways. Together with insights into the interactions between harvesting strategies and climate change, as well as emerging technological and global-scale assessments, these contributions underscore the importance of adaptive and integrative approaches to sustainable fisheries management in a rapidly changing ocean.



If you have papers or reports you would like to share in future issues, please feel free to send the information to imber@ecnu.edu.cn.

Forecasting size-at-maturity shifts under global warming:

a case study on European hake, a widely distributed species

Authors: D. J. Nachón, E. Ramírez-Romero, A. Paz, M. Cousido-Rocha, F. Izquierdo, M. G. Pennino, S. Cerviño

Journal: Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries

As global temperatures rise, the life-history traits of many marine species are changing, with important implications for fish stocks, ecosystems, and fisheries. In fish populations, both plastic and genetic adaptations in traits like body size and maturity timing are influenced by fishing pressures and environmental changes. As ectothermic animals, fish rely on external temperatures to regulate physiological processes, making them vulnerable to warming oceans. While shifts in fish distribution and abundance have received considerable attention, changes in size-at-maturity remain less studied. This study investigates how warming seas influence size-at-maturity, a key indicator of reproductive value and stock productivity, using European hake (Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758)), as a case study. We compiled a dataset spanning 1925–2021, including size-at-maturity records and corresponding temperature data. This dataset covers temperature ranges from the North Atlantic to the Mediterranean, providing a comprehensive look at the hake’s habitat. Using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), we identified a consistent negative correlation between temperature and size-at-maturity, aligning with theories like James’ Rule and the Temperature-Size Rule (TSR). Under climate change projections (RCP 4.5 and 8.5), our results suggest that size-at-maturity in European hake may decrease by 4–9 cm by 2100, although the extent of this reduction varies across areas. These findings have significant implications not only for European hake, a key fishery resource, but also for other demersal species that may similarly experience reduced size-at-maturity in warming seas. This study highlights the need for adaptive management strategies to address climate change effects on marine ecosystems and fisheries.

Click to read the full paper

Figure 1. Forecasting size-at-maturity shifts under global warming: a case study on European hake, a widely distributed species

Historical depletion and future drought-driven risks to Gulf of

Mexico fisheries production

Authors: I. Berenshtein, B. Kirtman, K. de Mutsert, D. D. Chagaris

Journal: Nature Communications

A major depletion of ~42% in total fisheries production occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 1990’s but received limited scientific attention. Here, we show that terrestrial drought in the US during the late 1980s, combined with high Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) fishing pressure, led to a depleted forage base, with cascading effects on other species and fisheries in the Gulf, acting primarily via a reduction in Mississippi River flow. Ecosystem model simulations support these findings, and more importantly, indicate that anticipated frequent and intense drought conditions under the RCP 8.5 scenario in the US are projected to cause periodic depletions of biomass and catches of ~61% by 2050, and ~72% by 2100, substantially more acute than previous estimates for the Gulf. There is an urgent need to explore possible mitigation strategies and the mechanisms by which drought conditions affect the Gulf and other marine ecosystems.

Click to read the full paper

Figure 2. Historical environmental and fisheries dynamics.

Figure 3. (a) Diagram of the fishing setup used when testing the RPELX deterrent. (b) Detailed diagram of the terminal fishing gear setup before a fish is hooked, with the RPELX bottom electrode floating up away from the bait. (c) Terminal gear setup after a fish is hooked and being reeled upwards, with the RPELX hanging down next to the hooked fish.

Global diversity of marine fishes caught in bottom trawl fisheries

Authors: S. J. Foster, S. J. Ascione, I. B. Boyd, A. C. J. Vincent

Journal: Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries

Bottom trawling is one of the most widespread and ecologically consequential fishing practices, yet its full impact on marine biodiversity remains poorly understood. We present the first global inventory of fish species reported in bottom trawl fisheries, compiled from 236 sources, from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s document repository and supplemental literature. The database covers fisheries within exclusive economic zones and records catch locations, maximum body sizes, conservation status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, fishery scale, and gear type. We documented 2997 fish species from 9621 records, spanning 1043 genera, 323 families, and 75 orders. In one-third of families, at least half of all species were caught by bottom trawls. Species recorded tended to be larger than demersal marine fishes overall, likely reflecting under-reporting of smaller taxa by species; gear selectivity or commercial value alone do not explain their scarcity. Extrapolation models suggested true species richness ranged from 3700 to 5697 species. The greatest numbers of species were reported from the Western Central Pacific, Western and Eastern Indian Oceans, and Eastern Central Atlantic. Among 2181 species with conservation assessments, 78% were Least Concern and 15% threatened or Near Threatened, with trawl-related pressures more frequently cited in assessments of threatened or Near Threatened species. Among all species in our database, 23% were either Data Deficient or not evaluated at all. Most fishes were reported as bycatch, often in otter trawls targeting shrimps or multi-species assemblages. These findings highlight the global scope of bottom trawl interactions with marine species and emphasize the need to consider full ecological consequences in fisheries management and conservation.



Click to read the full paper

Harvesting that preserves large fish might help mitigate

the worst impacts of warming

Authors: H. F. Wootton, A. Audzijonyte, J. R. Morrongiello

Journal: Fish and Fisheries

Fishing and oceanic warming significantly impact fish populations worldwide. Understanding their interactive effects is crucial for managing harvested populations. Here, we first review current knowledge of harvest and warming interactions, focusing on experimental applications that provide unique insights into short- and long-term effects difficult to study in wild populations. We then present findings from a multi-generational experiment exposing 18 zebrafish populations to combined harvest and warming selection. Treatments included three types of size-selective fishing (~80% mortality) and two temperatures (26°C ‘control’ and 30°C ‘warmed’). Warmed populations exhibited expected temperature-size-rule responses: juveniles grew 18% faster and matured earlier, while adults were 3%–5% shorter and ~10% lighter. Gaussian selectivity (removing medium-sized fish) led to adults that were 5% longer and 18% heavier, while sigmoidal selectivity (removing large fish) resulted in 4% shorter and 15% lighter adults. Fishing and warming had increasingly interactive impacts on body sizes across generations. At the end of the treatment generations, warming combined with sigmoidal selectivity produced the smallest fish (6% shorter, 20% lighter), while Gaussian selectivity compensated for warming-induced size declines. Juvenile body size changes were mostly reversible but warming and fishing induced an evolved change in adult body size. Warming caused a 15% reduction in maximum yield-per-recruit, while Gaussian selectivity increased maximum yield by 20%, and sigmoidal selectivity reduced it by 11%. Our work demonstrates both synergistic and antagonistic impacts of fishing and warming on fish sizes and yields, and suggests that warming effects can be partially mitigated by fishing practices that protect large individuals.



Click to read the full paper

ResilientWoodsHole: a private–public model for coastal resilience

in a low-lying community

Authors: I. A. Polunina-Proulx, K. Holdren, L. A. Lubofsky, R. S. C. Munier, P. E. Speer, A. Pitts, L.-A. S. McGee, J. J. Famely, M. J. Barrett

Journal: Frontiers in Marine Science

Coastal communities worldwide face accelerating risks from sea-level rise and intensifying storms, yet many lack the capacity and framework needed to adapt. ResilientWoodsHole (RWH), a private–public partnership in the low-lying scientific village of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, offers lessons learned and practical strategies for how small communities can meet this challenge. Bringing together thirteen partners, including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NOAA NEFSC), the Town of Falmouth, local organizations and businesses, and residents, RWH has advanced a phased approach that combines scientific modeling, regulatory assessment, adaptive planning, pilot projects, and robust community engagement. Through mapping flood pathways and evaluating risk at the community and property scale, assessing regulatory barriers, completing pilot projects, and creating engagement tools like a Climate Walking Trail and a 3D model, the initiative has transformed complex climate risks into shared understanding and actionable steps. Rooted in a small vulnerable community, RWH’s collaborative framework provides insights for other coastal communities seeking to pivot from vulnerability to resilient action.



Click to read the full paper

Figure 5. Map of Woods Hole village in Falmouth, Massachusetts with informal neighborhood management areas. Source: Woods Hole Group.

Quantifying and categorising the animal welfare impacts

caused by biological invasions

Authors: T. Evans, M. Mendl

Journal: Nature Communications

Biological invasions cause animal suffering, but few studies assess these welfare impacts, and hence understanding of them is limited. We present a framework which can be used to identify relative changes to the welfare of an individual animal caused by biological invasions. We use it to assess the welfare impacts of bird and ant invasions. These impacts are a global phenomenon affecting native and introduced animals. Nevertheless, some introduced ant species cause severe impacts wherever they occur, whereas introduced birds do not. Impacts are likely to be underreported, particularly those affecting introduced animals. Physical and behavioural evidence (e.g., injuries and repetitive preening by birds) is sufficient to identify many welfare impacts. Physiological evidence (e.g., changes in ‘stress’ hormones) is more scarce, and could provide useful additional information to help quantify impact severity. Published biodiversity impacts of biological invasions are an unmined resource that may be used to assess impacts.



Click to read the full paper

Figure 6. The animal welfare impacts associated with bird invasions as assessed using AWICIS, including their number, severity, type, location, the animals they affect and their links with domains of animal welfare.



Events, Webinars and Conferences

Information shared by our contacts:

• Call for participants: 11th APN Early Career Professional Poster and Networking Session. 9 July 2026. Jubilee Prestige Hotel Ratchadapisek, Bangkok, Thailand.
• Theme: Climate change and variability and disaster risk reduction.
• Submit your abstract to present your research and engage with scientists and policymakers from across the Asia-Pacific region.
• Submission deadline: 26 May 2026.
• Read more

• Marine Radioactivity Training Workshop 2026, 25–29 October 2026, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
• Application Deadline: 15 May 2026
• Read more

• Workshop on Environmental Radioactivity and Radiation Protection (RAD 2026)
• Held as part of RAD 2026, this workshop brings together researchers in environmental radioactivity and radiation protection, with selected papers to be published in the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity.
• Read more

• ECSA 61 - Bridging the gap between science and policy in estuarine and coastal marine biodiversity: the way forward, 24-27 August 2026, Square, Brussels, Belgium.
• Early Bird Registration Deadline: 29 May 2026

• EMBL Plankton Discoveries Conference – A new view of plankton in the global ocean: celebrating 10 years of Tara Oceans. 1-4 September 2026. Heidelberg and Virtual. Registration deadline: 21 July 2026.

• CommOCEAN 2026 – International Marine Science Communication Conference. 2–3 September 2026. Bergen, Norway. Early-bird price until 1 July 2026.

• ICES Annual Science Conference 2026. 15–18 September 2026. Brest, France. Registration is now open.

• The Ocean in a High CO₂ World – 6th International Symposium. 13–16 October 2026. Wellington, New Zealand. Earlybird & presenter registration deadline: 30 June 2026 midnight (any time zone)

• 7th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, 17 - 20 November 2026, Bruges, Belgium. Deadline late registration: 5 November 2026.

• AlgaEurope 2026. 8–11 December 2026. Valletta, Malta. Abstract submission deadline: 30 September 2026.

• XMAS 2027: The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences. 11–14 January 2027. Xiamen, China. Abstract submissions close: 30 June 2026.

• 2027 Gordon Research Conference on Polar Marine Science. 21-26 March 2027, California, United States. Applications for this meeting must be submitted by 21 February 2027.

• UN Ocean Decade Conference 2027, 7–9 April 2027, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. More information will be released in due course.

Jobs and Opportunities

Information shared by our contacts:

• Sir Anthony Habgood Professor of Climate and the Environment – University of East Anglia
• The School of Environmental Sciences invites applications for a Chair in Climate and the Environment, covering areas such as climate change, coastal science, Earth system processes, and societal responses, with opportunities to collaborate with leading research centres including CRU and the Tyndall Centre.
• Application Deadline – 17 May 2026.
• Read more

• PhD Scholarship Transforming Climate Action – Uncertain Seas
• A PhD Scholarship is available at the Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research, Fisheries & Marine Institute, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, Canada. 
• Apply by 31 May 2026.
• Read more

• Anthropocene Coasts Recruiting Position: Associate Editors
• Applications will continue until the position is filled.
• Anthropocene Coasts is a Golden Open Access journal hosted by East China Normal University, and published by Springer. The journal publishes multidisciplinary research addressing the interaction of human activities with our estuaries and coasts. The journal has been selected for the "Outstanding Case of English-language University Journals of 2025".
• To help build on the success of Anthropocene Coasts and to expand the opportunities for international collaboration and contributions to the work of the journal, the journal is seeking more international Associate Editors.
• Read more

• Assistant Professor of Biological Oceanography – California State University, Monterey Bay
• The Department of Marine Science invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Biological Oceanography, with interdisciplinary expertise in areas such as population modeling, remote sensing, biogeochemistry, and climate-related marine processes.
• Open Until Filled.
• Read more

• Tenure-Track Faculty in Geological Oceanography – University of South Florida, Saint Petersburg
• This position focuses on hydrography or marine geophysics within the Department of Geological Oceanography. Applications are accepted until the position is filled.
• Read more

• Knauss Fellowship – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sea Grant Program New 
• A one-year fellowship in Washington, D.C. placing graduate students in executive and legislative offices to contribute to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes policy, while gaining practical experience and professional networks.
• Application Deadline – 3 June 2026.
• Read more

• UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Ocean Decade Call for Decade Actions No. 11/2026 New 
• A global call under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development inviting Expressions of Interest for Decade Programmes, applications for Ocean Decade Projects, and Contributions to support priority actions identified in the Barcelona Statement and advance ocean science for sustainable development.
• Application Deadlines – 31 May 2026 (Decade Programmes); 31 August 2026 (Decade Projects and encouraged submission date for Decade Contributions).
• Read more

• Fund at NSF – Arctic Research Opportunities
• Supports research that advances a fundamental, process or systems-level understanding of the Arctic's rapidly changing natural environment and social and cultural systems, as well as to improve capacity in projecting future change.
• Target date: 15 July 2026
• Read more

• Fund at NSF – Chemical Oceanography
• Supports research on ocean chemistry and the role of oceans in global geochemical cycles. Focus areas include chemical composition, speciation and transformation; internal cycling; and chemical exchanges with other Earth system components.
• Target date: 17 August 2026
• Read more

• Fund at NSF – Biological Oceanography (BioOce)
• Supports research in biological oceanography and marine ecology in environments ranging from estuarine and coastal systems to the deep sea and the Great Lakes.
• Target date: 17 August 2026
• Read more

• Fund at NSF – Physical Oceanography
• Supports research on the structure and movement of oceans, how quantities are transported, how the ocean's structure interacts with biological and chemical processes within it, and the interactions between the ocean, atmosphere, climate and ice.
• Target date: 17 August 2026
• Read more

• Important information for proposers and award recipients
• All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements.
• All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions.
• NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects.

For more information on activities and opportunities for early-career researchers, you can check the IMECaN Newsletter. Read more

Turn Your Innovation into Global Impact

IMBeR Blue Innovation Alliance

We invite you to explore our first partner, Nanopure, and join the IMBeR Blue Innovation Alliance. We welcome other companies to join us in this global initiative, where together we can advance ocean sustainability, support cutting-edge marine research, and foster innovation to shape a more sustainable future for our oceans.

Capturing IMBeR: Share Your Photos and Memories

We invite all IMBeR participants - past and present - to contribute photos that capture the spirit of IMBeR’s activities over the years. Whether from fieldwork, meetings, workshops, summer schools, or community engagement events, your photos will help illustrate IMBeR’s impact and legacy.

Please send high-resolution images, along with a brief description and credit information, to imber@ecnu.edu.cn.

More jobs and opportunities for ECRs, please sign up for IMECaN newsletter

If you would like to put some recruitment information in the IMBeR monthly newsletter, please contact us through imber@ecnu.edu.cn.

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DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in the news articles, project updates, and publications featured in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the positions of IMBeR, its sponsors,

or the IMBeR International Project Office and its host institutions.

Chief Editor: Suhui QIAN

Editors: Fang ZUO, Kai QIN

Contact us

IMBeR International Project Office

State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University

500 Dongchuan Rd., Shanghai 200241, China

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