The 7^th European Conference on Scientific Diving (ECSD7) will be held in Roscoff, France, from May 14 to May 18, 2023.

This edition is organized under the auspices of the French National Committee for Scientific Diving (CNPS, https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02123970),

and hosted by the Station Biologique de Roscoff.

The Conference is supported by the European Scientific Diving Panel (ESDP).

Scientific Diving in a changing underwater world : findings and foresights

A particular focus will be given during ECSD7 on diving-based scientific researches, case-studies and methods that aim at better understand and document the impacts of global changes on freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems, or are helpful for their conservation/restoration. Particular attention will be paid to natural habitats of special concerns for the EU (such as those listed in Natura 2000) and to artificial environments (wrecks, artificial reefs, MRE devices...).

Communications underlining the usefulness and added-value of scientific diving in this context, and discussing diving-based monitoring methods, in particular with regards to innovative underwater tools and techniques, are welcome (Changing tools, methods, practices and goals?).

Main topics for the talks and posters may concern biology/ecology, physical oceanography, biogeochemistry, geosciences, archaeology, technologies, scientific diving (SD) education and training, and SD regulation. Marine spatial planning and marine renewable energies may be also new emerging topics when considering the growing demand for sustainable management of the littoral and coastal zones and environmental issues associated with the setting up of MRE technologies. 

We are looking for the publication of the conference proceedings in a special issue of a peer-reviewed journal.

The participants of the conference will be welcomed at the Gulf Stream Hotel by an evening ice breaker on May 14.

The 2nd and 3rd days of the Conference (15-16/05) will be dedicated to plenary sessions, on various topics related to this overall theme. The final topics and contents of the sessions will be defined after the abstracts selection.

The conference will also include two workshops organized in parallel on May 17:  

• One methodological Workshop - “Fish census vs EU directives” (convener: Pierre Thiriet, MNHN, CRESCO, Dinard) - to exchange about state-of-the-art diving-based monitoring methods for fish communities and identify potential gaps and ways for harmonization in the context of the EU regulatory framework (Natura2000, WFD, MSFD, etc.).
• One technological Workshop - "Breakthrough technologies advancing diving-based research" (convener: Martin Sayer, Tritonia Scientific Ltd., Oban) - to provide up-to-date insights on innovative tools and equipments for Scientific Diving.

A special night event (evening conference) open to the public will take place at the Roscoff cinema on May 17 (invited speaker: Laurent Ballesta, Andromède Océanologie, Maugio-Carnon).

Associated field trips on Tuesday 18 may be chosen among SCUBA diving (limited number of participants) and/or a boat tour in the Bay of Morlaix (near nature reserve islands), and the visit of the Château du Taureau, Batz island, and R.V. Neomysis (SBR Research Vessel).

Submission of abstracts and registration to the Conference will open on December 3rd, 2022.

Contact : ecsd7@sciencesconf.org 

Every year, the European Conference on Scientific Diving (ECSD) provides an international platform for the community of European leaders in the field of scientific diving, early-stage researchers and students to present results from their most recent underwater research. Furthermore, the event serves as a platform to learn about and discuss newly developed technologies, safety issues, as well as institutional issues.

The ECSD in its current form was initiated in 2015 by the Marine Board European Scientific Diving Panel (ESDP). The aim was to combine the “International Symposium on Occupational Scientific Diving (ISOSD)” and the international workshop “Research in Shallow Marine Water Systems” into one general annual meeting.

The first ECSD took place in Stuttgart, Germany, in 2015. The following conferences were hosted in Kristineberg, Sweden (2016), Funchal, Madeira/Portugal (2017), Orkney, Scotland/UK (2018), Sopot, Poland (2019), and Freiberg, Germany (2021; video conference), respectively. The 7th edition of the ECSD will take place in Roscoff, France, in May 2023.