ECOP activities
ECOPs (Early Career Ocean Professionals) and students interested in presenting their research and taking part in a mentoring session at SPF-2026 have the opportunity to apply for partial travel support to attend the symposium. The current list of organizations/institutions who have committed funding for this includes:
The previous 2022 PICES/ICES/FAO international symposium “Small Pelagic Fish: New Frontiers in Science and Sustainable Management” (SPF-2022) attracted 288 participants from 39 countries and 4 international organizations. The generous support from symposium sponsors facilitated the participation of 126 students and early career ocean professionals (ECOPs; used interchangeably with ECS – "early-career scientist") from around the world, or 44% of all attendees, in this meeting. In addition to presenting their papers, many of them participated in a mentoring session, structured around techniques, topics and areas of interest vital to science and management of small pelagics, and interacted with mentors who have expertise across diverse geographic regions, research disciplines, and career-related areas.
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ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea)
for students and ECS from ICES member countries -
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
for students and ECOPs from developing countries -
JSFO (Japanese Society of Fisheries Oceanography)
for students and ECOPs from Japan -
JSFS (Japanese Society of Fisheries Science)
for students and ECOPs from Japan -
NIOZ (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Netherlands)
for students and ECS from EU countries -
NSF (National Science Foundation, USA)
for students and ECOPs from US universities -
PICES (North Pacific Marine Science Organization)
for students and ECOPs from PICES member countries -
SCOR (Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research)
for students and ECOPs from countries with economies in transition
The previous 2022 PICES/ICES/FAO international symposium “Small Pelagic Fish: New Frontiers in Science and Sustainable Management” (SPF-2022) attracted 288 participants from 39 countries and 4 international organizations. The generous support from symposium sponsors facilitated the participation of 126 students and early career ocean professionals (ECOPs; used interchangeably with ECS – "early-career scientist") from around the world, or 44% of all attendees, in this meeting. In addition to presenting their papers, many of them participated in a mentoring session, structured around techniques, topics and areas of interest vital to science and management of small pelagics, and interacted with mentors who have expertise across diverse geographic regions, research disciplines, and career-related areas.
Important Dates
June 16, 2025
October 10, 2025
November 24, 2025
Notification Deadlines
December 15, 2025
Confirmation Deadlines
May 4-8, 2026
August 1, 2026