Master Student Excursion to BrusselsEU Marine Policies in Action
15 November 2024, by Website Team Biologie

Photo: Saskia Otto
Students of the international MSc program Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Science (i-MARSYS) visited Brussels during November 11. – 13. as part of the module Environmental Policy and Management. In the module students get acquainted with the policy making structures and mechanisms of the European Union (EU) with a focus on the Common Fisheries Policy and environmental Directives such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directives (MSFD). In Brussels students visited together with Prof. Christian Möllmann and Dr. Saskia Otto the EU Parliament and discussed with a MEP the actual policy making challenges especially within the context of the marine environment.
The group of ten students additionally engaged with representatives from the Directorate Generals for Environment (DG Environment) as well as Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), discussing the implementation of EU environmental laws under the context of a new legislative period and the newly formed commission. Eventually the group gained insights into the work of environmental non-governmental organisations (eNGOs) during a meeting with representatives from the WWF. The excursion ended with a visit of the Parlamentarium, an interactive museum of the history and present work of the EU parliament.
Master Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Sciences
The Master of Science in Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Sciences is set up as a consecutive and research-oriented degree program. Graduates will have learned the practical and theoretical methods of the research fields of Biological Oceanography (BO) and Fisheries Science (FS) and will be able to apply them in laboratory, field and theoretical studies. Students will possess the ability to develop scientific hypotheses through problem analysis and are able to select approaches to best test these hypotheses. Graduates will be familiar with the current discourse on anthropogenic effects on marine ecosystems and, with their professional knowledge, will be able to contribute to social debates regarding the management and conservation of ocean ecosystems and living marine resources. Consequently, graduates will be in a position to excellence in a future scientific career and/or to contribute to assessment and management of the status of ocean ecosystems.