The third edition of the European Ocean Days (2–6 March 2026) brought together policymakers, scientists, and industry leaders to forge a shared vision for a sustainable, competitive, and secure marine environment. The VeriFish project marked its presence at the Digital Ocean Forum.
European Ocean Days 2026
Inspired by the European Ocean Pact, the week-long event underscored the urgent need for collaborative marine protection. In her opening remarks, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted this critical commitment: “For us Europeans, the ocean is central to our way of life. It feeds us, it gives us renewable energy, and it helps us to protect our nature as the biggest carbon sink”. Noting the unprecedented pressures of climate change, pollution, and illegal fishing, she emphasised that “we must act now with speed and determination”.
Underlining that reliable data is central to this urgent action, President von der Leyen officially launched the new European Ocean Observation Initiative, OceanEye, stating:
“The basis for our success is science. Science tells us about the state of our ocean today and tomorrow. With accurate marine data, we can better understand what happens in the deep sea and its vast waters. It allows us to predict the impact of climate change and prepare for extreme weather events. For all these reasons, last year, in Nice, I announced an ambitious European Ocean Observation Initiative. And today it comes to life. We call it OceanEye. OceanEye will be our window on the ocean, and our key to unlock even more of its secrets.”
The Mission Ocean and Waters Forum
A major focal point of the week was the Mission Ocean and Waters Forum, held on 5 March at the Charlemagne Building in Brussels.
The forum opened with high-level perspectives from key figures, including Costas Kadis (European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans), Paulo do Nascimento Cabral (MEP), Marc Lemaitre (DG RTD), and Pascal Lamy (Mission Board Chair), who reflected on the achievements of the Mission’s first phase and its path forward.
The agenda transitioned from high-level policy to tangible innovation. During a dedicated pitch session on replicable solutions, pioneering projects demonstrated their real-world impact. This session highlighted success stories from across the Mission ecosystem, featuring initiatives such as SeaClear 2.0, the EU Digital Twin Ocean, DaWetRest, and notably, the VeriFish project, coordinated by Trust-IT and represented in Brussels by Sara Pittonet Gaiarin, Senior Manager, shareholder and VeriFish project coordinator.
Sara Pittonet Gaiarin pitching VeriFish at the Mission Ocean and Waters Forum (5 March 2026)
Coordinated by Trust-IT Services, the VeriFish project marked its presence at the Mission Ocean Forum with a pitch during the morning plenary session and a highly interactive exhibition stand. When addressing seafood and aquaculture sustainability, environmental performance, socio-economic conditions, and nutritional contribution represent distinct dimensions. Each responds to different drivers, relies on different evidence, and answers different questions.
The VeriFish approach addresses this complexity through:
- A multidimensional framework integrating environmental, socio-economic and nutritional indicators;
- Data-driven evidence to support sustainability assessment;
- QR-code communication scenarios linking consumers to structured information;
- Guidelines for seafood operators to communicate strengths transparently and responsibly;
- A web application providing access to structured datasets and sustainability dashboards.
The VeriFish project stand at the Mission Ocean and Waters Forum (5 March 2026)
Celebrating two years of dedicated research and development, the VeriFish team presented the VeriFish framework, its approach and real life scenarios. A major highlight at the stand was the Overfished! card game, an educational tool created to teach children and families across Europe about the importance of ocean sustainability.
Alongside the game, the team unveiled the new VeriFish Web App demo, which leverages the VeriFish Indicator Framework to organise seafood data across environmental impacts, socio-economic conditions, and nutritional value. By presenting structured indicators rooted in verified scientific data, the app makes complex sustainability information transparent and accessible. It is designed for a wide range of users – from researchers mapping seafood data to everyday consumers standing at the fish counter.
[embed demo: https://youtu.be/9wjCd5Fj98Q]
The forum also provided an opportunity to build momentum for the upcoming VeriFish Final Event, which will take place in Brussels on 10–11 March 2026, where the project’s ultimate outcomes will be officially presented.
Discover more about how VeriFish is bringing transparency to sustainable seafood communication: https://verifish.info/
