WELCOME FROM ICES GENERAL SECRETARY

It is my privilege to welcome you to our Annual Report for 2022. This has been a year of great change, and ICES has continued to adapt and respond to the challenges of developing science and advice to meet societal needs for impartial evidence on the state and sustainable use of our seas and oceans.

Since taking on my role as General Secretary in August 2022, it has been my pleasure to join and to lead the talented and dedicated team at ICES Secretariat. Their commitment to supporting ICES network advance and share scientific understanding of marine ecosystems is unparalleled.

The dedication of the entire ICES community was evident throughout 2022 as we continued to navigate the challenges of international cooperation post-pandemic and confronted new geopolitical realities. In March, ICES Council of Delegates voted to place a temporary suspension on the participation of all Russian Federation delegates, members, and experts in ICES activities. Multinational participation in the processes which provide science, data, and advice in support of our mission is essential to our work, and we continue to adapt to current challenges.

The 2022 Annual Science Conference in Dublin was a joyous reunion, bringing our community together for the first time following the period of remote work. It was our first major hybrid event, providing greater access and more options for participation. Admittedly, there were a range of views on the success of this format, and we will continue to explore the balance of in-person, hybrid, and virtual interaction that will be most effective for the network.

ICES network comprises a diverse range of people. Recognizing the need to create a culture of belonging and inclusion, a consultation process within our community culminated in approval of the Gender Equality Plan and Code of Ethics and

Professional conduct by the Council. This work is off to a good start, and we will continue to develop it throughout the coming years.

Fostering a broad network is central to our mission, and valuing the contributions of early career scientists was at the heart of the launch of the Strategic Initiative on the Integration of Early Career Scientists. This dedicated group has been active in making our network more accessible to early career researchers.

To ensure our science and advice is societally relevant requires continuous engagement with our stakeholders. Stakeholders contribute with their expert knowledge, which is incorporated into the science and the evidence base for advice. Our new Stakeholder Engagement Strategy makes explicit the purpose of engagement, creates greater transparency in the process, and lists the expectations and responsibilities of stakeholders and scientists. This work further strengthens the credibility of ICES science and advice.

The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is underway, and we continue to contribute. The Ocean Decadeendorsed programme SmartNet establishes a global knowledge network for ocean science by strengthening and expanding the collaboration of ICES, the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES and our partner organizations.

I want to thank everyone throughout our network, the Secretariat, our Member Countries and beyond for all that you have contributed to our ongoing resilience and success. I hope you will enjoy reading more about our work in the following pages and that you will be inspired to further connect with our network. We look forward to welcoming you to ICES Annual Science Conference, 11–14 September in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain.

Alan Haynie ICES General Secretary

ICES is a world-leading marine science organization, meeting societal needs for impartial evidence on the state and sustainable use of our seas and oceans.

We are a network of 5000 experts from 800 institutes and organizations in 20 Member Countries and beyond.

More than 3000 experts participate in our activities annually.