JPI Oceans is pleased to welcome Canada as its newest observer country. The JPI Oceans General Assembly unanimously approved the application of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) at its 22nd meeting in Gdansk, Poland, formalising a relationship that has been growing for some time. This makes Canada the second country in this category, following Spain earlier this year.
The decision to join JPI Oceans comes as Canada and the European Union strengthen their cooperation on ocean observing. On 23 September 2026, both parties launched the OceanEye International Alliance for the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization. Accordingly, the General Assembly has confirmed that contributing to OceanEye is a priority of JPI Oceans, building on the various activities we already carry out for the European Ocean Observing System (EOOS).
This new status also recognises the extent to which Canada is already a close, trusted partner. Through the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR), Canadian researchers and institutions contribute to several JPI Oceans activities. Seven Canadian authors are contributing to the forthcoming AMOC in Focus report, including a chapter co-lead, and MEOPAR has also made a member of its staff available to coordinate the project’s work.
The collaboration extends to Joint Calls: MEOPAR committed CA$1.2 million to the Joint Call on Blue Carbon Ecosystems, with Canadian partners now involved in three of the four resulting projects. They have also lent considerable expertise to our work on Ocean Oxygen Loss and will support the upcoming Joint Call on the topic with CA$700,000.
The country’s engagement goes beyond Joint Actions and reflects a wider commitment to international ocean cooperation. Canada is a proud member of the All-Atlantic Research and Innovation Alliance, which brings together partners from across the Atlantic to address common ocean challenges, and receives operational support from JPI Oceans via the EU’s OKEANO Coordination and Support Action.
Observer status provides a structured pathway to participate in JPI Oceans. For JPI Oceans, it brings an esteemed partner and valuable expertise to the table at a time when the triple planetary crisis demands planetary collaboration, started here by reaching out across the Atlantic.
Peter Haugan, Chair of JPI Oceans, said: “Canada is indeed very welcome. It is a country with strong marine and polar science that can contribute significantly to future collaboration in addition to what is already ongoing. Having more countries at the table allows us to scope new actions for the benefit of all members, for healthy and productive seas, and for our shared Ocean. I am convinced that Canada's experience from connecting science and innovation not only to policy development and management but also to industry and civil society, including Indigenous peoples, will be an important asset for JPI Oceans.”
Canada’s arrival is a good reflection of the way JPI Oceans operates: countries engage at the level that works best for them, and cooperation deepens as needs evolve. We look forward to collaborating with our Canadian partners on current and future priorities.
About JPI Oceans
The Joint Programming Initiative Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans (JPI Oceans) is an institutionalised, transgovernmental platform that brings countries together to coordinate and fund transnational marine and maritime research and innovation. By aligning national priorities, mobilising research funding and facilitating joint action, JPI Oceans works to advance scientific knowledge and solutions for sustainably healthy and productive seas and oceans.
About Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is a federal institution responsible for the stewardship of Canada’s fisheries and marine resources. DFO helps to ensure healthy aquatic ecosystems through habitat protection and sound science, while supporting economic growth and innovation.
Media Contact
Isabel Caballero, Communication Officer, JPI Oceans - isabel.caballero@jpi-oceans.eu