Riga is known as the “Heart of the Baltics”. It is the largest city in the Baltic states, located at the mouth of the Daugava on the shores of the Gulf of Riga. Officially founded in 1201 by Bishop Albert, Riga became one of the most developed seaports in the Hanseatic League during the Middle Ages and has traditionally served as a crossroads for trade between east and west. When an independent Latvian Republic formed in 1918, Riga became the capital.

Today, you can see the entire history  of the city reflected in its architecture. Walk through cobblestone streets and explore the medieval charm of the Old Town, admire the beautiful art nouveau buildings and the wooden architecture. It is a place to enjoy a wide variety of culture, ranging from world class opera and classical music, to theatre performances and art exhibitions. Due to a rich historical and cultural heritage, the city was chosen as the European Capital of Culture 2014 which was a success story for both Riga and Latvia.

Latvia’s ICES delegates, Georgs Kornilovs and Normunds
Riekstins, welcome all ASC participants to Latvia and Riga.

Latvia joined ICES in 1937,  renewed its membership in 1993 and now for the first time, will host the Annual Science Conference in Riga. We expect that it will be a notable scientific event for ICES members as well as the wider public as.

Embraced by 490 km of beautiful sandy beaches, Latvia, its history, and lifestyle has been inseparable from the sea. The sea and its values manifests itself in many 200 000 Latvian folk songs recorded by our ethnographers.

For Latvian fisheries biologists, ICES has always been a significant platform to promote good cooperation with scientists of other countries, to ensure coordination of research surveys, to contribute to data collection and the development of regional databases, and not least, it offers good opportunities for training new scientists. Managers and stakeholders in Latvia also appreciate ICES advice for the sustainable use of marine resources.

18theme sessions offer a great variety of topics so everyone should find something interesting. The oral presentations will be combined with panel discussions.  Several sessions (B, E, F, Q, R) are devoted to different aspects of ecosystem-based fisheries management and aim to bring together scientists, managers, and other stakeholders. Different trophic levels from phytoplankton to fishes, their interrelationships and dependence from physical environment will be covered in theme sessions D, M, N. The development in the prediction of the latter will be considered in session I. Many will be also interested in the process of Marine spatial planning in session L, progress in sclerochronology in session H and in quality assurance in data collection in session O.

The conference venue, Radisson Blu Latvija, is in the very heart of Riga, 5 minutes walk from the Old City. You can find many hotels, shopping centres, coffee bars, and restaurants within walking distance. We hope that the ASC will be not only a remarkable scientific event but our excursions will allow you to become acquainted with Riga and Latvia. Even if you don’t have time for excursions, many remarkable places are situated in the nearest neighborhood to the conference centre: Old Riga with its eight centuries of history, the district of Art Nouveau buildings considered the capital of Art Nouveau architecture in Europe, and Riga Central Market – the biggest outdoor and indoor market complex between European capitals.

We look forward to see you in Riga, 19 – 23 September 2016