On February 5, a special policy, or roadmap, was published for research into the micro-flora of the Atlantic. AORA (Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance) is responsible for this publication, which is an organization for marine research in the Atlantic Ocean of which the United States, Canada and the European Union are members.
AORA's goal is to foster the health and preservation of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the well-being, prosperity and security of future generations. The AORA partnership is a result Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Directorate General Research and Innovation at the European Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States.
AORA's policy statement states that the microflora of the ocean plays a key role for human society; for health, food, industry and ecosystems. It is therefore important that the scientific community, industry and policy makers align their efforts to nurture the ocean and better research the properties of the microflora and the potential opportunities it offers. Matís participated in compiling AORA's strategy.
More information about the AORA organization can be found here and a special introductory video about the guide can be found below: