IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)
Advancing knowledge and cooperation for a healthy ocean and prosperous society
International Marine Science Conference
Since 1986, the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) has convened the WESTPAC International Scientific Symposium every three years, hosted by Member States on a rotational basis. Over the past decade, the WESTPAC International Scientific Symposium-renamed in 2014 as the ‘WESTPAC International Marine Science Conference (WESTPAC IMSC)’ – has grown into the largest gathering in the region for marine research communities and ocean stakeholders from diverse sectors.
The WESTPAC IMSC has become a cornerstone event for advancing ocean knowledge, fostering multi- and trans-disciplinary collaboration, and strengthening partnerships among scientists, resource managers, governmental officers, private/business sectors, NGOs, and foundations towards the improvement in ocean management practices and decision-making processes for sustainable ocean development.
Since 2021, in response to the global call of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), the WESTPAC IMSC has also served as the Decade Regional Conference, promoting region-wide efforts in the development and implementation of Decade Actions.
Over the years, the symposium has grown in both prominence and influence, gaining widespread recognition across the region and beyond, and attracting a growing number of participants from Southeast Asian countries.
In June 2025, the WESTPAC IMSC was officially endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade as the “UN42–WESTPAC International Marine Science Conference,” marking a significant milestone in its nearly 40-year journey of advancing sustainable ocean development in the Western Pacific region.
