The Royal State visit of the Dutch Queen Beatrix to Norway, early June 2010, had a focus on collaboration between two of world most advanced marine and maritime countries, The Netherlands and Norway. The main topic for a joint business conference in Bergen was how to further advance joint efforts in sustainable fisheries and other marine activities.

The business conference and ‘Round table’ debate had a clear secondary goal: getting informed on future management issues. What are the main challenges and opportunities in the sector which should preferably be addressed across national borders and in concert by the industry, the scientific community and the authorities together and consequently, how should the government and private sector allocate future spending?

The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food safety (MinLNV) wants to know which bi-lateral (business) opportunities may have originated from this visit. Besides this request, MareLife, an independent science-based and private sector dominated marine innovation network, would also like to follow-up these new opportunities that occurred around this event in Bergen in collaboration with the Dutch Fisheries Innovation Platform (VIP).