French ocean scientists rally round ailing agency

Government funding for Ifremer is insufficient to meet demand, researchers say

France’s ocean research agency Ifremer is unable to fulfil its functions because its budgets are declining relative to expectations and it has a growing administrative burden, according to an open letter signed by more than 1,500 scientists.

The letter, published in the newspaper Le Monde on 24 June, said that scientists at Ifremer are increasingly having to “interrupt activities of high societal need due to lack of sustainable resources”.