Welcome and invitation to the 7th EUROLAG Symposium to be held on 1-4 March 2016 in Murcia (Spain)

Coastal lagoons and estuaries are unique systems that offer a large number of goods and services. They are highly productive and include important fisheries and aquaculture exploitations, playing an important role in biogeochemical cycles, protecting and promoting the genetic diversity of the species that inhabit or use them as refuge or nursery. They are ideal for water sports, having a high tourist and recreational value, and can also be used as mesocosm for scientific research and educational projects. But, for the same reasons, these environments are exposed to many human pressures that could affect their biodiversity, resilience or even the entire functioning of the ecosystems they represent.
Due to the high degree of heterogeneity and complexity of the hydrodynamic and the ecological processes that are inherent to these ecosystems, new research and experience gained through observation networks need to be strengthened to further develop, preserve and manage their potential.
This symposium seeks to bring together scientists, managers and stakeholders to discuss new scientific findings and experiences on the knowledge and use of coastal lagoons, from cold-fresh-water Baltic lagoons to the warm-hyperhaline lagoons in the Mediterranean.
After the first meeting in Ferrara in 2003, we have met in Klaipeda, Naples, Montpellier, Aveiro and, on the last occasion, in Lecce. Now we invite you to Murcia, where we hope to reach successful outcomes, and where the climate, culture, gastronomy and the friendliness of the people will certainly contribute to making this symposium at least as successful as previous editions.