Recent advances in Southwest Atlantic Ocean Marine Sciences: outcomes from the XII National Marine Sciences Conferences and XX Oceanography Colloquium

The National Marine Sciences Conferences – Oceanography Colloquium is a well-established triennial event in Argentina, where scientists at different stages of their careers from all over the country and from neighboring countries share and evaluate progress in the coastal and oceanic sciences of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. The most recent edition was held in Puerto Madryn city (Chubut Province, Argentina) from 1st to 5th December 2025, under the theme “Oceans: A Sea of Opportunities for Our Future”. The event brought together about 684 researchers, under- and postgraduate students, and professionals. The program included 12 keynote lectures, 37 thematic scientific sessions with a total of 592 presentations (294 oral on-site and 298 virtual speed talks), 10 workshops, 8 roundtables, 1 discussion panel, and 6 training courses. The primary objective was to offer an opportunity for national and international interdisciplinary researchers to share and debate on the progress in diverse areas of knowledge and to discuss the challenges for the ocean’s sustainable use and conservation. This article synthesizes the main scientific themes, emerging research priorities, and interdisciplinary approaches highlighted during the meeting, underscoring Argentina’s growing role in regional and global ocean science.