Pelagic MPA Workshop

The EUR-OCEANS consortium, in collaboration with the AMPED project, has provided funding for us to host a 1 week invitation-only workshop on quantitative assessment of pelagic MPAs in Sète, France on March 26-30, 2012.

Schedule

The rough schedule of the workshop can be found here.

Travel arrangements and per diem

Participants should plan on arriving on or before the 2th of March so that we can make a morning start on the 26th of March. The nearest airport to Sète is Montpellier (MPL), though travel through Marseille, Paris and other smaller regional airports with appropriate train or plane connections is possible. Montpellier is roughly 30 km from Sète with regular train service between the two. Transport from the airport to Sète will be coordinated shortly before the meeting.

Travel arrangements need to be made through the IRD laboratory at Sète following the procedure detailed below. Please do not buy your own plane tickets! These must be purchased through our travel agent for reimbursement of travel expenses.

Please forward as soon as possible the following information to David M. Kaplan and Anne-Catherine Gandrillon via email or fax (+33 4 99 57 32 95):

1. A document from your superior(s) at the organization where you work testifying that your own organization will not be paying for your travel (an "attestation de non prise en charge" in French). French institutions need this sort of document to make sure people don’t end up being paid twice for a single voyage. If your organization is not familiar with this sort of document then you can use this template.
2. For transferring per diem into your personal bank account (institutional bank accounts are not permitted), we will need a document from your bank indicating that you have an account at that bank, as well as all the information necessary for making the transfer. For French bank accounts, this means a RIB. For foreign accounts, the document should come from your bank and must contain the bank name, address and phone numbers, your account number and the numbers necessary for international bank transfers (IBAN, Swift, etc.; in French, an "Attestation de domiciliation bancaire"). A copy of a recent bank statement (with amounts blackened out if you desire) may be suitable if it contains all this information.
3. A filled out travel form with your preferred travel arrangements, etc. French speakers can use this form. For non-French speakers, please use the form in English. Preferred itineraries can be obtained from online travel sites, but please do not purchase travel tickets directly; the IRD will do that for you.

Normally, plane tickets are purchased by the IRD’s travel agent and you will receive an E-ticket via email. Per diem is usually reimbursed several weeks after the meeting. If you have any problems or questions about arranging travel, please contact David M. Kaplan.

Hotel information and maps

A list of recommended hotels in Sète can be obtained from the CRH website and we have created a special google map indicating the locations and contact information of hotels, the laboratory, etc. We recommend staying at Hotel L’Orque Bleue because it is in central Sete.

Each participant should make his or her own hotel reservation. You must pay for the hotel yourself and then be reimbursed for the cost after returning from the meeting. When placing your reservation, please mention that you will be visiting the Ifremer/IRD center in Sète to receive a reduced fee. If you desire to share a hotel room with someone or have any other difficulties, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance.

After returning from meeting

In order to reimburse your travel after the meeting is over, we will need to receive the original travel (airline ticket stubs, train tickets, etc.) and hotel receipts. Please hold on to all such receipts. Food receipts will not be necessary.

Practical info

Map from Hotel L’Orque Bleue to Laboratory

Map of area around laboratory with restaurants indicated

Time table of #3 bus that goes from lab to hotel