‘Oceans of Potential’ will bring together stakeholders from a broad range of disciplines to discuss the transition to a new marine economy and to place marine science at the heart of an exciting vision of the future. This conference will take a place as part of the Marine City Festival being held in Plymouth from the 8th to the 16th September (see http://www.marinecityfestival.co.uk/index.php/plymouth for full details of the festival).