The history of the European Marine Biology Symposia dates back to 1960 when Otto Kinne, director of the Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, initiated a series of German marine biological symposia with European participation. In subsequent years, increased interest of marine biologists from other European countries engendered an initiative of the European Biological Symposia, which would be held in regular intervals with no affiliation to any existing international bodies. The first EMBS was held in Helgoland in early autumn of 1966 and from then Symposia have been held annually in more than 20 different European countries.
The objective of the European Marine Biology Symposia is to advance the science of marine biology within Europe.
The Symposia promote marine biology by means of an annual meeting hosted within a European country, attracting marine scientists not just from Europe but from all over the world.
The aims of the annual symposia are:
OVERVIEW OF EMBm
| MEETING | YEAR | DATES | PLACE | STATE | ORGANISATION |
| EMBS 1st | 1966 | 26 Sept.- 1 Oct. | Helgoland | FRG | Biologische Anstalt Helgoland |
| EMBS 2nd | 1967 | 24-28 August | Bergen | Norway | Biological Station, Espegrend |
| EMBS 3rd | 1968 | 2-7 September | Archachon | France | Station Biologique d’Arcachon |
| EMBS 4th | 1969 | 14-20 September | Bangor | North Wales, UK | Marine Science Laboratories, University College of North Wales, Menai Bridge |
| EMBS 5th | 1970 | 5-11 October | Venice | Italy | Institute of Marine Biology, Venice |
| EMBS 6th | 1971 | 27 Sept.- 2 Oct. | Rovinj | ex YU (Croatia) | Marine biological station, Rovinj |
| EMBS 7th | 1972 | 11-16 September | Texel | the Netherlands | The Netherland Inst. for Sea Research, Texel |
| EMBS 8th | 1973 | 1-7 October | Sorrento | Italy | Zoological Station of Naples |
| EMBS 9th | 1974 | 2-8 October | Oban | Scotland, UK | The Dunstaffnage Marine Research Laboratory, Oban |
| EMBS 10th | 1975 | 17-23 September | Ostend | Belgium | Institute for Marine Scientific Research, Bredene |
| EMBS 11th | 1976 | 5-11 October | Galway | Ireland | University College, Galway |
| EMBS 12th | 1977 | 5-12 September | Stirling | Scotland, UK | University of Stirling |
| EMBS 13th | 1978 | 27 Sept.- 4 Oct. | Isle of Man | Great Britain | University of Liverpool, Port Erin |
| EMBS 14th | 1979 | 23-29 September | Helgoland | FRG | Biologishe Anstalt Helgoland |
| EMBS 15th | 1980 | 29 Sept.- 3 Oct. | Kiel | FRG | Institut fur Meereskunde an der Universitat Kiel |
| EMBS 16th | 1981 | 14-18 September | Texel | Netherlands | The Netherlands Institute for Sea Research |
| EMBS 17th | 1982 | 27 Sept.- 1 Oct. | Brest | France | Institut d’Etudes Marins, CNEXO; Station Biologique de Roscoff |
| EMBS 18th | 1983 | 14-20 August | Oslo | Norway | University of Oslo and the Norwegian Institute of Water Research (NIVA) |
| EMBS 19th | 1984 | 16-21 September | Plymouth | Great Britain | Marine Biological Associations of the UK |
| EMBS 20th | 1985 | 9-13 September | Hirtshals | Denmark | Marine Pollution Laboratory, National Agency of Environmental Protection & the Danish Institute for Fisheries and Marine Research |
| EMBS 21st | 1986 | 14-19 September | Gdansk | Poland | The University of Gdansk, Gdansk-Oliva |
| EMBS 22nd | 1987 | 17-22 August | Barcelona | Spain | Faculty of Biology, Barcelona |
| EMBS 23rd | 1988 | 5-9 September | Swansea | Wales | School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Wales, Swansea |
| EMBS 24th | 1989 | 4-10 October | Oban | Scotland, UK | The Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Argyll, Oban |
| EMBS 25th | 1990 | 10-15 September | Ferrara | Italy | Department of Evolutionary Biology, Univ of Ferrara |
| EMBS 26th | 1991 | 17-21 September | Middelburg | Netherlands | Delta Institute for Hydrobiological Research, Yerseke & Tidal Waters Division of Rijckwaterstaat, Middelburg |
| EMBS 27th | 1992 | 7-11 September | Dublin | Ireland | Department of Zoology, Trinity College, University of Dublin |
| EMBS 28th | 1993 | 23-28 September | Hersonissos | Greece | Institute of Marine Biology of Crete |
| EMBS 29th | 1994 | 29 Aug. – 2 Sept. | Vienna | Austria | Institute of Zoology, University of Vienna |
| EMBS 30th | 1995 | 18 – 22 August | Southhampton | Great Britain | Southhampton Oceanogr. Center, Univ. of Southhampton |
| EMBS 31st | 1996 | 9 – 13 September | St. Petersburg | Russia | |
| EMBS 32nd | 1997 | 16-22 August | Lysekil | Sweden | Kristineberg Marine Research Station |
| EMBS 33rd | 1998 | 7-11 September | Willhelmshaven | Germany | Forshungszentrum Terramare, D-26382 Willhelmshaven |
| EMBS 34th | 1999 | 13-17 September | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Portugal | Departemento de Biologia |
| EMBS 35th | 2000 | 18-22 September | Sevastopol | Ukraine | Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Sevastopol |
| EMBS 36th | 2001 | 17-23 September | Mahon (Minorca) | Spain | University of Barcelona and the Inst. of Marine Research |
| EMBS 37th | 2002 | 5-9 August | Reykjavik | Iceland | University of Iceland, Reykjavik Marine Research Institute, Reykjavik |
| EMBS 38th | 2003 | 17-22 September | Aveiro | Portugal | University of Aveiro, Departamento de Biologia |
| EMBS 39th | 2004 | 21-24 July | Genoa | Italy | University of Genoa |
| EMBS 40th | 2005 | 21-25 August | Vienna | Austria | University of Vienna |
| EMBS 41st | 2006 | 4-8 September | Cork | Ireland | University College Cork (UCC) |
| EMBS 42nd | 2007 | 27-31 August | Kiel | Germany | Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft |
| EMBS 43rd | 2008 | 8-12 September | Ponta Delgrada (Azores) | Portugal | University of the Azores, Marine Biology Section, Biology Department |
| EMBS 44th | 2009 | 7-11 September | Liverpool | Great Britain | Liverpool University |
| EMBS 45th | 2010 | 23-27 August | Edinbourgh | Scotland, UK | School of Life Science, Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh |
| EMBS 46th | 2011 | 12-16 September | Rovinj | Croatia | Ruđer Bošković Institute, Center for Marine Research – Rovinj |