It is our great pleasure to invite you to the 7th Mangrove, Macrobenthos and Management Conference (MMM7), to be held in Ishigaki City, Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan, from 1–5 July 2026. 

Since its inception in 2000 in Kenya, the MMM conference series has successfully brought together scientists, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to the study and management of mangrove ecosystems. Subsequent meetings have been held in Australia (2006), Sri Lanka (2012), the USA (2016), Singapore (2019), and Colombia (2023). 

The MMM7 conference is organized by the MMM7 Organization Committee, primarily supported by the University of the Ryukyus and the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME), headquartered in Okinawa, Japan. 

Mangrove ecosystems are among the most productive and valuable on Earth. They are home to a vast diversity of life—from fish, plants, and benthic organisms to reptiles and mammals—and provide vital ecosystem services to millions of people. These include protection from storms and coastal erosion, as well as mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration and storage. 

We hope that MMM7 will serve as a global platform for sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas, and fostering collaboration toward the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems.

We look forward to welcoming you to Okinawa, Japan, in 2026.

Prof. Shigeyuki Baba
Conference Chair, MMM7
Professor emeritus, University of the Ryukyus.
Executive Director, International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME)