At a time of growing human demand for the use of marine space and its resources (Ehler, 2021; Koehler et al., 2017), Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) has been proposed as a novel process that could foster sustainable marine governance (Pyć, 2019). By 2023, around 126 countries had adopted MSP in some form (IOC-UNESCO, 2024), including […]
Marine & Ocean Issues
“Connecting Communities to Ocean Science”: The ACCESS-BoFEP Conference, 19-22 May 2026
Researchers, students, practitioners, educators, and community members alike gathered at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, for the 2026 joint Atlantic Canada Coastal and Estuarine Science Society (ACCESS) and the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) biennial conference. Held under the theme “Connecting Communities to Ocean Science,” the conference brought together approximately 90 participants for four days of presentations, discussions, posters, […]
From Water Pollution Studies to Legislation and Regulatory Action: Celebrating 50 Years of Contributions of the Canadian Ecotoxicity Workshop
What can a half century of research achieve? This question was top of mind at the fiftieth Canadian Ecotoxicity Workshop (previously the Aquatic Toxicity Workshop), sponsored by the University of Waterloo, on 6-9 October 2024 in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. This series of meetings began in the 1970s directly after the formation of the federal government department, […]
Where are local communities in Marine Spatial Planning?
How can local communities benefit from and be involved in marine spatial planning (MSP) was the top-of-mind question at a one-day workshop at Dalhousie University in Halifax on Thursday, 22 February 2024. Over 70 participants including representatives of non-governmental organizations, Mi’kmaw organizations, industry, academia, and government, and interested members of the public spent the day […]
New Paper: An Ocean Science-Policy Interface Standing the Test of Time
Since its establishment in 1969 by the United Nations, the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) has been “providing authoritative, independent, interdisciplinary scientific advice to organisations and governments to support the protection and sustainable use of the marine environment.” GESAMP’s “first major task was to provide the main […]
New Paper: Measuring Engagement with Shark Research in Science, News and Social Media, and Policy: A Bibliometric Analysis
What does research say about the shark species that navigate oceans all over the world? Is it critical to protect them? Does relevant scientific knowledge make its way to policymakers and journalists alike? In a study published on 13 September 2023 in Marine Policy, an internationally renowned journal dealing with marine affairs, we analyzed the […]
Making Connections: The 2023 Coastal Zone Canada Conference
“Connecting with the coast” was an apt theme for the biennial Coastal Zone Canada (CZC) conference held in Victoria, British Columbia on 11-15 June 2023. Officially endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade and attended by about 500 registrants, the conference offered many opportunities for coastal, professional, and personal connections. Over four days of concurrent sessions […]
A Place for Communities in Marine Spatial Planning
Marine spatial planning (MSP) is being implemented in a growing number of countries globally. The Canadian federal government, through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), is in the midst of marine spatial planning for five marine planning areas in Canadian waters, including three in Atlantic Canada. The first product in this planning initiative is […]
Inspirational Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5), Vancouver, 3-9 February 2023
Since the declaration of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), an incredible push to address biodiversity loss and climate change has become widespread. As part of efforts to ensure ocean protection, the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) was held in Vancouver, Canada from 3-9 February 2023. Attendees represented […]
New Paper: The Global Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts: A Database Relevant to the Times
Biodiversity loss, unrestrained climate change, deteriorating ocean conditions, growing food insecurity, and human population explosion are all headline topics today. The recently concluded COP 27 meeting on climate change in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt and the COP 15 Montreal Summit on biodiversity, currently in progress, have focused global attention on serious environmental, social, and political issues […]