Conference Key Points

What: Sustainable Oceans 2013: Building Bridges in Ocean Management Conference Where: Kenneth Rowe Management Building, 6100 University Ave., Dalhousie University, Halifax. When: 6:00pm 9:00pm, Friday April 12th 2013 Public event - keynote speaker, panel, & poster session 8:30am 5:00pm, Saturday April 13th 2013 Oral presentations, posters & workshop Who: This event will be hosted by the students of 2012-2013 Marine Affairs Program (MAP), Dalhousie University, made possible through the Sobey Fund for Oceans1. Context: The environmental, social and economic concerns that currently plague our oceans and those who depend upon its ongoing well-being are numerous and complex. With this realization, we have come to recognize that the solutions will not be simple. Particularly in this time of fiscal austerity and with the current political climate in Canada, whereby we have seen extensive changes to many Canadian environmental policies and legislation including the Fisheries Act, the Navigable Waters Act, and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, questions arise as to how best we can encourage responsible ocean management and development. Conference Aim: An overarching theme for Sustainable Oceans 2013 is Connecting the science, policy, and public spheres. As such, the student-led conference aims to build bridges by bringing people together voices from all sectors so that we can collaboratively develop a strong voice to identify challenges currently undermining sustainable ocean management in Canada and determine potential solutions. Format: The event will include a keynote speaker, panel discussion, workshops, oral presentations and poster presentations. Each of these components will provide a platform to discuss how communication/collaboration is facilitated or impeded within the field of ocean management with specific attention paid to three themes: 1) responsible industry practices, 2) stakeholder engagement/ public participation, and 3) communicating information for effective ocean governance. Contact: For further information please contact the conference organizers at OceansConf@dal.ca
1

~ This conference is possible thanks to the Sobey Fund for Oceans (SFO), a unique partnership between Dalhousies Marine Affairs Program and WWF Canada. The goal of this partnership is to inspire inventive multi-disciplinary approaches for creating healthy oceans and sustainable economies through scholarships, work placements and student led activities. ~