Events

IMCC6 takes place in Kiel, Germany, 22 – 28 August 2020.

• Abstract submission for talks and posters is now open.
  Deadline: 24 February ’20.
• Early bird registration is now open. 

To conserve the world’s oceans we must go beyond science and use it to inform policy and management to catalyze change. The International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC) brings together conservation professionals and students to develop new and powerful tools to further marine conservation science and policy.

With over 700 marine conservation professionals and students in attendance, IMCC is the most important international event for anyone involved or interested in marine conservation. The meeting brings together marine conservationists from many walks of life including but not limited to scientists, practitioners, educators, policy-makers, artists and journalists.

IMCC6 takes place in the sailing city of Kiel, Germany. Join us in Kiel as we come together to help Make Marine Science Matter!

Join us this summer for IMBeR ClimEco7 Summer School – Interdisciplinary ocean science for sustainable development goals

Date

August 17 – 21, 2020

Location

Vancouver, BC, Canada

ClimEco7 is the seventh in a series of “Climate and Ecosystems” biennial summer schools organised by IMBeR, the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research project. ClimEco summer schools are designed for 60-70 post-graduate students and early career researchers and are led by an interdisciplinary group of scientists which includes leaders in their respective fields.

How to Apply

Submit the Application Form plus a short CV (in English, 2 pages max) before March 9, 2020.

Participants will be selected on their research interests and motivation for attending.

This event is being co-hosted by the IOF’s Changing Ocean Research Unit (CORU) and Fishery Economic Research Unit (FERU).

Call for Early Abstracts! (IIFET Link)

Early abstract submission is open until 10 Dec! There are over 40 themes and special sessions to choose from!

The early abstract submission period is mainly intended for those who need an acceptance decision soon in order to apply for travel support from the conference organizers or other sources and who need more time to secure a visa to Spain. Authors who do not require an early decision may submit and abstract during the regular abstract submission period which will open 11 Dec 2019 and close 1 February 2020. 

If you are from AND reside in a developing country and wish to apply for travel support from the conference organizers (or other funding sources with early deadlines), please submit your abstract during the early abstract submission period. We are seeking developing country support funds but the number of travel grants we can offer is limited, so please expand your search for support to other agencies. The quality of abstracts will be a primary determinant in our competitive selection process. We prioritize support to citizens and residents of Low-Income and Lower-Middle-Income countries and, in some situations, can provide more limited support to Upper-Middle-Income country participants. Visit the World Bank site to find lists of countries in these categories.

Abstract Submission Guidelines

• Go here to submit your abstract.
• If you have already created a profile, choose “Returning user”. Enter your email address and password to access your account. If you have forgotten your password, click “Reset Password” and an email will be sent to you with instructions to reset your password.
• If you are a first-time user, select “Click Here to Create a Profile” and fill in the respective fields. Once done, you can submit your abstract(s). You will also receive a confirmation email with your password. You may update your password at any time by clicking on “Update Profile”.
• Complete all mandatory sections of the Abstract Submission Form.
• If you are a citizen of a developing country AND a current resident of a developing country, you may qualify to receive financial assistance.

And don’t forget about these Important Dates!

18 OCT 2019: Deadline for Special Session submissions
7 NOV 2019: Notification of acceptance of special sessions
10 DEC 2019: Deadline for Early Abstracts
15 JAN 2020: Notification of acceptance of early abstracts
1 FEB 2020: Deadline for Abstract submissions
5 MAR 2020: Notification of acceptance of abstracts
1 MAY 2020: Deadline for Presenter Registration
15 MAY 2020: Deadline for Early Registration
15 JUN 2020: Deadline for Regular Registration
27 JUN 2020: Deadline for Late Registration

Call for Abstracts

The Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference is the largest, most comprehensive event of its kind in the region, featuring the latest scientific research and management issues relevant to the health of the Salish Sea ecosystem. The conference features plenary sessions, concurrent oral sessions and poster presentations, workshops, field trips and other special events including a film festival in 2020. The Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference happens every two years, alternating between Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

Background on Fisheries for Communities Gathering 1.0

The first Fisheries for Communities Gathering was held in Vancouver on February 23, 2018. The Gathering brought together more than 120 people including fish harvesters and Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishing interests, from different generations and geographically diverse coastal regions. There were also First Nations leaders, mayors from coastal communities, environmental groups, fish harvester organizations from Canada and Alaska, NGOs, BC food activists, academics, and Provincial and Federal elected officials. All were there to express concern for the current state of BC commercial fisheries, to listen, and to add their voice to the need for change.

While each group came with their own experiences of the issues and had different interests, there was agreement from the entire gathering on the need for immediate fisheries policy reform to ensure that fish harvesters, First Nations, and coastal fishing communities are more fully supported, and are the primary benefactors of the resource. There was also a call on the then Minister of Fisheries to perform an independent review of BC commercial fisheries licensing policy, built on a transparent and inclusive process, to:

a) Ensure fisheries licensing policy in the Pacific region supports independent fish harvesters, First Nations, and the revival of rural fishing communities, and

b) Determine how “social, economic, and cultural” objectives are to be achieved in Pacific region fisheries.

There was agreement from attendees on the guiding principles for reform. The full proceedings report from this event can be seen here http://www.bucksuzuki.org/images/uploads/docs/FisheriesForCommunities_April19.pdf

This request was heard. The Minister did launch a West Coast licence review, which was subsequently taken over by the Standing Committee of Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO). After months of hearings and deliberations this committee made 20 recommendations to address these issues. https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/FOPO/report-21/

Purpose for Fisheries for Communities Gathering 2.0

Much like the previous gathering, the Fisheries for Communities Gathering 2.0 will bring together fish harvesters as well as other individuals, communities, organizations and governments whose livelihoods, economies, food access, cultures, and wellbeing are tied to local fisheries, and who want to continue to work together to ensure fisheries support them and their communities now, and for future generations. This is timely as the newly elected Federal Government will have to decide if, and how, to act on FOPO’s recently released report and 20 recommendations on West Coast fisheries licensing policy reform. This event will provide an opportunity for participants to share thoughts, concerns, desired outcomes around these recommendations, and to show the government that action and follow through on these important issues are needed. The Gathering will also provide a space for those concerned about the health of our fisheries and fishing communities, to connect with each other, build relationships, and share concerns, ideas, and hopes for a better future.

The Issue

The issues are many and complex and there are many current and growing threats to the wellbeing of our fishing communities. Independent harvesters face numerous challenges trying to stay afloat. Among them is the increasing control of the resource from non-coastal business interests. This is the result of policies that enable speculative investors and multinational companies to purchase, own and lease our local fishing rights. As a result, the tangible and broader intangible benefits of local fisheries are being taken from the coastal communities adjacent to them. Influence over decision-making has shifted away from the people and communities connected to fisheries. Fish harvesters are losing their voice in key decisions that affect them and their ability to earn a living from fishing is being increasingly compromised.

The Opportunity:

Despite all the challenges we do have a moment of opportunity to make positive change! There has been progress since the last gathering, along with the FOPO report, this past June the Federal government passed Bill C-68 instilling socio-economic objectives in support of fishermen, coastal communities and First Nations into the Fisheries Act. The new Fisheries Act states that it will keep the benefits of fishing in the hands of independent fish harvesters and their adjacent communities. In addition, the Fisheries and Oceans Standing Committee completed a study on West Coast fisheries, and released 20 recommendations for West Coast fisheries policy reform to help ensure that the benefits from fishing flow to independent harvesters, First Nations, and coastal communities. It is not too late to change the policy foundations that continue to rob the coast of the social, economic and cultural values of adjacent fisheries. Now there is a chance for change that can sustain these values and revive or create new local fisheries, reinvigorate communities, food access and jobs, and rebuild longstanding connections to the sea.

This Gathering provides an opportunity for individuals affected by years of bad fisheries policy to combine their voices, and describe the change needed to revitalize our coast and realize all that its ocean bounty has to offer coastal communities, now and for future generations.

Participants: Registration is required BEFORE February 4. Register via Eventbrite, or by contacting info@saveourcoastalcommunity.org

Location:

Coast Bastion Hotel, 11 Bastion Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 6E4, Ph: 250.753.6601

When: February 10-11th, 2020

Feb 10th 10:00– 5:00PM (8:30AM registration & continental breakfast; 12:30 lunch provided; 6:00PM catered dinner and social time)

Feb 11th 9:00AM – 4:30PM (8:30AM continental breakfast; 12:30 lunch provided)

Support: There is a limited budget for this event but we do not want costs to be a barrier to attendance. If you need financial assistance with travel expenses, please contact email below.

More Info: info@saveourcoastalcommunity.org

Ecotrust Canada and TBuck Suzuki are facilitating this meeting on behalf of those working to find a common focus and voice on the barriers to thriving, sustainable coastal fisheries and more equitable access to the wealth of the oceans.

About this Event

Join us in Nanaimo for our 4th annual BC Young Fishermen’s Gathering!

What to expect

Advance your business, policy, and leadership skills in workshops with industry professionals and network with peers from across the coast.

Workshop topics range from business planning, marketing your catch, policy and management, the future of BC’s fishing industry, and more. Plus an optional tour, evening reception and a chance to win fishing swag prizes!

This year we will be switching things up, with a new format and new topics for those who have joined us before. Our 2020 agenda will be posted soon, but examples of past agendas can be found on our website- https://bcyoungfishermen.ca/annual_gathering.

Who should attend

The event is hosted by fishermen, for fishermen. We’re open to young commercial fishermen (55 and under), new entrants to the industry (within 5 years), or those considering fishing as a career.

We appreciate the interest we have received from folks across the non-profit, academic, private and public sector and recognize the important roles you play in supporting the next generation of B.C.’s fleet. However, we have limited space for non-commercial fishermen, and will be accepting registrations on a first-come-first-served basis.

Registration

Registration fee covers workshop attendance, two lunches and one breakfast, and a tour.

Fishermen: $70

Non-fishermen: $100

Early bird discount- save 20% if you register before Dec 31, 2019!

Limited travel bursaries are available, please select if financial assistance is required through the registration process.

Accommodation

We have a group rate at the Coast Bastion Hotel. Please book ASAP to secure your spot by calling 800 663-1144 and quoting ‘BC Young Fishermen’s Gathering’.

Facebook Page
Eventbrite Page

The Global “Blue Economy” Business Conference

The World Ocean Council (WOC) Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS) is the annual gathering of the global Ocean Business Community dedicated to advancing private sector action on responsible use of the seas.

With the theme of “Investing in Ocean Futures: Finance and Innovation for the Blue Economy”, the SOS 2019 will be the foremost international business conference dedicated to investment and innovation for ocean sustainable development.

Registration is open to all from the ocean business and investment community.

Since 2010, the SOS has been bringing together leaders from the diverse Ocean Business Community – shipping, fisheries, oil and gas, aquaculture, offshore renewables, tourism, seabed mining, marine technology, law, insurance, finance, etc. – as well as ocean stakeholders from the government, inter-governmental, science and environment communities – to focus on industry-driven action on “Corporate Ocean Responsibility”.

Click here to see the CEOs and business representatives who attend the SOS.

On the afternoon of the final day of the 72nd annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI), TBTI will be hosting an open session that will include a talk by Maria Pena on ‘Gender in Small-scale Fisheries: Caribbean perspectives through the Gender in Fisheries Team (GIFT)’, followed by a talk by Svein Jentoft on ‘Unpacking the SSF Guidelines’. The session will conclude with a roundtable discussion on ways to promote implementation of the SSF Guidelines.

→ The session is open for the GCFI participants and everyone interested in the topics.

To find out more about the session and the GCFI Conference, CLICK HERE.

Come and contribute to the research agenda in social sciences for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development!

Ocean University Initiative is pleased to invite researchers from social sciences for an interactive event aimed at identifying and discussing research priorities in ocean and coastal social sciences for the UN Decade. The two day event will include keynote lectures, 3-minute research presentations and collaborative workshops. The ultimate outcome of the event is to produce a contribution to the planning of the UN Ocean Decade.

For more information about the event, click here.

The 72nd annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) will be held at the Now Larimar in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic under the theme Scaling up public-private government partnerships for sustainable fisheries and innovative science.

The program includes technical sessions featuring oral and poster scholar presentations, workshops, a ‘Cinefish’ film festival, and many opportunities for students and fishers to participate at the conference.

For more information about the conference, click here.

Side event: Ending Harmful Fisheries Subsidies by 2020: Exploring the Impacts of Fisheries Subsidies and Potential Reform

When: October 23, 2019 from 17h30 to 18h30
Where: Restaurant Chambre Séparée, Clarion Hotel The Hub
Co-hosts: High Level Panel on a Sustainable Ocean Economy, the International Institute for Sustainable Development, The Pew Charitable Trusts

To attend the event, register here: http://www.cvent.com/d/9hqjck or RSVP to Isabel Jarrett: ijarrett@pewtrusts.org

Panelists:

• Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy for the Ocean & Co-chair, Friends of Ocean Action
• Ruth Kagia, Deputy Chief of Staff (Policy & Strategy) in the Executive Office of the President of Kenya
• Jennifer Prescott, Assistant United States Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources
• Dr. Rashid Sumaila, Professor and Director of the Fisheries Economics Research Unit, University of British Columbia
• Alice Tipping, Lead, Fisheries Subsidies, International Institute for Sustainable Development
• Isabel Jarrett, Manager, Ending Harmful Fisheries Subsidies, The Pew Charitable Trusts (moderator)

Session Format

The side event will explore the impact of harmful fisheries subsidies on the world’s ocean as well as the compelling new science that underlines the need for urgent reform through an ambitious and meaningful agreement at the World Trade Organization by 2020. The topic of the side event aligns with one of Our Ocean’s 2019 conference’s three themes – overfishing. The timing of Our Ocean 2019 makes it an important milestone in the final months of negotiations at the WTO, and represents a significant opportunity to increase awareness of, and support for an ambitious and meaningful agreement. To do so, it is vital to ensure active engagement from diverse stakeholders including from officials from environment and fisheries ministries and the NGO and scientific
communities.

Background

Healthy oceans are essential for maintaining livelihoods and global food security and are critical to sustainable development. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) statistics reveal that over 40 million people are engaged on a full-time or part-time basis in the marine capture fishery sector, and more than 1 billion people rely on seafood as a main source of animal protein. Yet, in 2018, the FAO estimated that a third of all fish stocks are being exploited at unsustainable levels and another 60% have no room for increased fishing. Fisheries subsidies are one of the key drivers of overcapacityand overfishing, and ultimately, the decline in global fish stocks. While not all fisheries subsidies are harmful, governments pay an estimated $20 billion per year in damaging types of fisheries subsidies to offset fishing costs such as fuel, gear, and vessel construction, undermining the health of fish stocks, ocean health, fishery management efforts, and the lives and livelihoods of fishers.

After more than two decades of stop-start negotiations to reform fisheries subsidies, by October 2019, governments will have just a few months to reach an agreement at the World Trade Organization and fulfil dual mandates to eliminate harmful fisheries subsidies by 2020. The first is the Ministerial Decision resulting WTO’s 11th Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires (MC11), and the second is UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.6, one of three SDG 14 targets with 2020 deadlines. In the past, science to demonstrate the impact of fisheries subsidies on fisheries, and the potential impact of reform at the WTO has been missing from the discussion. Now, new research exists that can inform WTO deliberations and mobilize additional engagement in support of reform.

Session Objectives

• Explore new science that assesses the impacts of fisheries subsidies and potential reform in different regional contexts as well as the global impacts of potential reform.
• Connect scientists, government officials and other stakeholders to ensure decision-makers have access to the latest evidence of the benefits of subsidy reform.
• Build awareness of and support for ongoing negotiations at the World Trade Organization to reach an agreement to reform harmful fisheries subsidies by the end of 2019.

Norway is hosting the sixth Our Ocean Conference 23-24 October 2019 in Oslo.

Our Ocean 2019 is being held in a historical moment when the level of threat facing the ocean and the need for action are being spotlighted like never before. With a determination to forge new partnerships and increase momentum, the event will highlight the importance of knowledge as the basis for our actions and policies to ensure protection of our ocean, responsible management of marine resources and sustainable future economic growth.

Our future depends on a clean and healthy ocean. Safeguarding the ocean for future generations is a shared responsibility and a matter of global urgency.

The conference will bring together leaders from governments, businesses, civil society and research institutions to share their experience, identify solutions and commit to action for a clean, healthy and productive ocean.

Our Ocean 2019 is organised by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and hosted by Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide.

As an integral part of the Our Ocean Conference, Sustainable Ocean Alliance and the University of Tromsø will co-host the fourth Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit.

Several side events will also take place in connection with the conference, organised by a variety of civil society, business and government actors.

Place: Clarion Hotel, The Hub, Biskop Gunnerus’ gate 3, Oslo
Dates: 23-24 October

The objective of the transdisciplinary (TD) training program is to expose participants to a range of issues, challenges and concerns related to fisheries and ocean sustainability, especially those affecting small-scale fisheries, as well as to deepen the understanding about their causes and effects, and to broaden the perspective about how to address them.