In this article, Project Seagrass CEO Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth reflects on the United Nations Ocean Conference: The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, co-organized by Costa Rica and France was held in the coastal city of Nice, France from 9 to 13 June. Over 15,000 people participated, including 2,000 scientists and
Between the 11th and 13th November 2025, scientists, conservation professionals, practitioners, and community groups from across the UK will converge in Cardiff for the 2025 UK Seagrass Symposium (UKSS). Hosted by Project Seagrass, the event will build upon the success of the inaugural UKSS (hosted by Ocean Conservation Trust and
Seagrass meadows and their elusive inhabitants, dugongs, are under threat across Asia. To tackle this, conservation experts, policymakers, and researchers from across the region gathered in Bangkok in February 2025 for the First Asian Regional Dialogue on Seagrass and Dugong Conservation. The goal? To find real, actionable solutions to the challenges
Between the 8th and 10th April 2025, Project Seagrass will join other scientists and conservation professionals in Arcachon, France for the 2nd European Seagrass Restoration Workshop. Hosted by The Seagrass Consortium the workshop follows on from the inaugural workshop held in Portinho da Arrábida, Portugal in 2010. The 2025 workshop
It’s already been one month since the 12th International Seagrass Biology Workshop began at Nant Gwrtheyrn in Wales. This time last month the world’s foremost seagrass scientists were descending on the Llŷn Peninsula and the Project Seagrass team were in the midst of the final preparations for hosting the largest International Seagrass Biology Workshop
First off, the stereotype of a conference in my head is hushed voices, fancy clothes and everything deadly serious, but throw into the mix that it’s a conference based around seagrass and I was completely at a loss as to what to expect. Having packed for all possibilities (would the
www.conbio.org The International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC) represents one of the most important international meetings for marine conservation professionals and students. IMCC4 was recently held in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador between 30 July – 3 August 2016, building on from the success of Glasgow in 2014 and bringing together
The International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) is the primary international meeting for researchers who are focused on coral reef science and management. In fact, as a conference it has a similar ecosystem focus to the International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) that we will be hosting in Wales this coming October. The Symposium,
A long-standing tradition of Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) conferences is the friendly and collegial environment and the unwavering support for early career scientists. This #CERF2015 was no exception with a multitude of leading marine scientists inspiring the next generation with #OceanOptimism as together we tackle the Grand Challenges
The International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) is the only international meeting specifically tailored to seagrass scientists, professionals and students. Abstract submissions are now open as are proposals for workshops. All payment is via PayPal using credit/debit cards. There is one registration fee. It covers access to all parts of the conference program, including the
In this article, Project Seagrass CEO Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth reflects on the United Nations Ocean Conference: The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, co-organized by Costa Rica and France was held in the coastal city of Nice, France from 9 to 13 June. Over 15,000 people participated, including 2,000 scientists and more than 60 world leaders. Discussions aimed to shine a light on the challenges of unlocking sustainable ocean investment and how to reinforce the role of marine science in policymaking. Our Project Seagrass team was delighted to be able to attend and contribute to the Conference receiving special accreditation to join the full programme by the UN. The Conference was insightful, inspiring, hopeful, overwhelming, challenging, in short it evoked an epic rollercoaster of emotions both negative and positive respectively around the declining health of our oceans and the demonstrated passion to drive change shown by individuals from across the globe. There was much conversation about David Attenborough’s ‘Ocean’, with divided opinion on the contents and emphasis of the film. For me, this was Sir David doing what he does best and providing an engaging and heartfelt narrative to grip a generalist audience of millions and share the beauty and importance of our ocean whilst highlighting a very real and current threat. Regardless of opinion, the impact of ‘Ocean’ was clear as a persistent thread through the narrative of the conference, and subsequent commitments from governments across the globe to strengthen protection of designated marine areas. This includes the UK Government proposing bottom trawling bans in all English offshore marine protected areas. It’s a start, but we need continued public pressure to ensure a move from proposal to action. We also need much bigger commitments to save our ocean which in turn, if healthy, will respond to the nature and climate crises we are facing. It was encouraging to observe in the Blue Zone some high-level dialogue drawing the connections between land and sea, with even land-locked countries demonstrating interest in ocean health and their impact on it. It’s critical that we target preserving and increasing biodiversity across environmental boundaries for sustainable futures. It’s also clear that we’ve actually moved beyond a need for sustainability. To sustain is to maintain in the same state, when what we so clearly need is environmental recovery at scale and through a connected approach. We will not achieve any environmental or human wellbeing targets taken in isolation. It was repeatedly acknowledged that the ocean is our lifeline, and not just for the 40% of humanity living along coastlines or three billion people reliant on seafood across the globe, but for everyone. Our ocean and the biodiversity it contains sustains life on our planet as we know it. Every part of the global ocean in important, and every part is threatened. Coastal waters, containing 70% of marine biodiversity, are particularly vulnerable at the interface of land and sea with both land-based and ocean-based threats having an impact. Lots of emotive statements were made, all the right words but the associated specific actions needed to drive change and achieve any targets seem elusive. There also seemed to be an imbalance in terms of habitat representation. Seagrass was one coastal habitat receiving limited attention at the United Nations Ocean Conference. Which highlights that there is still much to do to gain acknowledgement that this is a critical habitat alongside, for example, better understood coral reefs, mangroves, and saltmarshes. Seagrass is a habitat that underpins marine biodiversity and delivers a wide range of ecosystem services vital to planetary health, climate resilience, and human wellbeing. Seagrass does this to varying degrees across its near global range. Seagrass systems contribute to targets within all the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, they remain underrepresented in global scale conservation and climate initiatives, and on the formal programme at such a significant conference. UNOC3 was held at the midpoint of the UN Ocean Decade. A decade dedicated to delivering the science we need for the ocean we want. But five years into the decade, our oceans remain far from recovery. We are not on target to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 (life below water) which means we will also be unable to meet other dependent SDGs. Knowledge is improving and the science is clear, but we need to be better at sharing and building on each other’s advances. We also need clearer pathways to influence decision making. In fact, the conference highlighted multiple needs for any chance of achieving ocean recovery at scale. This list is long, but here are just a few examples: We need explicit processes for different sectors to be able to contribute the vast amounts of data that is currently sat on inaccessible hard drives or within unsearchable grey literature. There were repetitive calls for both new and existing data to be shared, this sharing of data and knowledge would serve to turbocharge rather than duplicate efforts on the road to planetary recovery. This goes hand in hand with a need for improved funding for evidence based environmental recovery practices. For me this shouldn’t be an emphasis on initiatives towards financial gain for investors but rather an investment in the resource that sustains and fulfils us all. Too often that connection feels lost, which is disheartening and concerning. Governments need to analyse and respond to the needs of communities. How do they do this? They need data! And sectors within Governments need to work together and pull in the same direction with coordinated approaches. We need to communicate effectively beyond disciplinary, national, and sector boundaries. Finding common language is challenging. Another recurring theme. Critically, we need people to reconnect with nature, and possibly more than that, recognise that we are nature – we need trees, fish, saltmarsh, seagrass and all the wellbeing benefits that they provide – people are disconnected and that’s a big problem. This raises questions of justice and equality, social justice is needed to improve our shared environment. The conference concluded with the adoption of a political
Between the 11th and 13th November 2025, scientists, conservation professionals, practitioners, and community groups from across the UK will converge in Cardiff for the 2025 UK Seagrass Symposium (UKSS). Hosted by Project Seagrass, the event will build upon the success of the inaugural UKSS (hosted by Ocean Conservation Trust and Cornwall Wildlife Trust in 2023) with the Cardiff conference anticipated to welcome over 200 delegates to the Welsh Capital. Attendees will participate in a programme of inspiring talks from keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops led by some of the world’s leading seagrass scientists. The event, which will take place at Techniquest in Cardiff Bay and is sponsored by the Crown Estate, will drive forward discussions and actions to protect and restore UK seagrass, alongside providing an invaluable networking opportunity for attendees to share knowledge on seagrass science, policy, and management. Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, CEO of Project Seagrass and Chair of Seagrass Network Cymru said: “I’m delighted to be bringing this conference to Wales in 2025. This is an opportunity to connect science, policy, and action by bringing together those working on seagrass from across the UK. Interest in seagrass has grown substantially in the past few years and this is a forum to share and enhance our collective knowledge to advance towards a healthy and connected UK seascape.” Seagrass meadows play a critical role in keeping our oceans healthy and stocked with food and are important allies to tackle the global climate and biodiversity crises. Yet the current condition of seagrass in the UK is generally poor due to multiple pressures, including poor water quality, and direct physical damage from moorings and anchors with extensive loss having occurred since the 19th Century. The collective action and collaboration fostered by the UK Seagrass Symposium is key to addressing the challenges that UK seagrass currently faces. Dr Benjamin Jones, 2022-24 President of World Seagrass Association said: “Given the increasing challenges that seagrass meadows globally face, I see this UK Seagrass Symposium as a crucial opportunity to build a diverse, equitable, and collaborative UK seagrass community to tackle seagrass decline. We need to both learn from others and share our successes and failures; we simply do not have the time to wait, we need to collaborate, and we need to collaborate now.” A UK Seagrass Symposium hosted in the Welsh Capital is fitting following the Welsh Government’s endorsement of a National Seagrass Action Plan for Wales earlier this year. The Plan presents a blueprint for action over the next five years to achieve a vision where Welsh seagrass meadows are supporting marine biodiversity, vibrant communities, a sustainable economy, and making a valuable contribution to the climate emergency response. Registration for the UK Seagrass Symposium will open later this month. To discuss sponsorship opportunities contact: ben@projectseagrass.org.
Seagrass meadows and their elusive inhabitants, dugongs, are under threat across Asia. To tackle this, conservation experts, policymakers, and researchers from across the region gathered in Bangkok in February 2025 for the First Asian Regional Dialogue on Seagrass and Dugong Conservation. The goal? To find real, actionable solutions to the challenges facing these vital ecosystems. At this event, we were invited to share our learnings from over two decades of hands-on experience across Asia, where research outputs from our executives, Leanne, Ben and Richard, have been pivotal in shaping understanding of the crucial role seagrass meadows play in supporting livelihoods and food-security – research that embraces our social-ecological systems approach to seagrass conservation. Our CEO, Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, whose own seagrass journey began in this region more than two decades ago was delighted to attend the event, reconnect, and talk about the Global Goals, specific global challenges for seagrass, and need for robust data achieved through broader scientific approached and transdisciplinary collaboration. Leanne presenting at the First Asian Regional Dialogue on Seagrass and Dugong Conservation Bridging the Gaps in Policy While many Asian countries already have laws to protect seagrass and dugongs, enforcement remains a challenge due to budget constraints and fragmented conservation efforts. Some countries manage seagrass and dugongs separately, which weakens conservation impact. Experts at the dialogue called for stronger, integrated policies, better coordination between government agencies, and increased scientific input to guide decision-making. Better Mapping & Data Sharing Accurate data is key to protecting seagrass meadows, but many countries struggle with inconsistent monitoring and difficulty accessing research. Political and security concerns can also make cross-border data sharing complicated. At the dialogue, Leanne emphasised the importance of community-driven data collection, improved mapping techniques, and innovative technology to track seagrass health and dugong populations. In her presentation, she highlighted how citizen science (building on our SeagrassSpotter programme) can drive more effective conservation. Participants also discussed the need for regional cooperation in data sharing to bridge knowledge gaps – efforts we’re leading by making SeagrassSpotter data accessible to all. A Coordinated Approach to Conservation From government agencies to NGOs and private companies, many groups are working to protect seagrass and dugongs – but often in isolation. The dialogue highlighted the need for better knowledge-sharing, and we hope to lead that charge. Our own strategic objectives align closely with the key outcomes of the dialogue. The message from the event was clear: protecting dugongs and seagrass in Asia requires stronger collaboration and smarter policies. By building on our own expertise and strengthening regional partnerships, we will secure a future where these vital ecosystems, and the communities that rely on them, continue to thrive. Presentations and a summary of the event from the organisers can be found here. Global expects converge to address gaps for seagrass and dugong conservation in Asia.
Between the 8th and 10th April 2025, Project Seagrass will join other scientists and conservation professionals in Arcachon, France for the 2nd European Seagrass Restoration Workshop. Hosted by The Seagrass Consortium the workshop follows on from the inaugural workshop held in Portinho da Arrábida, Portugal in 2010. The 2025 workshop is centered around coalition and shared learning with the theme “Towards a European Seagrass Restoration Alliance” which centres the conference’s aim to mark the start of a new era for transnational collaboration for seagrass restoration in Europe. Members of the Project Seagrass team will be involved in the following: Workshops Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Richard Unsworth and Dr Per-Olav Moksnes (Göteborgs universitet) will be co-hosting a workshop on Zostera marina seagrass restoration with a focus on disseminating operational techniques whilst also exploring potential project synergies and the opportunity for future collaboration. Nursery Lead, Emily Yates will be co-hosting a workshop with Dr Laura Govers (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) on the role of Seagrass Nurseries in supporting the scaling of seagrass restoration efforts in the field, but critically for developing the scientific knowledge that underpins restoration success. Talks In her talk, Project Seagrass CEO, Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth will talk about the planetary role of seagrass conservation noting that seagrass is part of the highly complex jigsaw of planetary recovery. Everywhere there is seagrass, there are people that depend on it for food, subsistence, or cultural fulfilment. It delivers planetary and human wellbeing across its near global range. Seagrass has previously been dismissed as the ugly duckling of the marine world. But there is beauty in a plant that sustains millions of people across the globe. In fact, this marine plant contributes to most of the targets within 16 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals but it’s only as a connected, collaborative society that will we be able to rise to the global challenges facing seagrass. Dr Richard Unsworth will deliver a talk on current and future perspectives of Zostera marina seagrass restoration. Senior Scientific Officer, Anouska Mendzil will deliver a talk on the UK’s largest in-field seagrass (Zostera marina) scientific methodology planting trials, the Seagrass Ocean Rescue: Solent programme. Funded by WWF, the programme aims to identify and test the most successful and efficient planting methodology to enable increased seed germination and survival for active restoration projects at scale. The talk will discuss the methodologies utilized as part of the trials as well as emphasizing the importance of funding for monitoring being accounted for within projects long after the active restoration stage has been completed. Posters Alongside the workshops and talks, members of the team will be presenting posters at the conference. Seagrass Restoration Research Assistant, Bridget Patterson will present a poster on the unpredictable challenges currently faced by temperate intertidal seagrass restoration projects, sharing lessons learned from Project Seagrass’ involvement in the Seagrass Ocean Rescue: North Wales programme. Bridget will discuss the reasons that intertidal Zostera marina planting efforts on the Llŷn Peninsula were unsuccessful as well as sharing the most effective planting method in this area. Bridget will present a second poster calling for data for a new seagrass restoration meta-analysis. Building on our own Project Seagrass restoration data, we will be calling for other data from any seagrass restoration attempt. The aim is to build a meta-analysis that includes satellite-derived abiotic data to compare methodology and environment on a global scale. Bridget will discuss the findings of our meta analysis and talk to other restoration bodies about adding their data. Senior Science Officer, Dr Hannah Green’s poster will present the findings from experiments carried out at the Project Seagrass Seagrass Nursery to investigate the impact that timing, planting method, and sediment type used for Zostera marina seagrass restoration had on germination rate and seedling establishment under semi-controlled conditions in a nursery setup. Science Officer, Emma Fox will present a poster on Nanozostera noltii transplants. Higher success rates are needed to scale up seagrass restoration to ensure the level of ocean recovery required. An increasingly used method across the Northwest Atlantic has been the transplantation of Nanozostera noltii cores, resulting in varied success. This method relies upon the use of natural beds as donor material. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the impact of core removal on the natural beds in deciding whether this is a suitable restoration method when scaling up. To increase knowledge and develop best practices, recovery of the donor meadow was looked at across sites in Essex, South Wales and Scotland. Emma’s poster will present data from these sites, examining the length of time for the natural bed to recover and the variation in recovery rates. This research has implications for beds selected as donor material and, subsequently, has led to the development of trials using Nanozostera noltii from the Project Seagrass Nursery. Explore the full ESRW programme via the European Seagrass Restoration Alliance website.
It’s already been one month since the 12th International Seagrass Biology Workshop began at Nant Gwrtheyrn in Wales. This time last month the world’s foremost seagrass scientists were descending on the Llŷn Peninsula and the Project Seagrass team were in the midst of the final preparations for hosting the largest International Seagrass Biology Workshop in recent times. Immediately prior to the conference The World Seagrass Association released a statement that had been endorsed by 122 scientists across 28 countries. The statement described how the international seagrass research and conservation community together with the World Seagrass Association called on all governments and global institutions to take local, regional and global action to ensure the future survival of seagrass meadows. This statement was instrumental in generating media coverage, and the conference was picked up by both local and national media outlets including the BBC. The conference itself kicked off with a healthy dose of #OceanOptimism which set a positive tone for the rest of the week. We learnt how seagrass science is reaching new audiences and how citizen science projects and novel educational tools are bringing seagrass meadows to the general public like never before. “Securing a future for seagrass” – Ocean Optimism was a central theme running thoughout the conference. The presentations and workshops that formed the bulk of the conference program provided numerous occasions to discuss the current key themes in contemporary seagrass science. These themes range from from ‘Blue Carbon’ and ‘Ecosystem Services’ to ‘Genetics’, ‘Physiology’ and ‘Resilience’. Critically, the conference also afforded the opportunity to discuss local management solutions to recreational boating impacts. Here the conference provided an opportunity to harness global seagrass knowledge and expertise in attempting to address a local concern. Despite the travel and costs involved, conferences really are one of the best ways of facilitating the sharing of expert knowledge amongst scientists and other concerned stakeholders. Workshops enabled delegates to draw on scientific and management expertise from across the world. Mid-way through the conference we had organised a ‘fieldwork’ afternoon where delegates would have free time available. This was either an chance for them to take time and space for themselves or to take the opportunity to visit some of the local sights and attractions. The field trips organised by the commitee included a historical trip to Caernarfon Castle, a local guided walk around Nant Gwrtheyrn and what turned out to be an extremely popular Porthdinllaen nature walk and seagrass meadow visit. Never before has our local meadow received so much attention nor have we had so much valuable input as to the state of the Porthdinllaen meadow – so thank you all for that! The seagrass meadow at Porthdinllaen has never received so much attention! After local field trips, one of the favourite elements of any conference I have attended has to be the Poster Session(s). This is an opporunity for scientists to stand by a poster of the research they have done and use it as a tool to communicate their work to other scientists and managers. I enjoy these sessions primarily because you can spend as much time as you want with the researchers and really get to understand the context and methods behind the research being conducted. Personally, I thought the quality of posters presented at ISBW12 were some of the highest I have seen at any conference anywhere and I’m sure we were all impressed with the contributions from our student (and pre-student!) researchers. So well done #TeamSeagrass! So many of the posters were truly excellent! Including this poster from Theodora and Helen Horangic. As the conference week drew to a close the Conference Dinner provided a great opportunity for colleagues to relax and celebrate what had been a fantastic week of seagrass science. It was also the opportunity to inform everyone that the next conference, the 13th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW13), which will be in Singapore in 2018. Dr Siti Maryam Yaakub SJ was able to share with us that the location of ISBW13 will be in Singapore in 2018. As the sun set on the final night of ISBW12 I felt a strong sense that this conference was surely just a springboard to the greater recognition of seagrass meadows globally. It’s great to see so many scientists sharing their stories in the media and championing the seagrass cause in their local area. One month on it’s up to us to make sure that the “Seagrass Surge” of ISBW12 was not just a flash in the pan, but the start of a genuine global movement to put seagrass meadows alongside other marine ecosystems at the centre of marine discussion. As the sun set on ISBW12 I believe the sun is only really beginning to rise on seagrass science as a whole. A big thank you to everyone who participated in ISBW12. It was a genuine pleasure to host the seagrass community in Wales and we are very much looking forward to seeing you all again in 2 years time… Until then! Keep up the good work! #TeamSeagrass
First off, the stereotype of a conference in my head is hushed voices, fancy clothes and everything deadly serious, but throw into the mix that it’s a conference based around seagrass and I was completely at a loss as to what to expect. Having packed for all possibilities (would the seagrass team transform into a posh looking bunch? Or would the usual jeans and an old tee be acceptable?) we headed up to Nant Gwrtheyrn in North Wales. The Nant is a gorgeous former quarrying village looking out past dramatic cliffs to the ocean with a seagrass bed just around the corner- I was definitely spoilt with the location of my first conference, it doesn’t get much better than having only a five-minute walk to the beach to process the constant buzz of activity. It’s probably not the normal conference experience that one of the first things I learnt was that if you sneak off last minute to pretend to be in The Lord of the Rings exploring the cliffs, then put on things that can get muddy- twice I went down, but proudly caught myself before my one pair of semi smart trousers changed colour! The path from Nant Gwrtheyrn conference centre down to the beach. To kick the week off was a plenary by Professor Carlos Duarte (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) talking optimistically about seagrass meadows and popular culture getting everyone laughing – an easy start; maybe conferences weren’t so big and scary! It did leave one question on a conference newbies mind though, the word ‘plenary’ was not yet in my vocabulary – so any students heading to your first conference, everyone attending the conference goes to these, in other words if you talk at one then you deserve respect, you’re a big name in your field! Professor Carlos Duarte ‘Securing a Future for Seagrass’ in the weeks first plenary. So next up was my first workshop. Again the apprehension was definitely there – I’m an undergrad, what could I have to offer to all these academics? Well most of the time not a lot, but it was a perfect opportunity to question and learn, and once in a blue moon I might stumble across an idea that the top dogs had over looked. As intimidating as a professor with a tonne of published papers is, they tended to be welcoming to all ideas and helpful to gently point out that they tried that method 20 years before and it may not be the strongest approach. Timing and Triggers for seagrass flowering workshop with Nordlund LM, Creed J, Jackson E, & Nakaoka M. Despite some fascinating talks and some hot debates at workshops (seagrass scientists can get heated!) that’s not where I personally learnt the most. Sitting with new people each meal time and relaxing with them after a long day was when I found the most inspiration; it’s the time when people get excited about their work and me being fresh faced to the seagrass world meant they could just enjoy telling their seagrass stories without worrying about nitty gritty details. In those relaxed situations people were happy to chat and answer my drilling of questions. The enthusiasm of Dimosthenis Traganos, a Greek pHD student studying in Berlin, who’s eyes lit up as he was telling me about using satellite imaging to map the seagrass of his home lands and the pride as Oliver Thomas from Heriott-Watt University described the numerous different studies he’d done to complete his masters; these were the times when I found as a conference first-timer that I learnt the most. Dancing to ‘y Moniars.’ a local Welsh band. Helping the organising team I felt as though I was sat nicely on the edge of the eye of a storm- able to see the manic behind the scenes madness, but also able to join the peace of the attendees. It was a week of huge learning curves in all aspects- sharing with two Indonesian ladies meant early starts and spicy tea, that whatever culture you come from there is no end to small talk about the welsh autumnal weather and hopefully I’ve picked up one or two new seagrass facts along the way too. A huge thank you to Project Seagrass for all their hard work in helping to host the twelfth successful International Seagrass Biology Workshop and for giving me the opportunity to tag along and get involved. It was definitely a positive week for securing a future for seagrass. And in case you were wondering, the seagrass team does not magically transform into a group wearing tuxedos and ball dresses with pinkies always out when they enter a conference room, they’re still as chilled as ever.
www.conbio.org The International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC) represents one of the most important international meetings for marine conservation professionals and students. IMCC4 was recently held in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador between 30 July – 3 August 2016, building on from the success of Glasgow in 2014 and bringing together conservation professionals and students from across the globe. A key ambition for the conference is to develop new tools and foster collaborations that will further marine conservation science and policy. The overall theme of IMCCs is: “Making Marine Science Matter” For marine conservation to be effective, marine conservation science must genuinely matter to stakeholders, policy makers, and practitioners. To try to accomplish this, the IMCC congresses are generally organized around specific topics of interest for marine conservation, or as topics relevant to specific places. In addition to the regular conference proceedings, IMCC4 also witnessed the inauguration of “#OceansOnline”, a full day of Making Marine Science Matter through online communication and the use of other online resources. Here delegates participated in hands-on training workshops tailored to beginners, and facilitated discussion panels hosted by experts in their fields. Marine Science and Conservation Consultant Andrew Thaler was one of the plenaries – check him out at www.OceanographyforEveryone.com and at @SFriedScientist on Twitter. #OceansOnline is a first of its kind, and from a personal perspective it provided a platform for discussion on how internet tools can help marine scientists and conservation professionals with research, education and outreach. Something which is at the very heart of what we are trying to achieve with Project Seagrass and our SEA Program (Seagrass, Education, Awareness). Sessions about how and why we should talk about success in marine conservation and avoiding the pessimism trap gave us reason to pursue an outlook of #OceanOptimism. As well as ‘making waves inland’, the challenge for ocean literacy in land-locked locations – something that we should really not struggle with in the Britain, and yet we do, as we are never more than 70miles from the coast! #OceansOnline help bring together the online ocean community, facilitating new collaborations and pioneering new technologies. It was through #OceansOnline that I was directly involved, and proud to be. Inspirational colleagues from both academia and the fishing industry (see below) have made the point previously that policies about marine resource use of often decided in the absence of key stakeholders, and in particular with main fishermen feeling voiceless and ignored. This feeling is one that I can directly relate to from my work with the Lipsi Fishermen’s Association in Greece. Here I have worked with a group of fishers heavily reliant on the fisheries provision of their coastal seagrass ecosystems (Posidonia oceanica) and yet as a group they feel powerless to effect change in the regional fisheries management structure. So the idea was to run a workshop on “Bringing fishermen to the table” using online “Bambuser” technology. A simple concept, yet one that marks a pretty important development considering a lot of commercial fishermen (from both developed and developing countries) cannot attend conferences like IMCC4 or other such events. If the fishermen can’t come to the conference then the conference can come to the fishermen! As you can see from the screenshot below the Bambuser platform provides a livestream video feed and a chat function, allowing fishermen, scientists and policy makers to discuss issues around a virtual table. Whilst use of this technology is in its infancy for marine collaboration and communication, with the rapid developments in global internet speeds and connectivity, we all see online tools such as Bambuser as the future in providing essential communication channels between stakeholder groups. If the fishermen can’t come to the conference, then the conference can come to the fishermen! Whilst there may have been teething problems during the session (sound and stream quality in some locations), the general feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive about the session. We hope the session provided an example of what can be achieved for our oceans ‘online’, and that we see more use of online technologies to bridge the gap between stakeholders and provide a platform for discussion for marine resource management. Well that’s me for now. Until the next time!
The International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) is the primary international meeting for researchers who are focused on coral reef science and management. In fact, as a conference it has a similar ecosystem focus to the International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) that we will be hosting in Wales this coming October. The Symposium, held in Hawai’i last week brought together over 2,500 coral reef scientists, policy makers and managers from around 100 different nations in a forum to present the latest research findings, case histories and management activities, and to discuss the application of scientific knowledge to achieving coral reef sustainability. Coral reefs are one of our planets most bountiful ecosystems and they provide essential ecological, economic and cultural services to the people of tropical and subtropical islands and coastal communities worldwide. Coral reefs can be are a huge source of income to adjacent coastal communities through eco-tourist activities. Latest estimates suggest coral reefs provide close to US$30 billion each year in goods and services, so not only are do they support enormous biodiversity they are also of immense value to humankind. However, whilst scientific knowledge about coral reefs has increased exponentially over the past few decades, the state of reefs globally has declined during this period. Globally coral reef ecosystems are being degraded. Multiple stressors from the global actors of climate change, ocean acidification and overfishing to localized habitat destruction (above) are all contributing to habitat loss. To address this disconnect, the theme of the 13th ICRS was “Bridging Science to Policy”, with specific goals focusing on: Improving trust and communications among scientists, policy makers, managers and stakeholders. Developing strong partnerships between political leaders and the scientific community. Guiding efforts and strategies for effective allocation of limited financial, human and institutional resources to halt and reverse coral reef decline locally and globally. Developing a framework for quantitatively evaluating the effectiveness of coral reef protection and recovery activities and initiatives by applying the best available science. The ICRS is of course devoted to the best reef science available, with the purpose of sharing scientific findings with government agencies, resource management, and non-government organizations throughout the world. Such conferences are immensely important because they provide the international science community with a platform to: Increase global knowledge and interest in coral reefs, including sustainable use and conservation strategies; Showcase successful science, conservation and management efforts; Develop collaborations and partnerships to increase international capacity to address coral reef issues; and Increase global awareness of reef degradation and possible solutions by extensive promotion in the media. It is exactly through increasing global awareness and the developing of collaborations and partnerships that we as a global community are likely to address global challenges, and it is for this reason that so many scientists are being encouraged to take the Oceans Online. To conserve the world’s oceans we must go beyond just the production of science, but to also use it to inform policy and management, and ultimately to catalyze change. This change will only happen if we can reach out to all stakeholders, and work together with a common purpose, for many this means stepping up to the challenge of becoming public advocates for our natural environment. Many marine scientists are taking the #OceansOnline! Increasing global awareness of reef degradation whilst promoting possible solutions and #OceanOptimism. There are already many scientists who have taken this message to heart and produce a wonderful array of online media through which to inspire and engage. For example a fantastic summary of the ICRS 2016 conference can be found here and outstanding leadership from all the signatories of the conference (the 2,500 scientists at the ICRS) imploring Australia to protect the Great Barrier Reef here. So for all those involved in LIVE TWEETING from ICRS2016 – thank you! All that remains is to share and promote the ‘distilled down’ “Take-Home Messages” from the conference that are pertinent for us all to share in and acknowledge. These are: Reefs are threatened, not doomed Climate change, pollution and overfishing are the 3 drivers that ALL have to be addressed Local, pro-active interventions can help to build resilience of reefs to climate change, but reefs cannot be climate-proofed Prevention is better than cure, but recovery is possible Scientists can help by spreading the message that reefs can still be saved if we actually try harder! So let us also get to work! #TeamSeagrass
A long-standing tradition of Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) conferences is the friendly and collegial environment and the unwavering support for early career scientists. This #CERF2015 was no exception with a multitude of leading marine scientists inspiring the next generation with #OceanOptimism as together we tackle the Grand Challenges together. This was despite a brilliant opening keynote by Berth Kerttula, Director of the National Ocean Council. ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ of marine problems! #CERF2015 was very active on social media, check out the hashtag To give you a quick history lesson, CERF conferences have been held biennially since 1971 with the aim of: ”…advancing human understanding and appreciation of the Earth’s estuaries and coasts, to the wise use and management of these environments and to making the results of their research and management actions available to their colleagues and to the public.” Such admirable ambitions are inline with our own at Project Seagrass and so CERF conferences are natural home for promoting our vision: “Our vision is that our marine ecosystems are healthy, well-managed and full of life.” At this conference a whole range of topics pertaining to seagrass meadows were discussed. Seagrass restoration techniques were presented by Per-Olav Moksnes, Louise Eriander and Eduardo Infantes of Göteborg University in Sweden, whilst Rohani Ambo-Rappe showcased us transplantation methods for seagrass restoration in the Indo-Pacific. Michael Rasheed from James Cook University, Australia was able to report on the protection of the Great Barrier Reef seagrasses. He presented work on innovative monitoring of seagrasses at high risk from coastal development. Similarly Len McKenzie (also of JCU) was able to report on the status of seagrass meadows adjacent to the highly urbanized city-state of Singapore. One of the most inspiring research projects to be discussed at CERF2015 must surely be the work of the Zostera Experimental Network (ZEN). Pamela Reynolds provided a summary of research into the biodiversity and complexity of seagrass functioning across the northern hemisphere. Such collaborative research is surely cause for #OceanOptimism!# There were some fantastic posters at the conference documenting a range of seagrass research topics. Yet it wasn’t just the established names who were doing exceptional seagrass research. There were over 700 students and early-career scientists at the conference who had produced some fantastic research and were contributing significantly to our global knowledge base. Not least Erin Voigt won best student talk #CERF2015 for her work on the effect of structural complexity and biodiversity on seagrass ecosystem function. To all those involved in the hosting of the conference – thank you, and to all those who are conducting seagrass research – thank you! Keep up the good work and see you at ISBW2016. #TeamSeagrass
The International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) is the only international meeting specifically tailored to seagrass scientists, professionals and students. Abstract submissions are now open as are proposals for workshops. All payment is via PayPal using credit/debit cards. There is one registration fee. It covers access to all parts of the conference program, including the following: Shuttle bus from Bangor (on Sunday 16th Oct and Monday 17th Oct) and return on 21st and 22nd Oct. Welcome event Field trip (excluding option extra activities e.g. diving) Poster event Conference dinner Tea and coffee Additional local trips Onsite Wifi access Accommodation bookings will include all meals (approx. £95 pppn) and need to be paid directly to Nant Gwrtheyrn. See the Accommodation page here. For more information check out the registration page here.
