“The notion that the ocean I grew up with is not something that I can pass on to my kids and my grandkids is unacceptable” – President Obama
Obama’s opening remarks at the 2016 Our Ocean Conference highlight an ever growing concern that the oceans that shape our world are being taken for granted. September 15th kicked off the third annual Our Ocean Conference, hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Arguably the most prestigious ocean science-policy conference in the world today, hundreds of researchers, politicians, and change-makers flocked to Washington D.C. to discuss climate change, pollution, marine protected areas, and sustainable fisheries. Concluding with another successful year, the conference has produced partnerships and initiatives valued at almost $9.9 billion, with commitments to protect 9.9 million square kilometers since its start in 2014.
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Liu Professor Dr. Rashid Sumaila had the honour of taking the stage as the scene setter for the “Fisheries for the Future” Fisheries for the Future talk. The solutions introduced by the keynote speakers included The Safe Ocean Network initiative, enforcement and prosecution of illegal fishing, and fisheries traceability and markets. As director of OceanCanada and a professor at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, Dr. Sumaila’s focus in bioeconomics, marine ecosystem valuation, and the analysis of global issues made him an excellent candidate to open the discussion on the future of our global fisheries. His most recent research, focused on high sea’s management and modeling future fish stocks, was vastly expanded upon by the global representatives who joined in throughout the discussion. |
For more information on Dr. Sumaila’s most recent research, please follow the links below:
Future fisheries can expect $10-billion revenue loss due to climate change
High seas fisheries management could recoup losses due to climate change
Transform high seas management to build climate resilience in marine seafood supply
