UVic Researchers Join Line-Up At Marine Conservation Congress

May 11, 2011

“A dead ocean is a dead planet—the world is waking up to the fact that ocean conservation is one of the main challenges facing humanity,” says UVic geographer Phil Dearden, a presenter at the Second International Marine Conservation Congress taking place in Victoria, May 14-18.

UVic faculty and graduate student researchers will be among 1,000 scientists and policy-makers from around the world exploring ocean sustainability issues at the conference.

The Second International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC2)—under the theme “Making Marine Science Matter”—will address environmental marine controversies, challenges, opportunities, and applications of science to inform policy change and implementation.

Renowned UVic ethnobotanist Nancy Turner will give a plenary address on how the traditional ecological knowledge systems of coastal First Peoples can be applied in a modern context to inform and enhance marine conservation. (May 18, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Salon A/B/C)

Among the UVic participants giving 15-minute presentations are:

UVic geographer Rosaline Canessa and graduate students Rick Rollins and Sarah Poirier who will discuss how public attitudes on viewing mammals in an aquarium and in the wild are changing (May 15, 10:30 a.m., Salon B)
Martin Taylor, president and CEO of Ocean Networks Canada, who will talk about the contributions to marine conservation of the UVic-owned ONC Observatory (NEPTUNE Canada and VENUS) (May 18, 11 a.m. Salon A)
UVic geographer Phil Dearden and graduate student Jackie Ziegler who will present their research on global climate change, whale shark habitat and the dangers of a rapidly growing whale shark tourism industry. (May 16, 11:15 a.m., Salon B)

All talks take place at Victoria Conference Centre. Interested media are requested to obtain accreditation in advance by contacting Dori Dick (doridick14@gmail.com)

For more details on the conference: