by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 29, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Presented by: Lina Gutierrez Cala and Bhawishya Junega of Global Fishing Watch. Description: With less than 5 years to achieve the global commitment of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, transparency and accountability are more important than ever. Access to reliable information about human activity at sea is essential to support the decision-making processes required to meet this ambitious target. This webinar will introduce the Marine Manager platform, developed by Global Fishing Watch in partnership with Donna Bertarelli Philanthropy. The free and open platform serves datasets on vessel activity and presence derived from satellite tracking and imagery sources, as well as environmental datasets. By making these datasets publicly available and easy to visualize and interact with, Marine Manager supports the development and implementation of effective conservation schemes with tangible outcomes, while helping address challenges such as “paper parks” – protected areas that lack the required management and monitoring tools to meet their mandates. As of today, Marine Manager has supported multiple processes, including the designation of critical biodiversity areas, the design and implementation of management plans, and ongoing monitoring efforts. The tool complements local partners’ resources to enhance the protection of key biodiversity areas in the regions in which Global Fishing Watch operates. Through the Marine Manager platform, Global Fishing Watch aims to provide transparent, reliable and accessible information that supports informed decisions and safeguards the ocean for the well-being of the communities that depend on it.
![Announcing IMPAC6: An opportunity to assess global conservation challenges and shape the future of ocean conservation [Live interpretation in English, French, and Spanish]](https://octogroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/OCTO_Webinars_square-1050x675.jpg)
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 29, 2026 | Upcoming Webinars, Webinars
Thursday, May 14, at 10 am US EDT/2 pm UTC. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WEBINAR WILL HAVE LIVE INTERPRETATION IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND SPANISH. Presented by: Colonel Momar Sow, Director of Senegal’s Directorate of Community-Based Marine Protected Areas, and Dr. Arthur Tuda, Executive Director of WIOMSA (Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association). Description: The International Marine Protected Areas Congress is one of the most important global events for marine conservation. Hosted every four years, this event brings together professionals, practitioners, communities, Indigenous people, and decision-makers to share experiences and inspire future actions for marine protected areas and ocean conservation. The 6th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC6) will take place in Dakar, Senegal, from March 22–27, 2027. As the first IMPAC held in Africa—and the final congress before 2030—it comes at a critical moment to assess the ocean-related 2030 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework and advance “MPAs for a fair and resilient global ocean.” In this webinar, Col. Momar Sow, Director of Senegal’s Directorate of Community-Based Marine Protected Areas, will introduce the key themes and practical details of IMPAC6. Dr. Arthur Tuda, Executive Director of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), will explore the current state of marine conservation and the challenges ahead. Join us to learn how IMPAC6 will help shape the future of ocean conservation—and how you can be part of the conversation. Live interpretation in English, French, and Spanish will be provided.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 16, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Presented by: Roland Cormier and Michael Elliott of International Estuarine & Coastal Specialists (IECS). Description: There is long history of multi-disciplinary research dedicated to Ecosystem-based Approaches (EBA) for environmental policies and management plans – these combine to create Ecosystem-based Management (EBM). Research provides valuable insights into environmental impacts and their effects on biodiversity through ecosystem status overviews, impact assessments, and environmental quality reports generated from large data sets and models using conceptual, qualitative, and quantitative methods. Since policies establish the reasons for action and management outlines the priorities to be addressed, it is ultimately technical measures (Ecosystem-based Technical Measures, EBTM) that specify how managers of human activities can best reduce pressures on ecosystems. An applied science approach – Ecosystem-based Science (EBS) – is needed to inform the reliability and effectiveness of such technical measures. This talk will present this EBA-EBM-EBTM-EBS continuum and build on a previous talk given last year on recent advances in environmental science for management (see OCTO webinar July 2025 https://octogroup.org/recent-developments-in-the-sustainable-management-of-marine-resources). Most initiatives and examples presented will be related to marine environments, but some from other aquatic environments will also be used.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 16, 2026 | Upcoming Webinars, Webinars
Tuesday, May 19 at 1 pm EDT/10 am US PDT/5 pm UTC. Presented by: Jasmine Fournier of Ocean Sewage Alliance and Jenny Myton of Coral Reef Alliance. Description: Nearly half of the world’s wastewater flows untreated into our rivers and oceans, fueling biodiversity loss, threatening human health, and costing the global economy over $4 trillion annually. But here’s the good news: it’s solvable. Eliminating sewage pollution isn’t just good for the ocean; it’s good for business. Clean water supports healthier ecosystems, more resilient reefs, and sustainable coastal economies. It’s a win-win-win. This webinar brings together the vision for a Global Sewage Treaty with real-world experience from Coral Reef Alliance, an organization working at the intersection of marine conservation, wastewater management, and international policy. Jasmine Fournier, Executive Director of the Ocean Sewage Alliance, will lead the discussion on the Global Sewage Treaty, outlining the vision for a United Nations framework and the growing movement behind it. Joining the conversation is Jenny Myton, Global Lead, Protected Areas and Clean Water Solutions at Coral Reef Alliance. Drawing on her experience engaging with United Nations frameworks, including the Cartagena Convention, Jenny will share how global agreements can translate into local action. She will highlight Coral’s work in West End, Roatán, Honduras, where improved wastewater management has led to measurable gains in reef health and community resilience. Explore how a United Nations treaty could establish international standards, unlock financing, and support locally led solutions to end sewage pollution.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 16, 2026 | Upcoming Webinars, Webinars
Tuesday, June 2, 12 pm US EDT/9 am US PDT/4 pm UTC. Presented by: Wave Moretto of Oregon State University, Yudmila Chunguane of Love the Oceans, and Andrea de Moura Milanelli of The Thünen Institute. Description: Join us to hear from the winners of the 2026 Ocean Innovator Award opportunity, which recognizes and promotes innovative ocean-related research and applied solutions. Early career professionals from around the globe submitted creative presentations about their innovative projects related to coastal, ocean, and estuarine environments. The three winners were selected by a team of expert reviewers across several dimensions of the ocean and coastal career field. Winners include: 1st Place: Wave Moretto, “Fish, Kelp, and Habitat Health: Redefining how we monitor Oregon’s nearshore kelp forests”; 2nd Place: Yudmila Chunguane, “BEAM – Biodiversity Enhancement and Algal Management: Youth lead coral restoration in Jangamo Bay”; and 3rd Place: Andrea de Moura Milanelli, “PearlNet: An innovative gillnet modification to reduce bycatch of toothed whales in set net fisheries”.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 13, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Presented by: Kostas Topouzelis of Scidrones. Description: Marine litter is a significant environmental problem that can dramatically affect flora and fauna and have severe economic impacts on coastal communities, tourism, and fisheries. Currently, most mapping protocols for marine litter in the coastal environment rely on conventional on-site sampling, with limited ability to spatially display concentrations of coastal zone marine waste. To provide real-time, actionable data, Scidrones has created the Coastal Marine Litter Observatory (CMLO), an online platform that detects, maps, and monitors marine litter in the coastal zone using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and machine learning. UAS aerial images – collected using the Scidrones data acquisition protocol and uploaded to the CMLO platform – provide wide area coverage of actual litter, and machine learning algorithms are used to detect marine litter and categorize it (i.e., plastic, paper, metal, cloth, glass and ceramic, rubber, and wood). Marine debris in the coastal zone is then visualized through high-resolution density maps and spatiotemporal analytics, enabling scalable, operational monitoring and empowering stakeholders to take precise, data-driven action for cleaner beaches and coastlines. A free trial covering 1 km of coastline is available, allowing users to test and explore the platform’s capabilities.
