by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 22, 2013
Honest dialogue about what are acceptable uses of the sea and coasts can only be good. It forces us to take stock of what we know, and likewise forces us – as users and as nations – to put our desires and needs on the table. While those desires and needs vary from sector to sector and from place to place, we all share a global ambition to use marine resources and space wisely so as not to risk ecological imbalance, economic and environmental vulnerability, and conflict.
But for far too long the focus has been on resource extraction – especially fisheries – while the myriad other ways we run those aforementioned risks are seemingly ignored.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 22, 2013
US releases implementation plan for ocean policy; emphasizes regional priorities in MSP In April, the Obama Administration released its final plan to translate the US national ocean policy into specific actions. Together the actions involve: Supporting and promoting...
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Apr 22, 2013
Editor's note: The goal of The EBM Toolbox is to promote awareness of tools for facilitating EBM. It is brought to you by the EBM Tools Network, an alliance of tool users, developers, and training providers. By Sarah Carr There are several software- and web-based...
by John Davis | Feb 21, 2013
At a recent meeting of ocean planners in North America, the question was asked:
"How do you make the concept of marine spatial planning interesting?"
The fact is, unless there is an immediate need for MSP in a particular region – like when offshore wind projects move into an area with other existing uses – the concept can seem abstract or even irrelevant to current user groups. ("Why do we need to plan the ocean if things are fine as they are?") In such cases, it may even seem easier for opponents to build a constituency against MSP – "The government is trying to zone the oceans and take away your use rights!" – than for proponents to build one for it.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Feb 21, 2013
Coastal natural resource managers and communities have begun to plan for the impacts of climate change on their local ecosystems and infrastructure. However, many practitioners are finding it difficult to select tools suited to their needs and capacities. This is because of the wide variety of tools, the difficulty of finding clear information about tool functions, and the lack of ways to compare different tools (e.g., their functionality, data and training requirements, and strengths and limitations).
