The Skimmer on Marine Ecosystems and Management

Latest News and Resources for Ocean Planners and Managers

Scientists describe a new deep reef marine zone – the rariphotic Ecosystem-based MSP process underway for Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands UNEP launches portal of global and regional marine and coastal data resources New high-resolution, publicly-available dataset captures activity of more than 70,000 fishing vessels, including majority of large industrial…

Perspective: Is it naïve to think the Arctic can be transformed in a positive way?

By Tundi Agardy, Contributing Editor, MEAM. Email: tundiagardy@earthlink.net

In a very short time, the story of the Arctic has seemed to morph from a case study in international law that only a policy wonk could love to a sobering story of a dystopian future. As the ice recedes and access to the riches of the pole opens up, Arctic nations are clamoring to secure rights and wield new technologies in shipping and oil and gas exploration and extraction that will promote short term profitability while likely threatening long term sustainability. Environmental conditions, and their rapid rate of change, have turned a laboratory for negotiation and cooperation into the Wild West.

A few more wrap-up announcements from MEAM

MEAM is doing a major expansion of its Training Opportunities page and will roll the new resource out in the April newsletter. We are looking for short courses, graduate programs, tools trainings, elementary/secondary/university-level resources, and other miscellaneous opportunities such as video trainings and interactive games related to marine conservation and management for possible inclusion in the compilation. If you have any suggestions for us, please send them to meam@openchannels.org at any time. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and helping to build this unique and valuable resource!