Webinars
Upcoming Webinars
MPA Day 2026: Uniting a Global Community for Ocean Protection
Tuesday, February 10, 10 am US EST/7 am US PST/3 pm UTC/4 pm CET/5 pm EET/5 pm SAST. Presented by: Judy Mann-Lang, Founder of MPA Day, and Katja Laingui, European Coordinator for MPA Day. Description: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are essential for conserving biodiversity, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and building climate resilience. MPA Day celebrated on August 1 annually is a coordinated global celebration to amplify collective efforts to protect the ocean. This webinar will highlight the evolution of MPA Day and its growing reach as more regions join in celebrating and promoting the value of MPAs. Judy Mann-Lang will discuss the origin of and motivation for MPA Day and its early growth, based on an understanding of the communication principles that underpin effective MPA management and public engagement. Katja Laingui will outline the steps taken to broaden MPA Day outreach into Europe and foster connections with emerging partners worldwide. Together, the speakers will share practical ways organizations and individuals can participate and help the initiative to grow in reach and impact.
Advancing Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning Through the MarinePlan Decision Support System
Wednesday, March 18, 10 am US EDT/7 am US PDT/2 pm UTC/3 pm CET. Presented by:Vanessa Stelzenmüller of Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries. Description: Achieving both conservation and green energy goals demands new approaches that more effectively align marine spatial planning (MSP) with systematic conservation planning. As a forward-looking, integrative process, MSP is uniquely positioned to help deliver sustainable marine futures, especially when grounded in strong ecosystem considerations. Implementing an ecosystem-based approach to MSP (EB-MSP) is therefore essential. This webinar will present a stakeholder-informed Decision Support System (DSS) for EB-MSP developed through the Horizon Europe project MarinePlan (www.marineplan.eu). The DSS offers practical guidance for aligning MSP processes with spatial conservation and restoration priorities. This webinar will introduce core components, including the use of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) as a central driver of conservation planning, as well as standardized guidance for defining planning scenarios aimed at meeting global conservation targets protecting 30% of marine areas, with 10% under strict protection by 2030. Finally, the webinar will compare developed planning scenarios with current MSP practices and discuss key insights. Challenges, opportunities, and areas for improvement within existing governance processes to support more effective implementation of EB-MSP will all be highlighted.
Past Webinars
China’s Underwater Cultural Heritage in the South China Sea: Nanhai #1, A Window on the Maritime Silk Road
This webinar originally aired on 9 May, 2019. Description: Underwater Cultural Heritage can inform us about past events and seafaring cultures in powerful ways. China’s…
The impact of human-caused ocean noise pollution on fish, invertebrates, and ecosystem services
This webinar originally aired on 30 April, 2019. Most fish and invertebrates use sound for vital life functions. This presentation will summarize highlights from 115…
Managing the ocean in real-time: Tools for dynamic management
This webinar originally aired on 24 April, 2019. Description: Spatial management is a useful strategy to regulate human activities and provide protection for vulnerable species…
The effects of temperature on species distributions and community composition: Implications for Marine Protected Area management
This webinar originally aired on 11 April, 2019. Description: Recent research has shown that the geographic distributions of marine species are changing – and will…
Unmanned Systems (UxS): Transforming How We Study and Manage the Marine Environment
This webinar originally aired on 28 March, 2019. Unmanned Systems (UxS) are transforming how we study and manage the marine environment. This presentation will provide…
Sustaining MPA Benefits In a Changing Ocean: A Call To Action from the US Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory
This webinar originally aired on 14 March, 2019. The Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (MPAFAC) provides recommendations to the US Departments of Commerce (NOAA)…
Learning from others: The new global conservation planning database
Webinar originally aired on 27 February, 2019. Creating a new marine conservation or management plan? Learn what others have done in the past – build…
Case Studies in Climate Adaptation in MPAs
This webinar originally aired on 14 February, 2019. Climate impacts are already being felt at coastal and marine protected areas, and some managers are moving…
Can Private Investment Advance Sustainable Wild-Caught Fisheries?
Although billions of public and private dollars are invested in fisheries every year, more often than not, sustainability is neither the driver nor the intended outcome of those investment dollars.
Not all those who wander are lost – Fishers communities’ responses to shifts in the distribution and abundance of fish resources
Fish resources in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US are sensitive to the impacts of climate change, with marked shifts in species’ distribution already taking place.