UPCOMING ACZISC MEETINGS
- 16-17 May 2012: ACZISC Meeting #66, St. John's, NL
- 19-20 September 2012: ACZISC Meeting #67, Fredericton, NB
- 16-17 January 2013: ACZISC Meeting #68, Halifax, NS
- 29-30 May 2013: ACZISC Meeting #69, Charlottetown, PEI
For information on the meetings, email the ACZISC Secretariat at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
ACZISC TURNS 20 YEARS OLD
The Atlantic Coastal Zone Information Steering Committee held its first meeting in January 1992 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. To learn more about the ACZISC, see http://coinatlantic.ca.
SUSTAINING CANADA’S MARINE BIODIVERSITY
The Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel has released the report titled “Sustaining Canada’s Marine Biodiversity: Responding to the Challenges Posed by Climate Change, Fisheries and Aquaculture”. The panel concludes that the simplest and best strategy to deal with climate change is to protect existing diversity and to rebuild depleted populations and species to restore natural diversity. The Panel offers seven recommendations for action to meet these requirements - http://rsc.ca/creports.php.
WETLAND MANAGEMENT IN NEW BRUNSWICK
The Government of New Brunswick has released a long-term wetland management strategy that reflects consultations with the public and stakeholders. The strategy aims to protect all provincially significant wetlands; improve permitting processes; and engage stakeholders in the development of wetland boundaries and a balanced system where hydrology, water quality and biodiversity in a given area will be incorporated in wetland management - http://www.gnb.ca/0009/Wetlands/index-e.asp.
EARLY REGISTRATION: COASTAL ZONE CANADA 2012
The Coastal Zone Canada Association will hold the 10th biennial International Coastal Zone Canada (CZC) Conference on 9-14 June 2012 in Rimouski, Québec. CZC 2012 will review the progress made in recent decades, examine promising approaches for addressing new challenges and explore a dynamic, proactive and participatory vision of integrated coastal and ocean management. 30 March is the deadline for early registration - http://www.czc2012-zcc2012.org.
OCN-CANADA POLICY BRIEF
The Policy Brief Program of the Oceans and Coasts Network (OCN) – Canada, a joint initiative by all participating members of the Network’s partner organizations, is intended to address fundamental policy issues. Volume 2 (February 2012) features articles on hydrocarbon development in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and salmon sage aquaculture in Canada - http://www.omrn-rrgo.ca/smc/home.php.
SO-MaD CONFERENCE
29 February is the extended deadline to submit abstracts for student oral or poster presentations to the Sustainable Ocean Management and Development (SO-MaD) Conference, scheduled for 30-31 March 2012 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Email submissions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - http://wwf.ca/conservation/oceans/approach/atlantic/sobeyfund/announcements_events.
INTERNATIONAL GREEN ECONOMY
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a report on ocean health titled "Green Economy in a Blue World". The report highlights ways to reduce the environmental impact and improve the environmental, economic and social sustainability of traditional and emerging ocean-oriented economies. The report concludes that the ecological health and economic productivity of marine and coastal ecosystems can be enhanced from well-managed marine sectors - http://www.unep.org/pdf/green_economy_blue.pdf.
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has launched a new international information system to improve climate and weather-related data exchange. The WMO Information System (WIS) aims to facilitate access and use of meteorological observations - http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_939_en.html.
THE NEW MASSACHUSETTS OCEAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone management (CZM) released the new Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System (MORIS) an online mapping tool for searching data related to the coastal zone and creating maps displaying the data. MORIS enables users to interactively combine sets of coastal data into new maps to analyze patterns, seek relationships, and monitor trends - http://www.mass.gov/czm/mapping/index.htm.
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ON MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
SeaPlan and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis have released the results of a cumulative impacts study of human activities on marine ecosystems in Massachusetts’ state and federal waters. The resulting cumulative impacts maps and ecosystem vulnerability matrix yield insight into which ecosystems and areas are most vulnerable and which human uses are likely putting the most stress on marine ecosystems - http://www.seaplan.org/ocean-planning/tools-to-inform-decision-making/cumulative-impacts/project-summary.
CLIMATE CHANGE HANDBOOK
The US Environmental Protection Agency, US Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Water Resources, and Resources Legacy Fund have released the “Climate Change Handbook for Regional Watershed Planning”. The handbook provides a framework for considering climate change in water management planning. Key decision considerations, resources, and tools are presented to guide resource managers and planners in adapting programs for climate change - http://www.water.ca.gov/climatechange/CCHandbook.cfm.
OTHER DOCUMENTS, NEWSLETTERS AND WEB RESOURCES
- The final edition of the Coastal Community-University Research Alliance’s (CURA) newsletter is now available. The edition discusses final research findings and policy insights, reflects on experience working within a CURA, highlights key messages from the People in Places Conference, and reviews current partner projects - http://coastalcura.ca/documents/Newsletter_FINAL_Feb_1.pdf.
- New fact sheets on climate science are available on the Ouranos, a Consortium on Regional Climatology and Adaptation to Climate Change, based in Quebec. The fact sheets deal with the development of a methodology and sampling protocol for monitoring biodiversity in relation to climate change; adaptation of the design and management of Quebec’s network of protected areas for climate change; and projected changes in precipitation in Quebec. The first fact sheets deal with changes in temperature and precipitation in Quebec.
- OBIS Canada is the Canadian regional node of the International Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS). The January 2012 issue of the OBIS Canada Newsletter is available at http://obiscanada.marinebiodiversity.ca/resources/obis-canada-newsletters/obis-canada-news-january-2012.-vol-1-issue-2.
- The 2nd Annual Nova Scotia Oceans Industry Research Connections Session was held on 31 January 2012 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company presentations are available at http://www.esans.ca/pdf/NSERC_OceansConnector_2Annual.pdf.
- “MPA News” features international news and analysis on Marine Protected Areas. The January/March 2012 issue focuses on marine protected areas as “paper parks” - existing on paper, in laws and on maps but failing to provide effective management and enforcement - http://depts.washington.edu/mpanews/issues.html.
- The draft report titled “Assessing the Natural and Beneficial Functions of Floodplains: Issues and Approaches: Future Directions” has been prepared to help US personnel to assess, protect and restore floodplain “natural and beneficial” functions - http://aswm.org/watersheds/floods-and-natural-hazards/1133-assessing-the-natural-and-beneficial-functions-of-floodplains.
- The January 2012 edition of UNEP/GRID-Arendal's “Marine Newsletter” introduces OCEANIDS, a new tool to find and examine public marine-related scientific datasets - http://www.grida.no/marine/news.aspx?id=4992.
- BLAST’s (Bringing Land and Sea Together) decision support system includes a selection of Integrated Coastal Zone Management indicators that signal potential impacts of climate change, displayed in an interactive web-GIS platform. The system is currently a prototype version and is undergoing continual updating. A poster on the subject is available at http://www.blast-project.eu/?page=news&artid=212&New%20planning%20tool%20for%20coastal%20zone%20management.
- The authors of an article published in PLoS ONE address the need for ecological-based planning and management of urban artificial infrastructures. They conclude that understanding the functioning of these novel habitats will be key to improving their design and management and, hence, to mitigate their negative impacts and enhance their contribution to marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning - http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022985.
- The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has reported on the implementation of a project titled “Adaptation to Climate Change in Coastal Zones of West Africa” - http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/coastal_erosion_major_threat_to_west_africa.
- The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme has issued the first fact sheet in a series titled "Building MEA Capacity for Pacific Island Countries." The document is part of an EU project on “Capacity Building Related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries” - http://www.sprep.org/factsheets/MEA/FS1.pdf.
- The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Working Group on Maritime Systems held its inaugural meeting in early November 2011 at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Norway. The meeting report is available at http://www.ices.dk/workinggroups/ViewWorkingGroup.aspx?ID=556.
- The US Environmental Protection Agency has released a report titled "Climate Ready Estuaries 2011 Progress Report" which describes program accomplishments as well as the new National Estuary Program projects launched during 2011. Climate Ready Estuaries is an EPA program intended to help the National Estuary Programs and coastal managers plan for climate change - http://epa.gov/cre.
- NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) has initiated the “Coastal Ocean Science Blog”, a new communications tool that gives a detailed look into the science taking place across the US at NCCOS’ five centers and two laboratories - http://noaaoceanscience.wordpress.com.
- The International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) held its Remote Sensing Conference in Prague, Czech Republic in September 2011. The conference included discussions regarding new remote sensing technologies with applications targeting ocean fish stocks and natural disasters. Papers presented at the conference have been published in the SPIE Digital Library, which offers free access to abstracts - http://spie.org/x2836.xml.
- A NASA Earth Observatory photograph shows sea ice off Southwestern Alaska mid-January 2012 - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=76989. For animations of Arctic sea ice minimum and maximum extents from September 1999 to March 2011, see the ‘World of Change’ feature on Arctic sea ice - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/sea_ice.php.
- The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) has released a documentary video titled “Climate Change: A Serious Threat”. The video discusses how climate change may impact different components of the region's economy. It also outlines projects of the CCCCC to help the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member States prepare for climate change - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjR3mdwqVUM.
- The latest episode of “World Ocean Radio” titled "154: The Challenge" is now available. This five-minute broadcast looks at the status of the world ocean, and what new strategies and actions must be applied to move successfully from the status quo toward a new ocean ethic - http://thew2o.net/radio-item/154-challenge.
- Oceana is an international ocean conservation non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the world's oceans. Oceana has released a video proposing marine protected areas in the Baltic Sea - http://vimeo.com/35626186.
- "Wetlands Connect us all" is a new video by Ducks Unlimited Canada, an organization that conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl - http://www.youtube.com/user/DucksUnlimitedCanada?feature=watch.
UPCOMING CONFERENCES, EVENTS AND ASSOCIATED DEADLINES
- For a complete list of upcoming conferences, workshops and deadlines, go to http://coinatlantic.ca/index.php/conference-listing.
DEADLINES
- 25 February is the deadline to comment on Louisiana’s Draft 2012 Coastal Master Plan, released by the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority - http://www.coastalmasterplan.la.gov.
- 28 February is the deadline to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement released by NOAA to analyze the impacts of oil and gas offshore exploration activities in federal and state waters of the US Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off Alaska - http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/arctic.htm.
- 29 February is the deadline to provide comments to Fisheries and Oceans Canada on its Approach to Fisheries Modernization. The feedback will be considered in future policy development - http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/future-avenir/index-eng.htm.
- 29 February is the deadline to submit proposals to the Gulf of Maine Council for coastal habitat restoration projects within the Gulf of Maine watershed - http://restoration.gulfofmaine.org.
- 1 March is the deadline to submit papers for a special issue of the International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management (IJRAM) on ‘Assessing the Risks of Climate Change for Water Resources and Coastal Environments’ - http://www.inderscience.com/browse/callpaper.php?callID=1737.
- 1 March is the deadline for applications to the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) course “Preservation of Books and Other Media”, scheduled for 21-25 May 2012 in Ostend, Belgium - http://iode.org/index.php?option=com_oe&task=viewEventRecord&eventID=1086.
- 2 March is the deadline to submit applications to Science Horizons 2012-2013, a Government of Canada program aimed at advancing environmental science while giving young people experience that will prepare them for employment in the environment sector - http://www.ec.gc.ca/scitech/default.asp?lang=En&n=B58899DC-1.
- 5 March is the deadline to comment on the draft US National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy - http://www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov/public-comments.php.
- 6 March is the deadline to comment on the proposed listing of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle as “Endangered” under the Species at Risk Act - http://www.registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca/document/default_e.cfm?documentID=1775.
- 23 March is the deadline for applications to the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) course “Operational Oceanography: Synoptic Views of the Sea” scheduled for 10-14 September 2012 in Ostend, Belgium - http://www.iode.org/index.php?option=com_oe&task=viewEventRecord&eventID=1085.
- 31 March is the deadline to submit articles for publication in the Ocean Yearbook Volume 27 - http://law.dal.ca/Files/MEL_Institute/OYB/Call_for_Papers_Vol_27.pdf.
- 13 April is the deadline to submit abstracts for a special theme issue of the Coastal Management journal in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the US Coastal Zone Management Act. All abstracts must be emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The issue is based in part on the Opening Plenary of the 23rd conference of The Coastal Society, scheduled for 3-6 June 2012 in Miami, Florida, USA.
The ACZISC Secretariat
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Last Updated on Friday, 16 March 2012 19:43
