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SPLASHmail      Events, news and views for the ocean-minded          October 2016
The media is full of sobering (and occasionally frightening) articles decrying a planetary scourge of ocean trash. Disturbing images accompany the stories. Albatross carcasses stuffed with coloured bits of toothbrushes and bottle caps, dolphins hopelessly tangled in derelict fishing nets, a heart-wrenching picture of a turtle wearing a tiny plastic ring around its grossly misshapen shell like a many-times-too-small cinched-in belt. The headlines are no less disturbing. According to the news we are either: Bobbing in Poison Seas (LA Times), a Sea of Trash (NY Times), or Plastic Soup (flymedia); Sailing the Synthetic Seas (WEND Magazine); or suffering a Plague of Plastic (Patagonia).

There is, however, cause for hope. Numerous programs are now focused on identifying critical issues and finding solutions as a result of scientists and ocean advocates raising the profile of threats to oceans around the world. In Canada, the Ocean Pollution Research Program is a "major new Vancouver Aquarium research initiative that will conduct international-caliber scientific research on ocean pollution." The program will focus on the sources and consequences of ocean pollution, and on identifying practical solutions. In the United States, the Governor of California recently signed the Whale Protection and Crab Gear Retrieval Act. The Act creates a regulatory program with incentives for fishers to retrieve Dungeness crab fishing gear that would otherwise be lost in the ocean, creating marine debris and entanglement hazards.
 
California’s new Act is an excellent example of what the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) discusses in their recently published document Marine Litter Legislation: A Toolkit for Policymakers. The toolkit gives an overview of existing marine litter legislation around the world and provides case studies to help policymakers change the habits of both producers and consumers.

The UNEP concedes that “Well-crafted laws alone cannot solve the problem of marine litter, but they are an important piece of the puzzle.” Consumers and producers are also critical pieces of that puzzle. Most debris that ends up in the ocean can’t be traced back to a single source, it’s there as a result of daily decisions made by millions of people around the world. Check out this infographic to learn more about marine litter, and about how your actions (or inactions) can help prevent, reduce and manage that waste. Feel the urge to lend a helping hand? Read more about Shoreline Clean-ups (below), grab your boots, and head to the water's edge.
 
BLOG BITE

When Lucija Prelovec decided she wanted to get more involved in CaNOE, she was struck by all the “fin-tastic options”!  Read more about her choices, CaNOE’s working groups – and how you can also join in and help further ocean literacy in Canada in this month’s CaNOE blog post.

Shown above is CaNOE co-chair, Anne Stewart, celebrating Ukee Days in Ucluelet, BC with some young ocean enthusiasts. Education and Outreach, a new working group, is but one of the many exciting opportunities described in Lucija's blog. 
SPOTLIGHT

On Sept. 18, 374 people gathered to remove around 600 kilograms of shoreline litter from Iona Beach in Richmond, BC, celebrating 22 years of the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up! A joint conservation initiative of the Vancouver Aquarium and WWF-Canada, you can register a cleanup any time of the year, anywhere land connects to water; or join in one of the special cleanup weeks in the spring, summer or fall!  Simply search the interactive map to lead or join a cleanup.  They even have free curriculum guides to help teachers integrate a shoreline cleanup into the school year!  Go on...try to name Canada's Dirty Dozen of shoreline litter...
WANTED: Information about Canadian OL projects!
Do you have a Canadian project that could be included in the Transatlantic Ocean Literacy Bibliography? It does not need to be Atlantic Ocean-based! Information you provide on the Canadian Ocean Literacy Project form will be forwarded to the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance for inclusion in a database on EU, US and Canadian efforts to promote transatlantic ocean literacy.
Board Soundings
Your Directors put in a big effort this past month with the able assistance of member volunteers to get the working groups rolling ... thanks, Lucija, for providing an overview in your blog!  We are hoping to get more hands on deck given all the exciting projects in the works, from creating a database of OL educational resources to exploring regional chapters to refining Board nomination procedures... something for everyone! The working groups are setting goals and priorities in a work plan that aligns with our strategic plan.  
 
Although we are moving to a 2-year national conference schedule at the present time, we would like to convene a Conference Working Group to coordinate partnership/sponsor opportunities in other regional conferences and to start planning ahead for our 3rd ocean literacy conference in 2018... any closet conference co-ordinators out there?
 
Thanks to our members, CaNOE is growing in recognition on many levels and we are in continuing conversation with two ocean science organizations, Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) on the west coast and Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR) on the east coast around collaboration and funding.  
 
In thanksgiving for our amazing oceans and the people who care about them, 
Heather and Anne
Co-chairs
Follow us on Twitter! @OceanLitCanada

Upcoming Events


Help us promote ocean education events in Canada and beyond by telling us what you or others are planning.  Click here to submit an event for the next SPLASHmail!

OCTOBER CONFERENCES AND COURSES
EMSEA Conference 2016 - European Marine Science Educators Association
October 4-7. Belfast, Northern Ireland
Collaboration opportunity for educators, researchers, influencers and anyone else with a passion for communicating the importance of our ocean. CaNOE will be represented by Sonya Lee, Director.
 
45th Annual NAAEE Conference/ 13th Annual Research Symposium
October 18-22. Madison, WI
North American Association for Environmental Education. Theme: From Inspiration to Impact
 
OCTOBER PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Science and Conservation - for an oil-free coast  Raincoast Conservation Foundation and Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea
October 6.  7PM – 9PM PST.  Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea. Sidney, British Columbia
With a central coast oil tanker ban and cabinet decision on the Kinder Morgan proposal both due this fall, this is a crucial time for coastal wildlife. Join us and be informed and inspired by our research and conservation efforts.
 
Humpback Comeback! A talk with Jackie Hildering - Hornby Island Natural History Centre
October 7. 7pm PST. Hornby Island, British Columbia
Jackie Hildering will provide an informative and entertaining discussion on Humpback Whales and the research of the Marine Education and Research Society.
 
Science Sea Day  Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea
October 21. 10AM – 4 PM PST.  Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea. Sidney, British Columbia
Get Science-sea! This fun-filled day of learning will include scientific demonstrations, exciting (non-exploding!) experiments, dissections and fascinating presentations by visiting local scientists!
 
NOVEMBER PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Call for papers: Ocean diving  
November 18.  Online.
The Journal of Ocean Technology are seeking technical papers related to ocean diving. Present results of new research in ocean technology, science or engineering. Diving equipment; infrastructure, technologies to carry divers to a site; activities pursued while diving (i.e. shipwreck diving); shipwreck preservation; or any related areas.  Submit by 18 November.
 
DECEMBER CONFERENCES AND COURSES
CommOCEAN 2016 - 2nd International Marine Science Communication Conference and Training
December 6-8, 2016.  Bruges and Ostend, Belgium
Hands-on exercises in current science communication skills with plenty of expertise-sharing, social interaction and fascinating marine science along the way. Abstracts accepted until July 15.
 
 
AND BEYOND...
24th Annual Fishermen and Scientists Research Society Conference
February 23rd, 2017, 9:00AM. Best Western Plus Hotel and Suites, Dartmouth, NS
The annual conference provides an opportunity for dedicated fishermen representing their industry, and researchers from government, academia and non-profit organizations to converge on issues relating to research and sustainability of our valuable marine resources.                                                                                                                                                      
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Canadian Network for Ocean Education · Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University · 8888 University Drive · Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 · Canada

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