Canada’s Ocean Decade newsletter
Summer 2022 – Issue 4
On this page
- The big splash: ORCA and the Ocean Decade join forces!
- Ocean Decade Community of Champions feature: CIDCO – An Accessible Ocean
- Announcement of Canadian support for Ocean Decade projects
- Advancing gender equity in the Ocean Decade – report out now!
- Announcing the Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre for the Northeast Pacific, hosted by the Tula Foundation
- Scaling up science-based actions for our shared ocean – A debrief from the United Nations Ocean Conference
- Northeast Pacific Deep-Sea Diversity Expedition video released
- Canada signs the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Declaration
- Largest ocean technology conference in Canada returned to Halifax this summer
- Upcoming events
- Contact us
The big splash: ORCA and the Ocean Decade join forces!
The Oceans Research in Canada Alliance (ORCA) was established in 2017 to improve the coordination of ocean science and technology in Canada and to increase collective knowledge, align efforts and forge stronger collaborative ties. The ORCA Secretariat is hosted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), within the Ocean Decade Office.
Given the linkages between the Ocean Decade and ORCA, the Ocean Decade newsletter will now also highlight broader ocean science and technology topics that are relevant to the Canadian ocean community. Our aim is to align efforts, increase synergies and continue to help foster collaboration within and across ocean sectors in Canada.
Join the ORCA pod to share news and receive info by sending an email to: ORCA.AROC@dfo-mpo.gc.ca .
Ocean Decade Community of Champions feature: CIDCO – An Accessible Ocean
The Ocean Decade Community of Champions was created with 1 champion for each Decade Outcome. This community will mobilize the Canadian ocean community and foster the creation of innovative and transformative science‑based actions. Guillaume Labbé‑Morissette, Champion for An Accessible Ocean, explains his role and his vision for the thematic network:
Our future hinges entirely on this generation’s solutions to the major global challenges of our time. These solutions depend not only on our knowledge and understanding of marine environments, but, above all, on our capacity to make this knowledge accessible to all. That is why CIDCO is drawing on its expertise in hydrography and marine cartography to implement its collaborative vision for fair and open access to data, technologies and solutions. With open innovation as a driving force, the thematic network will foster collaboration and exchange among marine stakeholders in Canada and around the world.
Announcement of Canadian support for Ocean Decade projects
On World Oceans Day, the Honourable Joyce Murray, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, highlighted $2.1 million in financial support for 8 Ocean Decade projects with partners from First Nations, academia, industry and non-governmental organizations. These projects, along with an additional project announced last year through DFO’s Ghost Gear Fund, are officially endorsed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission as Ocean Decade projects and are given a platform where the knowledge and outcomes generated can be showcased and shared with the global community. To learn more, read the news release about World Oceans Day 2022 or visit X-Oceans.
Advancing gender equity in the Ocean Decade – report out now!
As part of broader efforts to advance gender equity in ocean science, DFO, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission co-hosted 3 gender-themed sessions. These sessions were held in the fall and winter of 2020-2021 as part of the Ocean Decade Virtual Series. The events were attended by over 2,000 people from 100 countries, with 22 speakers from around the world. We are excited to share the new report summarizing these sessions, that includes potential actions that could help advance gender equity in ocean science by 2030 under the framework of the Ocean Decade.
Announcing the Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre for the Northeast Pacific, hosted by the Tula Foundation
The Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre for the Northeast Pacific (DCCNEP) connects ocean knowledge to ocean action, making the United Nations Ocean Decade come alive in the Northeast Pacific by working across the region on all 10 Ocean Decade Challenges. Announced by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO as part of newly endorsed Decade Actions, the DCCNEP will make significant and sustained efforts to support the Decade and:
- coordinate existing actions
- catalyze new initiatives
- lead targeted communications and outreach
- mobilize resources
Congratulations Tula Foundation for your active commitment to the Ocean Decade at the regional level!
Find out more and engage with the Ocean Decade in the Northeast Pacific.
Scaling up science-based actions for our shared ocean – A debrief from the United Nations Ocean Conference
More than 6,000 participants from about 150 countries gathered in Lisbon, Portugal from June 27 to July 1, 2022 for the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC). Their conference goals were to unpack ocean issues and explore concrete actions to ensure a healthy and sustainable ocean for the future.
A key outcome of UNOC was the adoption of the Lisbon Declaration, which focuses on the importance of scaling up innovative science-based solutions to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 Life Below Water and also recognizes the importance of the Ocean Decade for sustainable development. In support of the overarching theme to scale up action based on science and innovation, the Ocean Decade took a central place in the discussions.
There was a strong Canadian presence at UNOC. The Honorable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard participated in a high level Ocean Decade Alliance event to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to the Ocean Decade. In addition, the Canadian delegation participated in several side events, including:
- Illegal Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) fishing
- marine conservation
- a sustainable ocean economy
- plastic pollution
- the ocean-climate nexus
- equity/diversity/inclusivity
- ocean literacy
- and many other themes aligned with the Ocean Decade
Find out more about Canada's participation.
At the end of the week, France and Costa Rica announced that they would co-host the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in 2025, which will mark the middle of the Ocean Decade and represent an important milestone to assess collective progress and confirm that the transition towards a healthy, resilient and productive ocean is underway.
Northeast Pacific Deep-Sea Diversity Expedition video released
The Deep-Sea Diversity Expedition recently released a video showcasing the collaborative approach the Council of the Haida Nation, DFO, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and Ocean Networks Canada are taking to better understand the remarkable and fragile ecosystems that comprise existing and proposed Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the waters off of the Northeast Pacific Coast of Canada. The team explored new areas and returned to long-term monitored sites, where they were able to detect ecological changes that took place over the last 4 years, observe thousands of rockfish and collect over 100 specimens. This expedition was a United Nations Ocean Decade endorsed activity and its findings will contribute to further global understanding of the deep sea through the Challenger 150 and Seabed 2030 initiatives.
A priority of the mission was to widely communicate the science to local and global audiences. Communication events including the live-streaming of the deep-sea footage and chats jointly hosted by communities, partners and the at-sea science team to connect with over 40 classrooms, the general public and scientist in about 50 countries around the world. For more information, please visit the expedition webpage.
Don’t forget to submit your activities, projects or programmes that will enhance the sustainability of ocean science to the Third Call for Decade Actions led by the IOC by August 30, 2022. This call is focused on Challenge 3 – Sustainable Blue Food and Challenge 4 – Sustainable Ocean Economy. Check out Ocean Decade’s news to learn more.
Canada signs the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Declaration
The All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) is the result of science diplomacy efforts involving countries from around the Atlantic Ocean to enhance marine research and innovation cooperation. The All-Atlantic Ocean Research Forum 2022 was co-hosted by Brazil and the United States and included a scientific event (May 31 to June 2, 2022; Brasilia) followed by a high-level ministerial event (July 12-14, 2022, Washington, DC).
A highlight of the Ministerial Event was the signing of the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) Declaration, where representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, the European Union, Morocco, South Africa and the United States confirmed their commitment to advancing cooperative ocean science in the Atlantic Ocean. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Mike Kelloway, signed the Declaration on behalf of Canada. Canadian representatives included participants from DFO, Memorial University of Newfoundland, the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.
Largest ocean technology conference in Canada returned to Halifax this summer
Canada’s largest ocean technology conference, H2O: Home to Overseas Conference, was held in person June 13-16, 2022 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Organized by the Ocean Technology Council of Nova Scotia, in partnership with the Government of Canada, the Province of Nova Scotia and the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE), the conference hosted over 650 delegates from 21 countries. Presentations and start-up pitches showcased 85 companies and organizations and there were 279 Business to Business (B2B) meetings. The COVE Demo Day attracted an at-capacity crowd of 350 people, representing 180 organizations, to watch 31 companies demonstrate their latest ocean technology innovations.
Dr. Kent Smedbol (DFO), Canada’s Ocean Decade Champion for a Productive Ocean, presented on the Ocean Decade to engage industry and innovators from the ocean technology sector in this global initiative.
Upcoming events
August 15-18, 2022 – Aquaculture Canada and WAS North America (St. John’s, NL)
September 7-9, 2022 – Arctic Horizon Scan 2022 Workshop (Virtual and Oxford, United Kingdom)
September 13-16, 2022 – International Conference for Young Marine Researchers ICYMARE 2022 (Bremerhaven, Germany)
September 22, 2022 – MEOPAR, IMBeR and OFI International Networking Connector (Virtual)
September 23-24, 2022 – Sustainable Ocean Conference 2022 ‘Dive Deeper’ (Virtual and Halifax, NS)
September 26-28, 2022 – Women in the Law of the Sea Conference (Virtual and New York, USA)
October 4-5, 2022 – World Ocean Tech and Innovation Summit ‘Powering the Next Phase in Blue Growth’(Halifax, NS)
October 5-19, 2022 – Ocean Best Practices Workshop VI (Virtual)
October 11-14, 2022 – YOUng MArine RESearchers (YOUMARES) 13 ‘Future Oceans - Science for resilient marine ecosystems’(Virtual and Berlin, Germany)
October 17-20, 2022 – OCEANS 2022 Conference & Exposition (Virtual and Hampton Roads, USA)
October 26, 2022 – Oceana Canada’s Symposium ‘Rebuilding Abundance: Priorities for a Resilient Ocean’ (Ottawa, ON)
November 7-10, 2022 – Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) Symposium (Virtual and Halifax, NS)
November 7-11, 2022 – Small Pelagic Fish Symposium ‘New Frontiers in Science and Sustainable Management’ (Lisbon, Portugal)
November 7-18, 2022 – UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (UNFCCC COP 27) (Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt)
For more Ocean Decade events, check out the events web page and feel free to let us know if there is something that should be added!
Contact us
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