Rebuilding Abundance: Highlights from our science symposium   - Oceana Canada
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November 7, 2022

Rebuilding Abundance: Highlights from our science symposium  

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BY: Sydney Cross

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On October 26, 2022, Oceana Canada hosted a symposium in Ottawa, Rebuilding Abundance: Priorities for a Resilient Ocean. The event brought together leading oceans and fishery experts, Indigenous and fishing industry leaders, policymakers and journalists from across Canada.  

The day kicked off with keynote addresses from Indigenous Elder Dr. Albert Marshall, Moose Clan of the Mi’kmaw Nation, and award-winning actor and Oceana board chair Sam Waterston, known for his roles on Law & Order and Grace and Frankie. 

The symposium was anchored around engaging panel discussions, where speakers and attendees discussed the rebuilding potential for our oceans over the next decade, the growth opportunities for food security, income and livelihoods in coastal communities and how rebuilding ocean abundance can be our legacy. 

Leading up to the symposium Oceana Canada called on Canadians to help end overfishing in Canada and call on the government to rebuild wild fish populations. 43,000 individuals signed the petition, asking the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, to list all fisheries under the Fisheries Act regulations. This would mean that fish stocks would be assigned a health status, and those in the critical zone would have rebuilding plans develop to support their recovery. Our calls did not go unheard. Just before the event, the Minster announced the second batch of fish stocks that will be listed under the Fisheries Act regs and, on the day of the Symposium, Minister Murray addressed the audience and reaffirmed Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s commitment to implement strong rebuilding plans. We stand behind and support this message and we are ready to see it put into action.  

Thanks to the support from ocean advocates like you, the event was a great success. Check out some of the photo highlights  below!  

Kim Elmslie, Dr. Rashid Sumaila, Diana Thomson, Dr. Daniel Pauly, Sam Waterston, Dr. Robert Rangeley, Josh Laughren, Lesley Wilmot 

 Keynote Speaker: Sam Waterston 

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Albert Marshall, LLD, Elder, Moose Clan of the Mi’kmaw Nation 

Session 1: An Abundant Ocean is Possible: What is the potential for rebuilding abundance in Canada’s oceans in the next decade? 

Dr. Robert Rangeley 

Paul Withers, Dr. Boris Worm, Dr. William Cheung and Dr. Julia Baum 

Dr. Daniel Pauly 

Session 2: An Abundant Ocean is our Legacy: What are the growth opportunities for food security, income and livelihoods in coastal communities?  

Jim McIssac, Ainslie Cruickshank, Ken Paul, Dr. Rashid Sumaila, Sonia Strobel 

Session 3: An Abundant Ocean is our Legacy: What are the growth opportunities for food security, income and livelihoods in coastal communities? 

Dr. Andrea Reid 

Keith Sullivan, Carey Bonnell and Dr. Barbara Neis

Session 4: Priorities for Rebuilding Ocean Abundance 

Josh Laughren and The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans 

Dr. Niall O’Dea, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Josh Laughren 

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