Webinars

Ocean Justice – Decolonising the Ocean Sector

Recorded 3 April

This next free webinar in our Ocean Justice Series will start to explore ocean justice and decolonisation. Decolonisation requires a deep interrogation of the structures that produce inequalities, recognising and reorienting where power is drawn from.

Chair: Dr Gurpreet Padda of Black Ocean Citizens.

Panellists:

• Professor Surabhi Ranganathan – University of Cambridge. Surhabi will be talking about the problems that arise from the way the law has constructed the ocean, and the failure of more utopian visions of postcolonial ordering of the ocean space.
• Ashish Ghadiali – Founder/Director, Radical Ecology Ashish will be talking about using art-based methods to advance environmental justice.
• Jo Ogogo – EDI Lead, CEFAS Jo will be talking about approaches to EDI learning at CEFAS.
• Tsian Deslandes, introducing Mermaids Beyond Borders.

Marine Restoration webinar: Science

Recorded 27 March

In this third free webinar in the series, a range of experts will share their science and research experience in relation to developing and delivering marine restoration projects. Discussion will highlight the latest advances in marine restoration science and how we can move from academic research to widespread application. Further thought will be given to the importance of standardising approaches to marine restoration to increase the probability of success.

Panellists:

• Richard Unsworth, Project Seagrass
• Philine Zu Ermgassen, Edinburgh University
• Richard Lilley, University of Groningen, Seagrass Consortium and Co-Founder of European Seagrass Restoration Alliance
• Angus Garbutt, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

This marine restoration webinar series was kindly supported by the Environment Agency and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Marine Restoration webinar: Policy and Regulation

Recorded 11 March

The second in our series of free marine restoration webinars continues with a focus on the policy and regulatory landscape. Interest in marine restoration has increased substantially in recent years, driven by, for example: Good Environmental Status, the Environment Act, the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and marine net gain initiatives.

While marine restoration activity across the UK is growing in momentum, the current approach has been disjointed and piecemeal, delivered through the involvement of multiple stakeholders, in different locations, at different scales, and over different timescales. In some cases, restoration activity is aided, and in others hindered, by the existing marine policy and licensing processes. In this seminar, a range of experts will share their experiences of navigating the marine policy and licensing landscape while developing and delivering marine restoration projects. Further discussion will highlight why these challenges exist, how they can be overcome, and where opportunities lie for improving the current system to support marine restoration activity.

Panellists:

• Eve Leegwater, Environment Agency
• Jennifer Godwin, SUDG
• Audrey Jones, HMC
• Alison Debney, ZSL

This marine restoration webinar series is kindly supported by the Environment Agency and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Marine Restoration webinar: Seascapes

Recorded 11 February

Introducing a new marine restoration webinar series. This first free webinar in the series will introduce you to the concept of “Seascape” marine restoration, and an overview of marine restoration projects and progress in the UK. This webinar will cover:

• The definition(s) of “seascape” restoration, and how it differs from the current approach
• The barriers and opportunities for marine restoration at scale
• Is seascape restoration already happening in the UK?
• How do we know our marine restoration efforts are being effective?
• How do we deliver marine restoration at scale (passive v.s. active restoration)
• This series is creating a space to learn, discuss and debate marine restoration progress in the UK

Panellists:

• Prof Joanne Preston, University of Portsmouth
• Sarah Young, WWF-UK
• Jo Bayes, Environment Agency

This marine restoration webinar series is delivered in partnership with the Environment Agency and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Ocean Justice and Social Mobility webinar

Recorded 5 February

This webinar in our Ocean Justice Series will be exploring how class impacts opportunities in the marine and coastal sector. The discussion covered:

• Why social mobility is important
• How socio-economic background can affect progression
• What can be done to improve social equity

Panellists:

• Emily Cunningham MBE – Marine biologist and award-winning ocean conservationist
• Alex Gill – Member, Young Sea Changers Scotland
• Dr Rose O’Neill – Chief Executive, Campaign for National Parks
• Dr Penelope Griffin – Director, Bridge Group

Ocean Justice – Why equity, diversity and inclusion matters

Recorded 14 November

This was the first in a series of our webinars to learn about, discuss and debate aspects of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in the marine and coastal sectors.

This webinar focused on:

• Why we need a more diverse and inclusive marine and coastal sector.
• Why we need to transfer more power to young people/communities in marine decision-making.

Panellists:

• Alan Munro, Founder and Director of Young Sea Changers Scotland.
• Yvette Curtis, EDI Manager at Surfers Against Sewage and Founder of Wave Wahines
• Ffion Mitchell-Langford, Project Designer & Manager of the Marine Conservation Society’s Hiraeth Yn Y Môr (HYYM) Project, EDI Co-Chair at the North Wales Wildlife Trust, Founder of Future Generation Consultancy and National Marine Parks Lead at Campaign for National Parks
• Caitlin Turner, Young marine biologist undertaking an MSc in Marine Vertebrate Ecology & Conservation and a Trustee for Young Sea Changers Scotland.
• Celine Germond-Duret, Project investigator of the ‘SeaSights’ project investigating young people’s connection to the coastal and marine environment; and of the Leverhulme Trust project ‘Ocean Justice and the Blue Economy’; Lecturer at Lancaster University.

A fisheries industry perspective on the priorities for a new UK Government: pre-election roundtable

Recorded 28 June

This live online event provided an opportunity to discuss the priorities that a new UK Government could consider, this time from a fisheries industry perspective.

Panellists were asked what they would like to see from a new government and whether this could drive positive change for ocean and coastal management.

The UK general election takes place on 4th July and there will be a new Government in 2024, whatever the colour. Fresh priorities, radical ideas or more of the same? – whatever the election brings, the next term of government will be critical for marine management across the UK.

This panel session brought together leading thinkers from the fisheries sector to discuss the critical issues that face the country. It was an opportunity to consider what difference the general election result will make to how we manage our seas. The live online panel discussion will be chaired by Prof. Dickon Howell, Director of Ocean & Coastal Futures and HMC.

Panellists:

• Mike Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations
• Chris Ranford, Chief Executive Officer, Cornish Fish Producers Organisation
• Prof. Mike Williams, Chair of the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority and Vice Chair of the Association of IFCAs

The marine priorities for a new UK Government: pre-election roundtable

Recorded Friday 14th June