Conservation science in NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries: description and recent accomplishments

This report describes cases relating to the management of national marine sanctuaries in which certain scientific information was required so managers could make decisions that effectively protected trust resources. The cases presented represent only a fraction of difficult issues that marine sanctuary managers deal with daily. They include, among others, problems related to wildlife disturbance, vessel routing, marine reserve placement, watershed management, oil spill response, and habitat restoration. Scientific approaches to address these problems vary significantly, and include literature surveys, data mining, field studies (monitoring, mapping, observations, and measurement), geospatial and biogeographic analysis, and modeling. In most cases there is also an element of expert consultation and collaboration among multiple partners, agencies with resource protection responsibilities, and other users and stakeholders. The resulting management responses may involve direct intervention (e.g., for spill response or habitat restoration issues), proposal of boundary alternatives for marine sanctuaries or reserves, changes in agency policy or regulations, making recommendations to other agencies with resource protection responsibilities, proposing changes to international or domestic shipping rules, or development of new education or outreach programs. (PDF contains 37 pages.

Risk analysis for RoPax vessels

The paper presents the results of a recent risk analysis study for RoPax vessels, carried out as part of the activities of the SAFEDOR Integrated Project. The objective of this study was to investigate the causes of hazards during RoPax operation and quantify, to the extent possible, their frequencies and consequences. Potential scenarios initially identified and prioritised during a Hazard Identification (HAZID) session were used in the pro cess. The work has been performed in accordance with the IMO FSA Guidelines (IMO 2002). A previous comprehensive study on the safety assessment of RoPax vessels sailing in North West European waters, covering the period until 1994, was used as the basis in putting together a high-level risk model for the current study. All scenarios are presented in the form of event trees, quantification of which is done on the basis of world-wide accident experience (from 1994 to 2004), relevant past studies and judgment. The study estimates the risk of loss of life among passengers and crew (by calculating for each scenario the In di -vidual Risk, the Potential Loss of Life – PLL and plotting the corresponding F-N curves), and compares them with current risk acceptance criteria. The resulting high-level risk model is used to provide recommendations for improvement in the form of proposed risk control options (RCOs)

Risk evaluation for RoPax vessels

The paper presents the results of a recent risk evalua-tion study for RoPax vessels, carried out as part of the activities of the SAFEDOR Integrated Project. The objective of the study was to investigate hazards and their causes during RoPax operation and to quantify, to the extent possible, their frequencies and conse-quences. A previous study on the safety assessment of RoPax vessels sailing in North-West European waters, covering the period until 1994, was used as the basis in putting together a high-level risk model for the current study. All scenarios are presented in the form of event trees, quantification of which is done on the basis of world-wide accident experience (from 1994 to 2004), relevant past studies and judgment. The study esti-mates the risk of loss of life among passengers and crew (by calculating for each scenario the Individual Risk, the Potential Loss of Life – PLL and plotting the corresponding F-N curves), and compares them with current risk acceptance criteria

MONALISA 2.0 and the sea traffic management - a concept creating the need for new maritime information standards and software solutions

Postprint (published version

Evaluation of the Wadden Sea Particularly sensitive Sea Area. On behalf of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat.

The purpose of this document is to present the high level outcomes for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Wadden Sea PSSA, seven years after its designation by the IMO. Key changes with regard to IMO and EU shipping policy are identified and described, followed by a review of ‘expert’ opinion focused on the issues relating to PSSAs. The development of an evaluative framework and the resulting findings are introduced and discussed in context. Using existing data against this evaluative framework we conclude that six key elements require action in order to fully describe the efficacy of the designation, and our recommendations to address these concerns are presented.<br/

Advancing a Network of Safety Measures in the Bering Strait Region: Now is the Time

Climate change impacts have been particularly acute in the Arctic, where warming has led to the loss of seasonal sea ice, among other impacts. As Arctic waters experience longer ice-free seasons and reduced sea ice extent and thickness, vessel traffic in the maritime Arctic has increased. Experts forecast this growth trend will continue and accelerate. Increasing vessel traffic brings threats to the Arctic region, its people, and its wildlife. These include increased air, water, and subsea noise pollution and the potential for a large oil and/or fuel spill. While authorities have put in place some management measures designed to reduce these threats, more action is needed to safeguard the region. Impacts from increasing shipping in the Arctic region can be further mitigated by both Arctic-specific rules and best practices and broader changes to global-scale shipping practices. More broadly, improvements to governance structures are needed to better address the multiple and overlapping threats to the Arctic region. At the same time, these changes can promote full and meaningful participation by Indigenous residents of the Arctic with respect to the identification, design, and implementation of management measures that may affect their region. On a global scale, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is critically important for the future of the Arctic and its peoples and wildlife—and for the ocean as a whole

Towards Sustainable Fisheries Management: International Examples of Innovation

Fisheries change often carries its own financial rewards. Many reforms and changes which support conservation also result in higher profits and revenue streams for the involved businesses. This makes fisheries a potentially attractive investment arena for many commercial investors, once reform projects are properly structured and agreed upon between conservationists and the involved businesses. As commercial investors and social investors become more involved in the field of fisheries, the scale of the impacts that can be achieved is expected to expand. Foundations in the field are now looking to support this transition from fisheries conservation as a purely philanthropic investment to a blended conservation and business investment by encouraging non-profits, social change leaders and business entrepreneurs to create innovatively structured projects that can both build value for private investors and improve the speed and scale of fisheries conservation impacts. This report aims to support this transition, by providing information about and high-lighting the work of those at the forefront of innovative fisheries finance