Lessons from bright-spots for advancing knowledge exchange at the interface of marine science and policy

Evidence-informed decision-making is in increasing demand given growing pressures on marine environments. A way to facilitate this is by knowledge exchange among marine scientists and decision-makers. While many barriers are reported in the literature, there are also examples whereby research has successfully informed marine decision-making (i.e., 'bright-spots'). Here, we identify and analyze 25 bright-spots from a wide range of marine fields, contexts, and locations to provide insights into how to improve knowledge exchange at the interface of marine science and policy. Through qualitative surveys we investigate what initiated the bright-spots, their goals, and approaches to knowledge exchange. We also seek to identify what outcomes/impacts have been achieved, the enablers of success, and what lessons can be learnt to guide future knowledge exchange efforts. Results show that a diversity of approaches were used for knowledge exchange, from consultative engagement to genuine knowledge co-production. We show that diverse successes at the interface of marine science and policy are achievable and include impacts on policy, people, and governance. Such successes were enabled by factors related to the actors, processes, support, context, and timing. For example, the importance of involving diverse actors and managing positive relationships is a key lesson for success. However, enabling routine success will require: 1) transforming the ways in which we train scientists to include a greater focus on interpersonal skills, 2) institutionalizing and supporting knowledge exchange activities in organizational agendas, 3) conceptualizing and implementing broader research impact metrics, and 4) transforming funding mechanisms to focus on need-based interventions, impact planning, and an acknowledgement of the required time and effort that underpin knowledge exchange activities

Changes to processes in estuaries and coastal waters due to intense multiple pressures - An introduction and synthesis

From the 2013 ECSA conference 'Estuaries and Coastal Areas in Times of Intense Change' a theme emerged that has ended up being the focus of this Special Issue of Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, namely 'Changes to processes in estuaries and coastal waters due to intense multiple pressures'. Many parts of the world are continuing to experience unprecedented rates of economic growth, and those responsible for managing coastal and estuarine areas must respond accordingly. At the same time, global climate change and sea level rise are also continuing, placing new or more intense pressures on coastal areas that must be dealt with in ways that are as far as possible managed as a result of good scientific understanding. There are other pressures too, which depend on the system concerned. This article provides an overview of the papers contained within the Special Issue and provides a discussion of how these fit within the main theme of intense multiple stressors, considering how a balance can be achieved between the needs of various different stakeholders and interest groups, and the sustainability of the system concerned. We categorise the papers in four main groupings: (1) stressors related to sea level rise; (2) stressors related to changes in fresh water inputs; (3) stressors related to anthropogenic pollution; and (4) the use of indicators as a means of assessing the effects of stressors, and reflect on the fact that despite the diversity of different challenges and geographical regions involved many of the approaches and discussions contained within the Special Issue have strong similarities, leading to a set of overarching principles that should be considered when making recommendations on management strategies