Under the theme ‘Getting IT Right,’ the congress will facilitate dialogue about and across different dimensions of change and transition, imagined as many ITs needed to achieve and maintain sustainable fisheries, coastal communities, and ocean activities. The congress aims to discuss bold prospects and innovative ideas and strategies needed to address pressing issues for North America’s small-scale fisheries, and fisheries and ocean sustainability, set within the context of a changing ocean, the Covid-19 pandemic, and climate change, among other challenges.
The congress is closely tied with the Ocean Frontier Institute's Module I on 'Informing Governance Responses in a Changing Ocean', building on its research that examines the consequences of social, ecological, economic and institutional changes for the future of fisheries, coastal communities and the economy of Atlantic Canada. The congress offers a unique opportunity to formulate informed, integrative, and proactive policies and research agendas for North America that support and promote sustainable fisheries and oceans.
The congress will be organized around six main topics:
- Getting ADAPTATION Right
- Getting AQUACULTURE Right
- Getting BLUE ECONOMY Right
- Getting THE FUTURE Right
- Getting GOVERNANCE Right
- Getting SMALL Right
Contributions are invited from fishers and fishing communities, industry, government, civil society, and academia, interested in fisheries and ocean sustainability in the North America region. Within and across the six themes, we welcome participants who are keen to share their experiences and lessons learned, who want to talk about what is already being done right and/or have ideas about prospects for what can be done better moving forward. Abstracts for individual papers or organized sessions (about 250 words) are accepted until November 15, 2021.
The 4WSFC North America is co-hosted by Memorial University and OFI Module I, in partnership with TBTI Global and other key organizations.
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