Ethical recommendations for ocean observation

Abstract

Abstract. The United Nations proclaimed a decade of marine science for sustainable development (2021–2030) to develop a common framework that will ensure that ocean science can fully support countries in achieving the goal of sustainable development. Marine scientific understanding is fundamental to managing human activities that affect this environment, and ocean observations have a particularly important role in enhancing the knowledge base of our oceans. With this important task, scientists have the responsibility to act in an ethical way and apply all the fundamental principles described in the Cape Town statement: (a) ethical values, (b) social values and (c) cultural values (Peppoloni and Di Capua, 2017).This article is a fist attempt to highlight the core values applicable to ocean observation, which can then be improved and adopted as part of geoethics and the stewardship of the Earth system. It opens up avenues for reflection on geoethical implications in the field of ocean observation and suggests nine key principles that marine scientists could follow in their innovative research regarding open access to data, effectiveness, compliance with laws, environmental respect and nature conservation, reciprocal relation and cultural respect, equity and fairness, knowledge transfer, governance adapted to socio-ecological systems, and the use of animals in research.

Development and objectives of the PHYCOMORPH European Guidelines for the Sustainable Aquaculture of Seaweeds (PEGASUS)

“…The Anthropocene era in which we find ourselves provides a new framework for polycentric governance well illustrated by COP21 in Paris (Voß and Schroth 2018). Many actors must exchange and communicate so that political decision-makers can make the best decision for our Earth stewardship (Barbier et al 2018). When transposed to the seaweed cultivation sector, this should result in all stakeholders involved in the sector, such as seaweed farmers and suppliers, consumers, researchers and policymakers, establishing a collaborative network along the whole value chain in order to guide European strategic development plans.…”

Perspectives on Documenting Methods to Create Ocean Best Practices

“…An inclusive confluence of stakeholders and interests is a complex space; while it brings much-needed diversity to science, it also brings together different ethical norms that may not always align. In methodological development, this is often expressed through debates on what can be considered a "best practice" or even an appropriate way to conduct research, where, when, and by whom (Barbier et al, 2018). Discussion of these ethical challenges is broader than this article's scope, but we can take a concrete step towards improvement by proactively accounting for the ethical dimensions of any scientific method in its documentation.…”

A New Network for the Advancement of Marine Biotechnology in Europe and Beyond

“…(i) Ethics. We are all responsible for the stability and resilience of the Earth systems (Barbier et al, 2018). Accordingly, ethical issues and challenges will be identified, addressed and used to advocate for protection of marine ecosystems and promote responsible resource management and environmental policies together with societal awareness.…”