Making sure the blue economy is green

Golden, Jay S.; Virdin, John; Nowacek, Douglas P.; Halpin, Patrick N.; Bennear, Lori S.; Patil, Pawan G.

doi:10.1038/s41559-016-0017

Cited by 111 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Our oceans are responsible for the carriage of around 80% of world trade and are the lifeblood of many national economies which rely heavily on fishing and tourism 27,34,36,37 . Here, using electronic vessel monitoring systems we quantify and map changes in ship-based activities to provide a comprehensive overview of how multiple national lockdowns to counter COVID-19 have impacted maritime traffic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracking the global reduction of marine traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic

March

Metcalfe

Tintoré

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unparalleled global impacts on human mobility. In the ocean, ship-based activities are thought to have decreased due to severe restrictions and changes in goods consumption, but little is known of the patterns of change, which sectors are most affected, in which regions, and for how long. Here, we map global change of marine traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic and assess its temporal variability at a fine-scale in one of the most affected regions, the Mediterranean Sea. Nearly 44.3% of the global ocean and 77.5% of national jurisdictions showed a decrease in traffic density during April 2020, when strictest confinement measures took place, showing a clear disruption in comparison with previous trends and future projections. Decreases mainly occurred in coastal areas and were more marked and longer lasting in sectors other than cargo and tanker shipping. Our results provide guidance for large-scale monitoring of the progress and potential effects of COVID-19, or other global shocks, on the blue economy and ocean health.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracking the global reduction of marine traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic

March

Metcalfe

Tintoré

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This requires up‐to‐date knowledge of resource status and trends (EIU, ). Agencies that look after marine resources need timely information of relevant ocean changes to improve forecasting capabilities (Gattuso et al., ; ITF, ), respond with adaptive and more rapid mitigating measures (Dunn, Maxwell, Boustany, & Halpin, ; Maxwell et al., ) and sustain blue economies (Golden et al., ). Because the ocean covers over 70% of the surface of the Earth and is on average 4 km deep, developing this knowledge is a challenge for any country.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Essential ocean variables for global sustained observations of biodiversity and ecosystem changes

Miloslavich

Bax

Simmons

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

285

250

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sustained observations of marine biodiversity and ecosystems focused on specific conservation and management problems are needed around the world to effectively mitigate or manage changes resulting from anthropogenic pressures. These observations, while complex and expensive, are required by the international scientific, governance and policy communities to provide baselines against which the effects of human pressures and climate change may be measured and reported, and resources allocated to implement solutions. To identify biological and ecological essential ocean variables (EOVs) for implementation within a global ocean observing system that is relevant for science, informs society, and technologically feasible, we used a driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) model. We (1) examined relevant international agreements to identify societal drivers and pressures on marine resources and ecosystems, (2) evaluated the temporal and spatial scales of variables measured by 100+ observing programs, and (3) analysed the impact and scalability of these variables and how they contribute to address societal and scientific issues. EOVs were related to the status of ecosystem components (phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass and diversity, and abundance and distribution of fish, marine turtles, birds and mammals), and to the extent and health of ecosystems (cover and composition of hard coral, seagrass, mangrove and macroalgal canopy). Benthic invertebrate abundance and distribution and microbe diversity and biomass were identified as emerging EOVs to be developed based on emerging requirements and new technologies. The temporal scale at which any shifts in biological systems will be detected will vary across the EOVs, the properties being monitored and the length of the existing time-series. Global implementation to deliver useful products will require collaboration of the scientific and policy sectors and a significant commitment to improve human and infrastructure capacity across the globe, including the development of new, more automated observing technologies, and encouraging the application of international standards and best practices.

show abstract

“…This can result in increasing pressures on marine and coastal ecosystems if this development is not designed and implemented with care. Thus, despite current regulatory framework across the globe (illustrated inter alia by the Oceans Act in the USA or Canada and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in Europe; Borja et al, 2008), it is likely that this challenging situation will continue into the future (Golden et al, 2017).…”

Section: Connecting People To Their Oceans: Issues and Options For Efmentioning

confidence: 99%