Issue 95 - April 2023

Making The Case for Public Health Storytelling in Global Ocean Conservation

Contributed by Marcus Reamer

A recent literature review published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health makes a case for the use of public health framing to communicate issues facing marine and coastal ecosystems and inspire action from human communities all over the world to achieve the outcomes defined as part of the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The article does not limit this work to scientists and science communicators but invites anyone who lives on our planet to get involved, with particular emphasis on doctors, public health practitioners, public relations experts, journalists, artists, and citizen advocates to name a few.

It is no secret that the global ocean makes life on Earth possible. Communities throughout human history have recognized and documented the power of the ocean to support our physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being, and its power and potential to do harm by way of natural disasters and other events. Unfortunately, it is easy to forget how important a balanced ocean is to our way of life and to think of the ocean as an infinite resource that society has no influence over, and it can be challenging to understand the threats facing the ocean and coastal systems, the consequences associated with them, and the actions needed to address them. After learning about advances in environmental communication research that found public health framing and public health practitioners as messengers can be effective in the context of climate communication, I set out to conduct a literature review that identified opportunities to try the same in the context of global ocean conservation.

I reviewed literature across the ocean and human health science and environmental communication, both of which emerged recently as distinct areas of academic inquiry. After reading dozens of papers from each interdisciplinary field, it became clear that there are plenty of opportunities for collaboration both in research and in practice. Using the strengths, limitations, and knowledge gaps from each field, I put forward five areas of focus that define an agenda for the ocean and human health communication research and practice. They are:

Working toward a clear definition of ocean health messaging – Leaning on findings from nature-based solutions across ecosystems and geographies as well as public health research, it felt necessary to start with a clear definition of ocean health messaging, both regionally and globally. Doing so can help the ocean conservation community to offer consistent messaging and avoid some of the ambiguity and confusion that have been observed in other contexts like nature-based solutions.
Developing, implementing, and evaluating communication strategies with an OHH focus – Climate communication has (rightfully) been a primary focus of environmental communication research, serving as a sort of umbrella subject of sorts. There are unique social-cognitive limitations that people experience when receiving information about aquatic systems, however, which makes it necessary for researchers to focus on marine and coastal topics, particularly the ocean and human health science. Doing so would also get ahead of any politicization of policy actions related to marine and coastal conservation that may inform future counter-communication strategies from oppositional groups.
Establishing a shared commitment to environmental justice and equitable storytelling – Scholars and organizations across the ocean and human health science and environmental communication have stated a clear commitment to environmental justice and equity, and there is an incredible responsibility to make good on these promises. As it stands, empirical research on ocean and human health topics skews significantly toward the United States and Europe. There is a great need for geographic and demographic expansion to achieve many forms of representation in scholarship, and thus attention and action. Doing so looks like inclusive scholarship built on trusting relationships, co-production of knowledge, and incorporation of knowledge beyond the empirical, and actively working with media gatekeepers to amplify unheard or underheard voices and their needs.
Bridging science and storytelling – There is a noticeable mismatch between what scientists believe are the most pressing challenges in ocean conservation and what media outlets cover. This is often because issues like plastics, food contamination, and harmful algal blooms are more visible and fit the practical needs of media outlets, whereas more abstract and longer-term issues like ocean warming, regime shifts, and acidification are more challenging to explain and visualize, thus earning them less coverage. The use of community impact stories and sentinel species – like marine mammals, sea birds, and even cats – can help draw attention to more invisible issues and make them feel important and personally relevant to audiences.
Training professionals who can transcend disciplinary or institutional boundaries – To achieve any and all of the above requires people who are prepared to work across disciplines, organizations, and sectors. Training boundary spanners should not be limited to universities, though undergraduate and graduate degree programs that reward transdisciplinary, collaborative work are a great place to start. Governments, NGOs, and industry groups can formally and informally support the development of experts who want to work at the intersection of environmental science, public health, and communication and citizen advocates who want to effect change.

The ocean conservation community needs more people who can and want to tell the stories of the many ways the ocean affects human health and well-being. Doing so is not a silver bullet, but it can be a new tool in the conservationist’s toolbox. Just like any other tool, ocean and human health stories will not be appropriate or most effective in all cases, which is why it is important to explore when, where, and how to effectively use the ocean and human health connections to reach new audiences and inspire action to address the many challenges placing pressure on the aquatic ecosystems that feed us, produce the oxygen we breathe, and give us spaces to unwind and connect with nature and ourselves.

“Communicating ocean and human health connections: An agenda for research and practice” is available now via Open Access through Frontiers in Public Health.

About the author

Marcus Reamer is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. His area of expertise is environmental communication, with topical interests related to biodiversity conservation, marine protected areas, and community engagement for equitable climate adaptation.

Feature Destination

SEVENSEAS Travel Magazine – April 2023 – Issue 95

Feature Destination

Discover the Charm of Prince Edward Island: Your Ultimate Destination for Adventure and Relaxation

Prince Edward Island is one of Canada’s smallest provinces, situated on the country’s eastern coast. Despite its small size, this island is an incredibly charming and beautiful destination that offers visitors a unique experience. From its stunning beaches and picturesque countryside to its rich history and culture, Prince Edward Island is an excellent choice for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. Read more…

The Cape Breton Marine Refuge Eastern Canyons

The waters off the coast of Nova Scotia are rich in marine life, making them a popular destination for commercial fishing. However, concerns over the sustainability of these fishing practices have led to the establishment of a marine refuge in the Eastern Canyons region. Read more…

Five New Reasons to Visit New Brunswick, Canada This Summer

Areal shot of coves in New Brunswick Canada

Known for its vast untouched wilderness and more than 3,000 miles of coastline, New Brunswick, Canada is filled with adventures around every corner. Located just over the Maine border, the Atlantic Canada province offers a convenient destination for travellers looking to get off the beaten path. Read more…

Feature Destination: Ocean Conservation in Nova Scotia

SEVENSEAS’s March 2023 Beach Clean Up at Pan Beach in Krabi, Thailand

On March 25, 2023, we hosted our monthly beach clean up, and it was a success with the participation of 14 volunteers. The group covered up to a 400m stretch of beach, and they were able to pick up 60kg of trash from the beach. Most of the waste collected during the event were food wrappers and small plastic bits that were mixed with the sand and hidden in the vegetation, which made the cleaning process slow and tedious. See more…

SEVENSEAS Media is Working on Coral Restoration in Krabi, Thailand to Protect Marine Ecosystems

SEVENSEAS Media is excited to announce our latest conservation event in Krabi, Thailand – the coral restoration. As an online publication that strives to inspire conservation through education and engagement, we are committed to doing our part in protecting our planet’s ecosystems. With coral reefs under increasing threat from human activity and climate change, we feel it is more important than ever to take action to preserve these vital marine ecosystems. Read more…

NEWSROOM

Northern & Southern Resident Orcas Hunt Differently, Which May Help Explain The Decline of Southern Orcas

In the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, scientists have been sounding the alarm about the plight of southern resident orcas. Annual counts show that population numbers, already precarious, have fallen back to mid-1970s levels. Most pregnancies end in miscarriage or death of the newborn. Read more…

2023 Event Planning Toolkit & Action Focus for World Ocean Day

World Ocean Day provides a unique opportunity for a wide array of organizations, schools, businesses, and communities to honour and celebrate the ocean that connects us all! By uniting together, and with a special emphasis on engaging and connecting youth. Read more…

Endangered Baby Turtle & Juvenile Bamboo Shark Release at Anantara Phuket Resorts

Hawks-bill,Sea,Turtle,Release,To,The,Freedom

Anantara Layan Phuket Resort and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas will celebrate this Thai New Year by releasing young turtles and juvenile bamboo sharks back into the ocean on April 13th & 14th. Anantara’s serene Layan and Mai Khao Phuket beaches offer secluded stretches of sand and sea. Read more…

New England Aquarium & Boston Harbor City Cruises to Offer New Ecoventure Cruise Experience

Boston Harbor City Cruises (BHCC), in partnership with the New England Aquarium, will offer a new cruise—the New England Aquarium Ecoventure Cruise—providing guests an up-close experience with marine life while protecting the whales who call these waters home. Read more…

A Global Resource: The Whale Watching Handbook

The whale-watching industry, regulators, policymakers and the general public can all benefit from the Whale Watching Handbook, a website dedicated to sustainable and educational whale watching. Read more…

Marine Heatwaves Decimate Sea Urchins, Molluscs & More at Rottnest

Tonga is a unique destination because it serves as the mating and calving grounds for endangered humpback whales. Every year, from July through November, the whales migrate from their feeding grounds in Antarctica to Tonga’s calm, tropical waters to give birth to their calves and mate. Read more…

Rebalancing Bermuda’s Ecosystem A Solution for Carbon Sequestration and Biodiversity Conservation

Seagrass ecosystems can sequester significant amounts of carbon and store it as organic carbon in sedim4ent for long periods, making them one of the most significant natural carbon sinks globally. They account for a minimal proportion of the world’s oceans at less than 0.2%. Read more…

Making The Case for Public Health Storytelling in Global Ocean Conservation

A recent literature review published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health makes a case for the use of public health framing to communicate issues facing marine and coastal ecosystems and inspire action from human communities all over the world to achieve the outcomes defined as part of the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Read more…

Tech Startup, Hohonu, Raises $1.8M to Better Respond & Adapt to Flooding & Climate Change on Global Scale

Hohonu, an award-winning Hawaiʻi-based climate tech startup, announced it has completed a $1.8 million pre-seed funding round to scale its efforts to provide actionable data and insights to mitigate coastal flooding both nationally and internationally including Asia and the Pacific. Read more…

Schmidt Ocean Institute Launches New Research Vessel That Will Change The Face of Ocean Exploration

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Schmidt Ocean Institute launched today its newly refitted 110-meter global-class research vessel for use by scientists worldwide to dramatically advance marine science and push the frontiers of deep-sea expeditions. Read more…

Climate Change Could Cause Mass Exodus of Tropical Plankton

The tropical oceans are home to the most diverse plankton populations on Earth, where they form the base of marine food chains. Modern plankton biodiversity in the tropics is a surprisingly recent development and the result of 8 million years of global cooling, according to a study led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin. Read more…

New Research Paper Reveals There’re More Than 170 Trillion Pieces of Platic Afloat in The World’s Oceans

A research paper published today in PLOS ONE reveals there are more than 170 trillion plastic particles, weighing approximately 2 million tonnes, afloat in the world’s oceans. By evaluating trends of ocean plastic from 1979 to 2019. Read more…

SEVENSEAS Beach Cleanup & Coral Restoration Events in Marine Protected Areas

In August 2022 CleanUp, we picked up over 80 kilograms of plastic, pieces of glasses, tractor tyres, and fishing nets from the beach in Krabi, Long Beach or Pan Beach. Of course, we would not be able to do it without your support. You can make a tax-deductible donation here to keep our publications and Thailand Cleanup Project afloat.

You can either make a direct financial contribution to SEVENSEAS Media through The Ocean Foundation website or connect us with potential donors by sending an email to Giacomo Abrusci, our Editor-in-Chief.

The FREE Weekly Conservation Post and Jobs List

Signing up for the free Weekly Newsletter & Jobs List will get you a round-up of upcoming events, webinars, meetings, reports, funding opportunities, photos of the week, and recent postings to the jobs list.

To sign up for our free subscription, please Click Here or email us Here.

Since 2004, SEVENSEAS Media has fostered an informal and non-partisan platform to promote understanding of key issues and challenges while building partnerships across an increasingly diverse group of marine conservation professionals and students.

Our mission is to promote communication and build partnerships across the global marine community and to identify and address gaps in the community’s work. SEVENSEAS Media achieves this through multimedia promotion and partnerships. The community consists of a diverse and growing group of participants, including non-governmental organizations, government agencies, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, fellowship programs, independent consultants, and academia/students.

If you are interested in contributing or getting involved, email us Here.

Feature Destination

Feature Destination: The Cape Breton Marine Refuge Eastern Canyons

The Eastern Canyons region is an area of deep-sea canyons and underwater mountains that are home to a variety of unique and endangered species. The area is also an important feeding ground for endangered North Atlantic right whales, which have been declining in number in recent years. The establishment of the marine refuge is aimed at protecting these important marine ecosystems and ensuring the sustainability of the fisheries that rely on them.

The decision to create the Cape Breton Marine Refuge Eastern Canyons was made after years of consultation with stakeholders, including fishermen, Indigenous communities, environmental organizations, and scientists. The process was led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which is responsible for managing Canada’s fisheries and protecting its oceans.

The marine refuge will be divided into two zones: a “core protection zone” and a “buffer zone.” The core protection zone will cover the canyons themselves and will be completely off limits to all commercial and recreational fishing. The buffer zone will surround the core protection zone and will be subject to some restrictions on fishing activities. However, some types of fishing will still be allowed in this area, including lobster and crab fishing using traps.

The establishment of the Cape Breton Marine Refuge Eastern Canyons has been met with mixed reactions from different groups. Environmental organizations and scientists have praised the decision as an important step towards protecting the region’s unique and endangered marine ecosystems. The fishing industry, on the other hand, has expressed concerns over the economic impact of the decision.

The fishing industry in Nova Scotia is an important source of employment and income for many communities, particularly in rural areas. The establishment of the marine refuge will mean that some fishermen will no longer be able to fish in the affected areas, which could have a significant impact on their livelihoods. However, the government has promised to provide compensation to affected fishermen and to work with them to transition to more sustainable fishing practices.

The establishment of the Cape Breton Marine Refuge Eastern Canyons is part of a larger effort to protect Canada’s oceans and ensure the sustainability of its fisheries. In recent years, there has been growing concern over the impact of human activities on marine ecosystems, including overfishing, pollution, and climate change. The establishment of marine protected areas, like the Cape Breton Marine Refuge Eastern Canyons, is seen as an important tool for addressing these challenges.

Marine protected areas are designated areas of the ocean that are set aside for conservation and sustainable use. They are designed to protect important marine ecosystems and species, while also allowing for some types of human activities, such as fishing and tourism. Marine protected areas can be established at the national, regional, or local level, and can take a variety of different forms, from fully protected “no-take” zones to areas with more flexible management plans.

The benefits of marine protected areas are many. They provide important habitats for endangered and threatened species, help to maintain healthy marine ecosystems and support sustainable fisheries. They also provide opportunities for scientific research and monitoring, which can help us to better understand the impacts of human activities on the ocean and inform more effective conservation strategies.

The establishment of the Cape Breton Marine Refuge Eastern Canyons is an important step towards protecting Canada’s oceans and ensuring the sustainability of its fisheries. It is a testament to the importance of collaboration and partnerships between conservationists, governments and local stakeholders.

Feature Destination

Feature Destination: Ocean Conservation in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia, a beautiful province on the east coast of Canada, has a rich marine biodiversity that needs to be preserved and protected for future generations and to maintain the balance of surrounding ecosystems. The province’s location along the Atlantic Ocean with vast coastlines provides a unique opportunity for ocean conservation efforts. Over the years, various organizations, governments, and communities have made significant steps towards protecting Nova Scotia’s biodiversity.

One of the most significant conservation efforts in Nova Scotia is the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), to conserve and protect marine life and ecosystems. Nova Scotia is home to five MPAs, each with unique ecological features and protected species. The MPAs are the Gully, St. Anns Bank, Georges Bank, Fundy, and Eastern Shore Islands. These areas protect critical habitats for endangered species, such as leatherback turtles, North Atlantic right whales, and Atlantic salmon. The federal and provincial governments have worked together to establish these MPAs, and they are managed through various partnerships between government, industry, and conservation groups.

A large conservation movement in Nova Scotia has been the protection of marine mammals, particularly the endangered North Atlantic right whale. These whales are one of the world’s most endangered species, and the waters off Nova Scotia are critical breeding and feeding grounds for them. In recent years, the government of Canada has implemented several measures to protect the North Atlantic right whale. These measures include reducing the speed of ships in critical whale habitats, rerouting shipping lanes, and implementing fishing restrictions in areas where the whales are known to feed. These measures have resulted in a significant reduction in the number of whale deaths due to entanglements and collisions with ships.

The Nova Scotia government has also implemented several initiatives to promote sustainable fishing practices. The province’s fishing industry is a significant contributor to the local economy, but overfishing and unsustainable practices can harm the marine ecosystem. To address this issue, the government has established fisheries management plans that regulate fishing activities, including quotas, closed areas, and gear restrictions. These plans are developed in partnership with industry, Indigenous groups, and conservation groups, and they aim to ensure that fishing practices are sustainable and do not harm the marine environment.

In addition to government-led efforts, various conservation groups and organizations are also working towards ocean conservation in Nova Scotia. One such group is the Ecology Action Centre (EAC), a non-profit organization that works towards sustainable solutions to environmental issues. The EAC has several programs focused on marine conservation, including their Ocean Program and Sustainable Seafood Program. The Ocean Program focuses on ocean protection, with a focus on MPAs and sustainable fishing practices. The Sustainable Seafood Program works with local fishermen and seafood businesses to promote sustainable fishing practices and educate consumers about sustainable seafood choices.

Another organization working towards ocean conservation in Nova Scotia is the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS). MARS is a non-profit organization that responds to marine animal strandings, including whales, seals, and turtles. The organization’s work is critical in understanding the health of marine species and identifying potential threats to their survival. MARS also educates the public about marine conservation issues and works with the fishing industry to reduce the risk of accidental entanglements.

Most importantly, community-based conservation efforts are also significant in Nova Scotia. Several coastal communities in the province have established community-led conservation initiatives, such as beach cleanups, shoreline restoration, and education programs. These initiatives are essential in raising awareness about ocean conservation issues and encouraging individuals to take action to protect the marine environment.

Nova Scotia’s ocean conservation efforts are significant and growing, with various organizations, governments, and communities working towards preserving the province’s marine biodiversity. The establishment of MPAs, protection of endangered species, sustainable fishing practices, and community-led conservation initiatives are all essential in ensuring that the province’s marine ecosystem is protected.