Scientists at National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management Show that Comprehensive Ocean Planning Can Maximize Profit and Minimize Conflict.

After pushing for a series of marine reserves and protected areas for over a decade, the Oregon State legislature approved Senate Bill 1510, which proposed three new marine reserves. This decision comes at the end of a long and sometimes tumultuous negotiation between fishermen, conservation groups, and coastal communities.

In December 2011, PacMARA held a Train the Trainers course in Edmonton. We are very excited to put the five new trainers to work teaching Marxan around the world!

Through discussions about the role of Marxan in a systematic conservation and resource use planning process in Chile in August 2011, ten fundamental good practice guidelines for using a decision-support tool like Marxan have emerged.

Norma Serra-Sogas is PacMARA’s new Program Manager.  To learn more about her visit her profile page.

The Decision Guide, produced by the Center for Ocean Solutions (COS) and PacMARA, is intended to assist practitioners in selecting appropriate decision support tools (DSTs) that can help them conduct marine spatial planning in their own jurisdictions.

Looking for holiday presents? Welcome to PacMARA’s new online store!
http://www.cafepress.ca/pacmara

Are you looking for a tool to streamline Marxan analyses?
David Tellier from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has developed scripts to reduce GIS technical difficulties and improve efficiency of data loading for Marxan projects!

The Sidney Consensus provides a basis for consistent legislation, planning, regulation, enforcement, monitoring, and adaptive management of human activities. Download it here!

“The Aquaculture Controversy in Canada,” written by Nathan Young and Ralph Matthews of UBC, discusses farming of aquatic organisms, one of the most promising but controversial new industries in Canada. The industry has the potential to solve food supply problems, but critics believe it poses unacceptable threats to human health, local communities, and the environment.