Further information on the theme is available at: https://one-ocean-science-2025.org/programme/themes.html#T7

Further information on the theme is available at: https://one-ocean-science-2025.org/programme/themes.html#T7

Further information on the theme is available at: https://one-ocean-science-2025.org/programme/themes.html#T7

Further information on the theme is available at: https://one-ocean-science-2025.org/programme/themes.html#T7

Further information on the theme is available at: https://one-ocean-science-2025.org/programme/themes.html#T7

Further information on the theme is available at: https://one-ocean-science-2025.org/programme/themes.html#T7

“30x30” - the goal to protect 30% of the land and sea by 2030 - has focused largely on permanent or long-term protection. This is based partly on studies linking marine protected area effectiveness to old age, as well pragmatic policy concerns. However, as coastal communities relying on fisheries for their livelihoods seek to find ways to balance conservation and livelihood outcomes, many forms of spatial fisheries management - especially traditional and indigenous management - rely on impermanence, including periodic and rotational protection, as well as protected areas that expire after a period of time. Could and should temporary protection count towards 30x30? The international “TEMPO” research team, a 5-year partnership between four universities and two community partner organizations in Mexico and French Polynesia, brings together several lines of evidence to speak to this question. In this Town Hall, the TEMPO team presents novel results from several scales of social-ecological analysis, and we critically discuss our findings with external experts to bring concrete lessons for ocean policymakers. The novel research we present and synthesize includes a global systematic review of temporary protection; fisheries and social-science data collection across 50+ cases of temporary protection in Mexico and French Polynesia; and in-depth ethnographic and participatory ecological data from six sites in Mexico and French Polynesia. We analyse these compelling, contradictory, and contextualized data into four main arguments: (1) there are diverse ways to include time with spatial management; (2) adding time to marine spatial management increases climate-adaptive policy options and potential for institutional fit; (3) temporary closures frequently increase equity and justice; and (4) periodic harvest tends to deplete ecological benefits that have accrued, but support long-term buy-in into ecological care. Our Town Hall includes several speed-talks from the TEMPO team (30 minutes), followed by a lively round table discussion of policy lessons (30 minutes). The round table discussion will be open to questions and commentary from the audience and we invite attendees to share experiences from cases of temporary closures. This Town Hall will be an opportunity to advance global dialogues on temporary marine spatial management.

GlobalHAB is an international programme sponsored jointly by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The GlobalHAB mission is to improve understanding and prediction of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in aquatic ecosystems, and management and mitigation of their impacts. Over two decades, the scientific steering committee of GlobalHAB (and formerly GEOHAB) has rallied global attention around the need for rigorous inquiry into the dynamics, ecophysiology (including toxicology), and environmental drivers of HABs. These scientific advances are now poised to push the envelope on solutions for societal benefit, spawning the newly endorsed UN Decade Programme HAB-Solutions (HAB-S), which aims to provide novel and transformational science-based solutions for sustainable management and use of marine resources and ecosystem services affected by HABs in a changing world. HAB-S initiatives include 1) Preventing, controlling & mitigating HAB events (PCM), 2) Advancing HAB observing tools and technologies, 3) Making HAB data equitable and accessible, and 4) Improving HAB literacy. HAB-S will engage stakeholders to ensure region- and HAB-specific research products (e.g., early warning systems, data portals, and information products) are equitable and globally accessible to users according to FAIR and CARE data sovereignty principles. Participatory research, co-design, and co-development are recurring themes across HAB-S initiatives. This Town Hall will bring together a panel of leaders to discuss a holistic vision for tackling wicked problems forcing rapid change in the global ocean and contributing to a rise in the geographical expanse, toxicity, and ecosystem and societal impacts of HABs.

The primary challenge in supporting enhanced and sustainable uses of marine ecosystems is to enable current and future growth in the blue economy while promoting the associated development of coastal livelihoods and fully considering the need for ecosystem protection. This challenge explicitly involves managing human impacts on the earth's marine and coastal systems, while also managing the feedback on coastal communities, industries, stakeholders, and civil society.

Addressing this challenge requires moving beyond the traditional areas of research that have been supporting ocean policy for decades, to develop the integrated evaluation of marine socio-ecological systems. Understanding these complex systems is a challenging new area of research that requires multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. Such an integrated approach to marine systems is relatively new, as previous research efforts have often dealt primarily with single sectors.

The session will focus on recent ICES and PICES progress in response to the needs of their member science communities to address this challenge. Catalysed by the UN Decade, this has in particular led to the PICES/ICES initiative SmartNet, which aims to develop integrated assessment and integrated management approaches to support sustainable multiple ocean uses. Emphasis will be on the institutional, methodological and empirical challenges involved in developing such integrated approaches, and lessons learned to inform the future evolution of marine science and ocean policy. A key element will be the integration of wider-based knowledge systems than heretofore, including rights- and stake-holders, indigenous peoples, local ecological knowledge and civil society perspectives on ocean goods and services.

Given the crosscutting nature of its focus, the session will be of broad relevance to the OOCS themes. However, it will centrally inform topics identified under themes 3 (“Protection and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems to ensure sustainable and equitable management”), 7 (“Sustainability, equitability, and safety of ocean-based food systems” and 10 (“Vibrant science to inform and support ocean action”) of the OOSC.

UNEP, FAO, and UNDP, in close consultation with DOALOS - the interim secretariat of the BBNJ Agreement, are collaborating to support countries toward ratification of the BBNJ Agreement. There is strong political momentum towards having, by UNOC-3, the 60 ratifications required for the Agreement to enter into force.

The BBNJ Agreement is grounded in science, with the use of the best available scientific information and the use of relevant traditional knowledge being among its general principles and approaches. Essential to the successful implementation of the Agreement is therefore to have a multidisciplinary, inclusive and accessible science-base that leaves no one behind and is foundational to the value proposition for countries.

In an ABNJ context natural resources have characteristics of global public goods as they happen to be non-excludable and non-rival, their conservation and sustainable use requires international cooperation. A successful implementation of the BBNJ Agreement will likely require mainstreaming biodiversity, its values and ecosystem services into decision-making. It will also require appropriate financing, including innovative financing partnerships and incentivising private-sector financial contributions.

Scientific knowledge is fundamental in the processes under the Agreement relating to the establishment of area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, and to environmental impact assessments. Promoting marine scientific research and marine technology development and transfer are key objectives of the Agreement in relation to marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits, and to capacity-building. A Scientific and Technical Body is established.

The session aims to bring experiences from states parties to Regional Seas Conventions and/or members of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, concerning scientific knowledge gaps and marine technology challenges on national and regional scales in relation to the Agreement. It will further focus on identifying how to consider relevant socio-economic dimensions in national planning.
Questions to be emphasized will include data and knowledge required from science that are critical to countries, institutions, and relevant societal actors. In that context, the multiple dimensions of ecological connectivity between areas beyond national jurisdiction and areas within national jurisdiction will be addressed, as well as the economic, social and ecosystem benefits arising from the BBNJ Agreement. Innovative public-private partnerships to mobilise financial resources will also be explored.

Questions will be centred around:
What data can be leveraged across related multilateral environmental agreements (e.g. CBD, CMS, CITES, Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans…) and regional fisheries management organizations in support of the BBNJ Agreement?
How can we better understand socio-economic dimensions in ABNJ to inform decision-making for the conservation and sustainable use of BBNJ?
How can science and data, including from the traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, inform the sustainable management of activities in ABNJ, incl. fisheries, shipping and mining, and assist assessing cumulative impacts on marine biodiversity?

The Townhall aims to share latest science, foster dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders in relevant fields and hence to accelerate the ratification of the BBNJ Agreement and inform its future implementation. This includes providing a compelling value proposition of the Agreement for States, in particular the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, geographically disadvantaged States, small island developing States, coastal African States, archipelagic States and developing middle income countries. Experiences will be shared to explore the science showcasing the significance of BBNJ as a contributor to the achievement of global goals and targets on sustainable development, in particular SDG 14, and other goals and commitments related to marine biodiversity and climate change.

Climate change is already producing significant impacts on marine ecosystems and their fisheries. Distributional, productivity, body size, and seasonality changes are already presenting challenges for stock assessment and management processes, with implications for the effectiveness of management decisions. Given that a significant proportion of marine fish stocks are already overexploited (FAO 2024), climate-driven impacts put at risk the long-term sustainability of fisheries resources, their supporting ecosystems and the livelihoods that depend on them.

There is broad agreement that adaptations to the consequences of climate change in fisheries management are urgently needed, but examples of climate-adaptive fisheries management are rare. The reasons for this are diverse, including that: stock assessment models rely on principles of stationarity and fixed population model parameters; climate change projections have a mismatch of scales with stock assessment and management decisions; fisheries advisers may find a challenge to include future scenarios that are subject to large uncertainties, while managers would have to consider the legal implications of decisions that could be contested; and shifting distributions of transboundary species that require new data collection, monitoring, assessments and international cooperation and coordination.

This town hall will explore how to incorporate climate change projections in fisheries management by discussing three overarching questions: What are the expected impacts that we need to consider? How can stock assessments incorporate these impacts and their associated uncertainties, which may be significant? And what flexibility can be introduced into the fisheries management cycle in order to foster adaptation and strengthen fisheries resilience?

The ultimate objective of this town hall is to broaden a community of action on climate-adaptive fisheries management, to foster discussions on how current and emerging scientific research can address key questions, and gather best practice principles, opportunities, and guiding examples. This discussion will contribute to objectives of sustainability, equitability, and safety of ocean-based food systems as well as effectiveness, equitability, and safety of ocean-based approaches to climate change adaptation, thereby contributing to broader goals of the conference. The target audience for this townhall will be intentionally cross-cutting, bridging disciplines and stakeholder groups, including experts (e.g. climate-change, fisheries), practitioners and managers (e.g. fisheries bodies), and policymakers.

The event is being co-organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the FishMIP consortium, with assistance from the Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER).

This session will explore how the growing blue economy requires a strategic rethinking of education, research, and workforce development to address sustainable development challenges. As the blue economy evolves, new professions are emerging at the intersection of marine science, technology, and socio-economic innovation. These roles demand forward-looking training and interdisciplinary research to tackle complex environmental, economic, and societal issues, while strengthening industry connections to ensure practical impact. Key to this transformation is developing skills in areas like ocean monitoring, autonomous marine technologies, and digital tools for data analysis and ecosystem management. These advancements are reshaping how we interact with marine environments, promoting more sustainable practices. Emerging skills in sustainable fishing, tourism, decarbonizing maritime transport, and marine renewable energy are vital for aligning economic growth with environmental preservation. Innovations in climate-neutral fuels, wind propulsion, and nature-based solutions help reduce the ecological footprint of maritime activities while boosting local economies and preserving cultural heritage. To fully seize these opportunities, it’s essential to bridge the gap between academia, education, and industry. Research must align with the needs of the blue economy, ensuring academic insights become practical solutions. Collaborative frameworks involving universities, industry, and policymakers will promote innovation and ensure training programs meet sector demands. This approach will accelerate the development of new technologies and practices, providing students and professionals with real-world experience and industry-relevant skills. The global scale of these challenges underscores the importance of inclusive collaboration, particularly for the Global South. Tailored capacity-building, inclusive partnerships, and technology transfer must ensure blue economy opportunities are accessible to all. Frugal innovation will be critical in developing cost-effective, adaptable technologies that address regional needs, empowering communities worldwide to adopt sustainable practices. By focusing on equitable access and local empowerment, the blue economy can become a driver of global equity and resilience. Meeting these objectives requires reimagining education and training systems. Interdisciplinary Master’s programs, vocational training, and lifelong learning initiatives for students and professionals will equip future workers with the necessary knowledge and skills for blue economy careers. Programs combining environmental science, engineering, economics, and law will produce a workforce capable of managing marine resources, adapting to climate change, and fostering maritime innovation. Research will play a pivotal role in closing knowledge gaps and driving innovation. Key priorities include marine biodiversity conservation, sustainable aquaculture, and technologies for waste reduction and pollution management. These efforts must be integrated into educational frameworks and co-designed with industry to ensure practical relevance. This panel will showcase real-world examples of how education, research, and industry collaboration can generate impactful results. Existing models, such as the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), will demonstrate how cross-sector collaboration fosters sustainability. The session will provide actionable recommendations to guide global efforts toward a sustainable blue economy, emphasizing the importance of integrating education, research, and industry to balance economic growth with environmental responsibility. It calls for collective investment in preparing the next generation of professionals to address the challenges and opportunities for oceans and coastal communities.

The high and growing prevalence of hunger and malnutrition in the world suggests that global food systems are failing to provide equitable access to safe, nutritious, sustainable, affordable, and culturally preferred food. A transformation of food systems is therefore needed, as highlighted by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit. Aquatic foods hold a unique potential to contribute to this transformation thanks to their high nutritional value, importance for livelihoods, cultural significance, and relatively low environmental impact, but the lack of a whole food systems approach to their management prevents us from achieving their potential.
The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (hereafter, Ocean Decade) Vision 2030 process outlined the science, knowledge, and innovation needs required to optimise the ocean's role across a number of challenges, providing an excellent platform to enhance connectivity between aquatic food systems science and broader ocean users and governance. As part of this, science needs to “Sustainably nourish the global population” (Ocean Decade Challenge 3) were identified to ultimately deliver a ‘Blue Transformation’.
Our Town Hall event will summarise several key recommendations that emerged from the Challenge 3 White Paper, providing an overarching understanding of the gaps and opportunities for aquatic food systems science. It will provide an opportunity to frame global discussions on the science needs and gaps to support action on equitable and sustainable aquatic food systems and identify key pathways and synergies to effectively leverage these. While numerous international initiatives have focused on policy and practice solutions to challenges in aquatic food systems, our event highlights that each of these proposed solutions has specific science needs to be identified and addressed.
Key guiding questions of the event will be: (1) What are the main challenges that aquatic food systems are facing?, (2) What are the main science objectives and specific needs that must be addressed to optimise the role of aquatic food systems in tackling hunger and malnutrition?, and (3) How can we strengthen the science-policy-practice nexus to support aquatic food systems?
The target audience for this Town Hall will be intentionally cross-cutting, bridging disciplines and stakeholder groups, including experts (e.g. ranging from nutritionists, economists, to climate-change specialists), practitioners and managers (e.g. fisheries bodies, blue economy organisations), and policymakers from both the industrialized and emerging nations. By having this wider array of audience members, the event itself will promote a whole food systems approach in the way it tackles aquatic food systems science needs.
The outcome of this Town Hall will be recommendations on how to make the science needs to support a Blue transformation identified by the Vision 2030 process more actionable within the UN Ocean Decade.

Moderator:
Erik Olsen: Head of Research/ Research Manager, Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR)

Keynote speaker:
Vera Agostini: Deputy Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 

Speakers:
Eddie Allison: WorldFish, Malaysia​
Maria Darias: MARBEC, Université Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France​
Stefan Gelcich: Instituto Milenio en Socio-Ecologia Costera, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile​
Mackrina Patrick Nombo: PhD candidate at the University of Dar es salaam/ Fish Technology Tutor at the Fisheries Education and Training Agency of Tanzania​
David Obura: CORDIO East Africa / Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services​
Shakuntala Thilsted: Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Area Platform, CGIAR, Washington D.C., United States