Ocean Stewardship - GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar

The ocean is central to the existence of life on Earth. However, human activity is putting increasing strain on the ocean, directly through activities such as overfishing and pollution, and indirectly through the emission of greenhouse gases and associated anthropogenic climate change.

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Protecting the oceans has remained at the forefront of diplomatic negotiations: the number of countries committed to protecting at least 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030 crossed 100 in September 2021 and the European Union and 13 other countries created a new coalition to protect biodiversity in the high seas in February 2022. But the UN also failed to finalise a landmark treaty with the same goal the following month, despite two weeks of intense negotiations.

The benefits of such protections and their urgency have only become clearer in recent months. The discovery of thousands of new RNA viruses in ocean water hint at the vast untapped genetic diversity waiting to be discovered in the high seas. And a genomic comparison of 88 species of rockfish, some of which live up to 200 years, has demonstrated the potential utility of those resources by shedding new light on the genetic determinants of lifespan.

At the same time, research has found that coral reefs --- one of the hotspots for ocean biodiversity --- have shrunk by roughly half00474-7?_returnURL=https%253A%252F%252Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%252Fretrieve%252Fpii%252FS2590332221004747%253Fshowall%253Dtrue) since the 1950s. Critical transition zones between the oceans and the cryosphere, are also seeing rapid changes with Himalayan ice sheets shrinking ten times faster in the past 40 years than during the previous seven centuries and "blood snow“ algal blooms on glaciers and snowfields becoming more common thanks to climate change. New information from NASA's ICESAT-2, a satellite-based survey of the Cryosphere, has shown that hidden subglacial lakes are playing a hitherto-unappreciated role in Antarctic transition zones.

Such new insights are helping to guide efforts to protect these crucial environments. Research found that protecting 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030 will have little impact on commercial fishing, while another study suggests that shifting from permanent marine protected areas to dynamic fishing closures based on bycatch data could be far more effective.

Scientists have also created the largest ever digital map of kelp forests --- “the rainforests of the sea” --- to help guide conservation efforts, and China has launched a new ocean surveillance satellite to monitor the marine environment and support environmental protection effort. The world's largest off-shore aquaculture vessel also set sail. It is the first of 50 such ships planned by China, which could help reduce the load on the ocean's natural fisheries.

While the intensity and scale of ocean uses has reached unprecedented levels and traditional ocean industries have been joined by emerging and new sectors,¹ the tools and resources available to us to scientifically explore this dynamic environment are also unprecedented. Ongoing science, monitoring technology and innovations in bio-prospecting mean that we are gathering unprecedented amounts of ocean data that can be put to a wide variety of uses, from supporting conservation policy to developing exciting new biotechnology applications ranging from the development of pharmaceuticals to the creation of novel bioremediants and enzymes.

Yet despite tremendous technological advances and achievements, the ocean science and innovation landscape is highly uneven. Few countries have the capacity to observe how ocean temperatures, currents, oxygenation, sea life, and ocean plastic vary across depths and over time. At a global level, large gaps exist in understanding around these issues, and technological and resource allocation limitations are substantial hurdles. Likewise, the connection between people and the ocean — whether in small communities or megacities — is rapidly changing in many places, and is a key component of understanding changing perceptions of ocean stewardship. What is known about changes in ocean conditions and humanity’s relationship with the ocean underscores an urgent need for new paradigms of ocean stewardship alongside efforts to achieve a truly equitable and sustainable “blue economy” for the future.²,³

Selection of GESDA Best Reads and further key reports

The 2020 report on the Ocean Genome from Blasiak et al is a result of efforts to help meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and describes the state of understanding associated with equitable and sustainable use of the ocean’s genetic resources in order to assist policymaking.⁴ It has also been used as the basis for a scientific review paper.⁵ In 2019, Levin et al reported on the urgent need for ocean observation at depths greater than 200m.⁶ Also in 2019, Rabone et al surveyed best-practice examples associated with the genetic resources found in marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.⁷

Emerging Topic:

Anticipation Potential

Ocean Stewardship

Sub-Fields:

Harnessing Ocean Biodiversity

Transition Ecosystems

Repairing the Ocean

Improved Ocean Observation

The oceans cover more than 70 per cent of the Earth's surface and are central to the existence of life on Earth. While efforts are well underway to improve ocean observation, with impact expected in the next decade, we are almost two decades away from technology that could help repair the ocean. While awareness of the need to repair our oceans is already high, the need for multidisciplinary research efforts, the relative infancy of the field and the potential impact of technologies means this topic warrants significant attention in the coming years.

Introductory Video:

Anticipatory Impact:

Learning more about the ocean through observation will enable us to unpick the interconnectedness of its ecosystems and help us to make the best decisions for long-term sustainability. Expanding marine protected areas is one instrument for safeguarding marine biodiversity. But even outside protected areas, the precautionary principle and efforts to bolster resilience need to underscore all economic activities.

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Emerging Topic:

Anticipation Potential

Sub-Fields:

Robert Blasiak

GESDA Best Reads and Key Resources

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