Marine Protected Areas on the high seas - symposium

3 - 4 Feb 2011 – 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Marine Protected Areas on the high seas - A two-day ZSL symposium.

The deep sea is the largest ecosystem on Earth. It is also the least understood and is threatened by increasing anthropogenic disturbance. Advances in technology mean it is now possible to fish these regions to depths in excess of two kilometres. Mining, drilling, acidification and warming all present serious threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

High Seas, those areas of the open ocean that lie beyond the 200nm Exclusive Economic Zones of coastal nations, encompass ~50% of Earth's surface but remain largely unregulated. Attempts to ameliorate threats to fished species by conventional fishery management approaches are frequently ineffective. Legal frameworks for prospecting and the extraction of mineral resources from the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction exist but do not apply to other activities.

Marine Protected Areas established in coastal marine ecosystems are proving successful in effectively protecting diversity and productivity where traditional management approaches have failed. In 2002 the World Summit on Sustainable Development listed the establishment of Marine Protected Areas and representative networks by the year 2012 as a distinct goal. In response to concerns raised by the international community the UN adopted several resolutions with respect to the management of deep-sea fisheries on the high seas. This issue is high on conservation agendas; however, there remains a critical need for science to translate rapidly and effectively into management policy.

The purpose of this symposium is to assess the current state of progress, and any barriers, towards the establishment of Marine Protected Areas, particularly in regions beyond the reaches of national jurisdiction — the high seas.

Organised by Kirsty Kemp (Institute of Zoology, ZSL), Matthew Gollock (Assistant Manager - International Marine and Freshwater Conservation Programme, ZSL) and Alex D. Rogers (Dept. of Zoology, University of Oxford).

MPA Symposium - Abstracts Of Talks And Posters Presented (340 KB)

Please note that this event has already taken place.

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Registration fees
Full rate: two days or part days £130; one day or part day £80.
Student/ZSL Friends and Fellows rate: two days or part days £65; one day or part day £40.
Lunch and refreshments are included in the registration fee and a three-course dinner with the speakers will be held on the Thursday evening; places at the dinner will cost an additional £40 per person.
Please note that the registration deadline is 24 January 2011. Bookings received after this date will incur an additional £10 charge.

Present a poster of your research or work in this area: posters relating to the symposium topic will be displayed throughout the meeting and attendees will have plenty of time to study posters during tea/coffee breaks. Posters will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis and abstracts of no more than 350 words outlining poster content should be emailed to anne.braae@zsl.org by 5 January 2011 for consideration. Please find a word document version of the presentation submission form above. Notification of accepted poster presentations will be given by 10 January 2011.
NOTE: the poster proposal deadline has now passed.

Bookings and enquiries: All places must be booked and paid for in advance. Places are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis; please complete and return all registration forms along with payment to Anne Braae, Publications and Meetings, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK; e-mail: anne.braae@zsl.org ; tel: +44 (0)20 7449 6271.