Oceana Launches New Science Advisors Initiative for its Campaign to Save the Oceans and Feed the World

To mark World Oceans Day, Oceana announced the launch of its Oceana Science Advisors (OSA) initiative to promote dialogue and collaboration around its “Save the Oceans, Feed the World” campaign. The experts announced today as initial participants represent diverse fields of inquiry and areas of expertise, and their knowledge will help inform Oceana’s fight to ensure that a healthy, vibrant ocean can support diverse ecosystems and help meet the nutritional needs of a hungry planet.

OSA participants include:

• Eddie Allison, Ph.D.; University of Washington, School of Marine and Environmental Affairs
• Jessica Gephart, Ph.D.; National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center
• Chris Golden, Ph.D.; Harvard University, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Rosamond (Roz) Naylor, Ph.D.; Stanford University, Stanford Woods Institute, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
• Malin Pinsky, Ph.D.; Rutgers University, Department of Ecology, Evolution & Natural Resources
• Boris Worm, Ph.D.; Dalhousie University, Biology Department

Oceana’s “Save the Oceans, Feed the World” campaign highlights the important contribution of sustainable, wild-caught fish to the livelihoods and food security of coastal communities. Wild fish is also a climate-smart protein that can help feed a growing global population. Oceana estimates that a fully restored and responsibly managed ocean could help feed more than a billion people a healthy seafood meal each day.

Oceana Science Advisors, leading voices in their fields, will bring their expertise to bear on challenges currently being tackled through advocacy and policy reform. They will consult with Oceana staff to identify key science inputs and research needs as relates to topics of fisheries, food systems and economics, climate change and marine biodiversity. Oceana and the OSAs plan to pursue additional opportunities for collaboration as the initiative develops.

“Wild fish and seafood are a vital source of food and income, accounting for approximately eight percent of all animal protein eaten by humans and providing critical income for as many as 820 million people,” said Oceana CEO Andy Sharpless. “And yet, unlocking the potential of the oceans sits at or near the bottom of the priority list for 3,500 recently surveyed decisionmakers — even in areas where marine contributions to human health and nutrition are particularly important, as in the Pacific and East Asia. With this new program, Oceana is seeking out scientists who demonstrate why wild fish are worth saving — for both humanity and the oceans — and highlighting their important work.”

“The launch of the OSA initiative is a demonstration of Oceana’s ongoing commitment to science,” said Katie Matthews, Ph.D., Oceana’s deputy chief scientist and OSA convener. “We are excited to learn from these leading researchers and amplify their work to ensure it reaches the public, policymakers and other key audiences.”

For more information and the latest list of Oceana Science Advisors, please visit Oceana.org/Science.