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On February 11 Ellen Pikitch, Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Science in the Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) spoke at the United Nations’ sixth annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science assembly, “Beyond the Borders: Equality in Science for Society.” The event, held virtually, focused on the value of the social aspects and cultural dimensions in science, technology and innovation to enhance sustainable development programs. Pikitch, who is also executive director of SoMAS’ Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, shared her expertise and work as co-principal investigator of the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Project on a panel of key stakeholders that addressed Clean Water and Sanitation, which is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The panel discussed achieving the three pillars of sustainable development — economic prosperity, social justice and environmental integrity — with a special focus on: Re-shaping water economics for inclusive green growth Investing in water science-based solutions for innovative economies Water culture The role of the media Since women and girls have been historically excluded and discouraged from pursuing scientific fields, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science was created as a way to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, as well as to further advance gender equality and empowerment of women and girls throughout the world.

SoMAS scientists who created the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program explain how their efforts over the past ten years resulted in repopulation of hard clams and improved water quality. Watch the webinar on YouTube!

Connecting with Communities through COVID-19 - Assistant Director, Christine Santora, gave Mepham High School's Senior Experience students a lesson on the ecosystem of Shinnecock Bay and how science-based restoration can contribute to pollution solutions.

John Bohorquez, in collaboration with researchers at NOAA, published a paper in Environmental Science & Technology: "Quantification and Valuation of Nitrogen Removal Services by Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture at the Sub-watershed Scale."

Broad coalition sends letter to Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie, calling environmental programs critical to New York’s recovery and prosperity. Albany, NY (October 16, 2020) – Diverse organizations from across the state are urging Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to maintain funding for environmental programs to create jobs, fortify local economies, and address the climate crisis. In a letter sent to the leaders on Wednesday, 176 groups called environmental funding critical to the health, safety, and prosperity of all New Yorkers. “As the COVID pandemic has once again demonstrated, clear air, clean water and outdoor recreation are critical in protecting public health. When making difficult funding decisions, these resources and services must be recognized as essential.” The full text of the letter is below: Dear Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie: Public funding to protect clean air and water, create and maintain local parks and enhance recreation, tackle climate change and its impacts, and conserve natural resources is critical to the health, safety and prosperity of all New Yorkers. With the $3 billion Environmental Bond Act removed from the November 2020 ballot, it is imperative that New York State maintain environmental funding. State environmental funding furthers the goals of the Bond Act while creating good-paying jobs, strengthening local economies, and advancing environmental justice in frontline communities. In the past, the environment has been treated like a luxury and all too often taken disproportionate funding cuts when the state faced financial crises. But environmental funding programs create jobs and economic opportunity, and, as the COVID pandemic has once again demonstrated, clear air, clean water and outdoor recreation are critical in protecting public health. When making difficult funding decisions, these resources and services must be recognized as essential. This funding also demonstrates a commitment by the state that can be used to leverage federal funds, specifically for future job-creating stimulus funding that could expand our ability to build resilience. Furthermore, the current impacts and dire threats we face from climate change remain during hard economic times and addressing them now will save money and lives, both now and in the long run. Hard economic times like these demand that we protect and enhance the environment we share, and in doing so, we can create solutions that will ensure we build a more prosperous future. Our organizations join with New York State, local governments, and many other stakeholders to call on Congress to ensure federal assistance to state and local governments to help cover public health costs and economic impacts through COVID relief legislation. Federal support for critical government services will continue to be a top priority. Additionally, as New York State leaders continue work to address the pandemic and state budget deficit, our organizations urge that the following state programs are at least maintained at currently appropriated levels, deployed effectively throughout the state, and that no further cuts to or sweeps from environmental programs be contemplated. These programs provide essential services with unique, cross-cutting benefits for New Yorkers in every county of the state, and this work must continue. Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) The $300 million EPF supports 350,000 jobs across the state, and EPF-supported industries generate approximately $40 billion in economic activity every year. EPF projects and programs directly address issues facing New York as we manage the pandemic and fiscal crisis. From improving water quality and community infrastructure, to providing resources for environmental justice organizations and conserving natural resources that reduce pollution and protect communities from storms, the EPF delivers programs New Yorkers need now, more than ever. Parks 2020 and DEC New York Works Programs Since its creation in 2010, Parks 2020 has funded $1 billion in upgrades to New York’s world-class state parks system. Every dollar invested in state parks generates $5 of economic activity. During the COVID crisis, state residents have relied on these parks to recreate, get exercise, and find solace during extremely difficult times. Local construction jobs associated with park development have been an economic lifeline for many communities. Opportunities to expand these benefits by creating new parks and improving existing parks in underserved areas exist throughout the state. Furthermore, for the last several fiscal years, NYSDEC has received approximately $40 million in New York Works funding annually for critical environmental capital projects, including approximately $55 million to support the “Adventure New York” Program, aimed at creating new recreational opportunities and infrastructure to support the record visitation our state lands are now experiencing. These projects protect natural resources, enhance visitor safety and experience, and create new access to the outdoors in all regions of the state. In addition to Adventure New York, capital funding for NYSDEC supports critical health and safety projects that protect the environment and the people of New York State. Clean Water Infrastructure Act To date, the State has provided $3.9 billion for water infrastructure programs, including the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, and Governor Cuomo committed an additional $1.5 billion over the next three years as part of the SFY2019 budget for a total commitment of $5.4 billion. New York’s drinking water and wastewater systems need tens of billions of dollars in upgrades to ensure our communities have clean, safe water and our bays, harbors, lakes and rivers are not polluted. With county and local budgets stretched beyond their limits, funding for maintaining and upgrading our water infrastructure and addressing emerging contaminants threatening our safe drinking water is essential to protecting public health. In addition, this program is a strong job generator, with every $1 million in state investment resulting in 17 local jobs. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Program Over the course of the program, $228 million of RGGI funds (that is 17% of total funding) have been transferred by NYSERDA to the state General Fund, depriving New Yorkers of funding that could have lowered energy bills and created good jobs. RGGI has received more than its fair share of cuts and it is more critical than ever that these funds be fully dedicated to implementing New York’s programs focused on addressing climate change, including the Green Jobs Green NY program, and meeting the state’s ambitious goals in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. A diversion of RGGI resources from NYSERDA will be economically and environmentally harmful to the state in the long run. Each of the above programs creates thousands of jobs, saves communities and taxpayers money, and supports several multi-billion dollar sectors of the economy, including but not limited to agriculture, outdoor recreation, construction, tourism and commercial fishing. These programs also leverage federal, local and private dollars to deliver important services to residents, which New York cannot afford to lose. With these many important benefits in mind, we urge the Legislature and Governor Cuomo to maintain funding for these important and successful programs, and pass legislation to reauthorize a $3 billion environmental Bond Act on a future ballot. Sincerely, + POOL, Kara Meyer, Managing Director Adirondack Council, Kevin Chlad, Director of Government Relations Adirondack Land Trust, Mike Carr, Executive Director Adirondack Mountain Club, Michael Barrett, Executive Director Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve, David Gibson, Managing Partner Agricultural Stewardship Association, Teri Ptacek, Executive Director Alley Pond Environmental Center, Inc, Irene V. Scheid, Executive Director Alliance for a Green Economy, Jessica Azulay, Executive Director Alliance for the Great Lakes, Crystal M.C. Davis, Vice President of Policy & Strategic Engagement American Farmland Trust, Samantha Levy, New York Policy Manager Appalachian Mountain Club, Kimberly Witt, Mid Atlantic Policy Manager Association for a Better New York, Steven Rubenstein, Chairman Atlantic States Legal Foundation, Lhakpa Tsering, Executive Director Audubon New York, Erin McGrath, Policy Manager Audubon Society of the Capital Region, Teresa Murphy, President Bedford Audubon, Suzanne Cahill, Executive Director Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Jill Jedlicka, Executive Director Capital Roots, Amy Klein, Chief Executive Officer Catskill Center, Jeff Senterman, Executive Director Catskill Mountainkeeper, Katherine Nadeau, Deputy Director Central Westchester Audubon Society, Lisa Curtis, President Champlain Area Trails, Chris Maron, Executive Director Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, John Jablonski III, Executive Director Chemung Valley Audubon Society Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director City Parks Foundation Clean and Healthy New York, Kathleen A. Curtis, Executive Director Climate XChange, Michael Green, Executive Director, Coalition of Living Museums Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor, Carol DiPaolo, Programs Director, Water-Monitoring Coordinator Columbia Land Conservancy, Peter R. Paden, Executive Director Concerned Citizens of Montauk, Laura Tooman, President Defend H2O, Kevin McAllister, President Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, Susan O’Handley, Co-President Earthjustice, Courtney Bowie, Managing Attorney, Northeast Office Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, Byron Young, President Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve, Inc., Anne Rhoads, Executive Director Empire State Forest Products Association, John K. Bartow, Jr., Executive Director Environmental Advocates of NY, Kate Kurera, Deputy Director Environmental Defense Fund, Mark Rupp, Director, State-Federal Policy & Affairs, Ecosystems Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance, Kristy LaManche, Program Coordinator Finger Lakes Land Trust, Andrew Zepp, Executive Director Food & Water Action, Eric Weltman, Senior Organizer Four Harbors Audubon Society, Joyann Cirigliano, President/ Strategic Planning Chair Friends of Georgica Pond Foundation Friends of the Bay, Heather Johnson, Executive Director Friends of the Upper Delaware River, Jeff Skelding, Executive Director Friends of Tillson Lake, Inc., Morey Gottesman, President Friends of Times Beach Nature Preserve, Jay Burney, Chair Genesee Land Trust, Gay Mills, Executive Director Genesee Valley Audubon Society, June Summers, President Genesee Valley Conservancy, Inc., Benjamin Gajewski, Executive Director Grassroots Gardens WNY, Jeanette Koncikowski, Executive Director Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition, Laura Weinberg, President Great South Bay Audubon Society, Annette Brownell, Treasurer Green Ossining, Suzie Ross, Chairperson Greene Land Trust, Robert Knighton, President Groundwork Hudson Valley, Brigitte Griswold, Executive Director Group for the East End, Robert S. DeLuca, President HabitatMap, Michael Heimbinder, Executive Director Hampton Bays Civic Association, Maria N. Hults, President Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, Lisa DeLeeuw, Executive Director HEALTHY SCHOOLS NETWORK, Claire L. Barnett, MBA, Executive Director Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, Eric Swenson, Executive Director Hudson Highlands Land Trust, Michelle Smith, Executive Director Hudson River Audubon Society of Westchester, Frances Greenberg, President Hudson Valley Fishermen’s Association Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition, Inc., Karen Joy Miller, Founder and President Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society, Simone DaRos, Board Member Indian River Lakes Conservancy, Elliott D. Hillback Jr, Board Chairperson Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, Christine Santora, Assistant Director Keuka Outlet Trail, Tom McGuigan, Board Member - Keuka Outlet Trail Kingston Land Trust, Julia Farr, Executive Director Lake Agawam Conservancy, Meghan Nadosy Magyar, Board Member Lake George Land Conservancy, Jamie Brown, Executive Director Lake Placid Land Conservancy, Kerry Crowningshield, Executive Director Land Trust Alliance, Meme Hanley, Senior New York Program Manager Lewisboro Land Trust, Bobbe Stultz, Co-Chair Long Island Contractors’ Association, Inc., Marc Herbst, Executive Director Long Island Pine Barrens Society, Richard Amper, Executive Director Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, Sarah Deonarine, Executive Committee Mianus River Gorge, Roderick G Christie, Executive Director Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, Mark King, Executive Director Mohonk Preserve, Kevin Case, President & CEO Moms for a Non Toxic New York, Alexandra Zissu, Ulster County Chapter Head Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District, David Ganim, District Manager Nassau Hiking & Outdoor Club, Guy Jacob, Conservation Chair Natural Areas Conservancy, Sarah Charlop-Powers, Executive Director Natural Resources Defense Council, Richard Schrader, Policy and Legislative Director New Rochelle, Noam Bramson, Mayor of New Rochelle New York Botanical Garden New York Building Congress, Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., President & CEO New York City Audubon, Kathryn Heintz, Executive Director New York League of Conservation Voters, Julie Tighe, President New York State Assc. of Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3), Kelli Timbrook, President New York State Laborers’ Union New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, Charles J. Ruffing, Director New York State Urban Forestry Council, Karen H. Emmerich, President New Yorkers for Parks, Adam Ganser, Executive Director New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Joshua Howard, Executive Director Newtown Creek Alliance, Lisa Bloodgood, Director of Advocacy and Education North Fork Audubon Society, Debra O’Kane, President North Fork Environmental Council, Susan MacKenzie, President North Salem Open Land Foundation, Jocko McKean, Executive Director North Shore Audubon Society, Peggy Maslow, President Northern Catskills Audubon Society, Inc., Larry Federman, President Northern New York Audubon, Joan Collins, Conservation Chair NY Climate Reality Chapters Coalition, Tim Guinee, Legislative Action Coordinator NY Product Stewardship Council, Andrew Radin, Board Chair NY Water Environment Association, William J. Nylic, III, President NYC Audubon, Kathryn Heintz, Executive Director NYPIRG, Elizabeth Moran, Environmental Policy Director Onondaga Audubon, Maryanne Adams, Conservation Chair Ontario Bays Initiative, Inc. (OBI Land Trust), Jim LaPlante, Board Chairperson Open Space Institute, Christopher “Kim” J. Elliman, President & CEO Orange County Audubon Society, Melissa Peterson, Administrator Orange County Land Trust, James Delaune, Executive Director Otsego Land Trust, Patricia Szarpa, Executive Director Our Outer Harbor Coalition, Buffalo, Margaret Wooster Parks & Trails New York, Robin Dropkin, Executive Director Peconic Baykeeper, Peter Topping, Baykeeper Peconic Estuary Protection Committee Peconic Land Trust, John v.H. Halsey, President Pollinator Conservation Association, Inc, Jay Burney, Special Projects Director Preservation League of New York State, Jay DiLorenzo, President Protect the Adirondac­­­ks!, Peter Bauer, Executive Director Putnam County Land Trust, Judith Terlizzi, Board President Rebuild by Design, Amy Chester, Managing Director Renewable Energy Long Island (reLI), Gordian Raacke, Executive Director Rensselaeer Plateau Alliance, Jim Bonesteel, Executive Director RETI Center, Gita Nandan, Chair of the Board RETI Center, Tim Gilman-Sevcik, Executive Director RETI Center, Isil Akgul, Director of Operations Riverkeeper, Jeremy Cherson, Legislative Advocacy Manager Riverside Park Conservancy Rochester Museum and Science Center, Hillary Olson, President & CEO Sag Harbor Village Harbor Committee Saratoga PLAN, Maria Ttabka, Executive Director Save The Great South Bay, Robyn Silvestri, Executive Director Save the Sound, Tracy Brown, Regional Director, Water Protection Saw Mill River Audubon, Anne Swaim, Executive Director Scenic Hudson, Ned Sullivan, President Seatuck Environmental Association, Enrico Nardone, Executive Director Serpentine Art and Nature Center, Inc., George Y. Bramwell, Esq., Past President Setauket Harbor Task Force, George Hoffman, Trustee Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Roger Downs, Conservation Director Somers Land Trust, Michael Barnhart, President South Shore Audubon Society, Brien Weiner, President Southampton Town Civic Coalition, Andrea Spilka, President Southern Madison Heritage Trust, Harvey L Kliman, Ph.D., President St. Lawrence Land Trust, Jessica Rogers, President of the Board Surfrider Foundation, Matt Gove, Mid-Atlantic Policy Manager Sustainable Westchester, Steven Rosenthal, Interim Executive Director SWANA New York Chapter, Luann Meyer, President Syracuse Cultural Workers, Andy Mager, Sales Manager and Social Movements Liaison Teatown Lake Reservation, Kevin Carter, Executive Director The Conservation Fund, Thomas R. Duffus, Vice President, Northeast The Nature Conservancy, Jessica Ottney Mahar, NY Policy & Strategy Director The North Shore Land Alliance, Inc., Lisa W. ott, President The Town of New Castle, Supervisor Ivy A. Pool, Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland, Council Member Lisa Katz, Council Member Lauren Levin, Council Member Jason Lichtenthal, New Castle Town Board The Trust for Public Land, Carter Strickland, New York State Director Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Christy Plumer, Chief Conservation Officer Town of Ossining, Dana Levenberg, Town Supervisor Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, Linda M. Garrett, Executive Director Urban Green Council, Danielle Manley, Associate Manager, Policy Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Stephanie Ehrlich, Executive Director Vision Long Island, Eric Alexander, Director Wallkill Valley Land Trust, Christie DeBoer, Executive Director Waterfront Alliance, Cortney Worrall, President and CEO WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Cecil Corbin-Mark, Deputy Director & Director of Policy Initiatives Westchester Land Trust, Lori Ensinger, President Western New York Environmental Alliance, Lynda Schneekloth, Chair Western New York Land Conservancy, Nancy Smith, Executive Director Wildlife Conservation Society, John F. Calvelli, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs Winnakee Land Trust, Robert S. Davis, Executive Director Woodstock Land Conservancy, Maxanne Resnick, Executive Director Read the original here.

On August 5, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted unanimously to adopt the use of Ecological Reference Points for managing menhaden, locally known as bunker. These prey fish are food for a multitude of fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. Instead of simply setting quotas based on the status of the menhaden population alone, new harvest rules will now take into account other species whose diets depend on it. This is a big step forward for fisheries management, and IOCS is proud to have contributed to the science leading to this landmark decision. IOCS has worked on the science and management of forage fish since 2008, when the Lenfest Forage Fish Task Forceconvened. Dr. Ellen Pikitch chaired the Task Force, which involved several SoMAS students and staff, including Christine Santora, Project Director. The Task Force issued a groundbreaking report, "Little Fish, Big Impact," which outlined science-based recommendations for managing forage fish worldwide. Ellen spearheaded a scientist's letter in 2017, urging the ASMFC to adopt ecosystem-based options for menhaden at the time; however, the Commission deemed that the options were not species-specific enough. After three additional years of scientific work by an expert working group working within the ASMFC, the Commission voted to move ahead with using ecosystem-based harvest rules, a milestone and model for future fishery management decisions.

Global study finds severe declines from overfishing, but also points to conservation successes By Erik Stokstad Dr. Pikitch quoted in Science article published on July 22, 2020 Sharks are missing from 19% of the world's coral reefs, the greatest decline of reef sharks ever recorded, according to a new analysis. The study suggests overfishing, driven largely by dense human populations and poor governance, has made the ocean's top predators "functionally extinct" in the waters of eight countries. But some reefs elsewhere had abundant sharks, suggesting conservation measures can work. "This study is a tour de force," says Nick Dulvy, a conservation biologist at Simon Fraser University. "It's the most comprehensive study that's ever been done to look at shark abundance," adds Ellen Pikitch, a marine biologist at Stony Brook University. Both say the findings bolster the conclusion that fishing has profoundly depleted reef shark populations in many places. (Neither was involved in the project.) Like other large animals, sharks are vulnerable to overfishing because they grow slowly and don't have many offspring. Demand for shark fins has grown, along with consumption, by a burgeoning Asian middle class. In other places, fishing communities are eating more shark meat as other species have declined. Researchers know shark populations have dropped in many places, but these studies are difficult to compare. So about 5 years ago, marine biologists Mike Heithaus and Demian Chapman of Florida International University began a large collaboration called Global FinPrint. The project's aim was to survey, in a standardized way, all the world's reef shark species, such as tiger sharks and hammerheads. The group focused on reef sharks because they are easier to spot than those—such as blue sharks and whale sharks—that roam the high seas. Six researchers coordinated surveys of coral reefs in various parts of the world by more than 120 scientists. At dozens of places on each reef, researchers lowered video cameras attached to 1.5-meter-long poles with shark bait at the far end (see video). After 3 years, the team reviewed about 18,000 hours of video from 371 tropical reefs. More than 700 volunteers, many of them university students studying marine science, helped. Heithaus's mother reviewed the most footage—1721 hours. At 69 reefs—or about 19% of the reefs sampled—no sharks were caught on video, the team reports today in Nature. "It's pretty grim, but not completely unexpected," says Sonja Fordham, president of Shark Advocates International, who was not involved in the project. There may have been a few sharks that didn't take the bait, but the overall low numbers suggest sharks no longer perform an ecological role in these reefs, says Aaron MacNeil, a reef ecologist at Dalhousie University who led the design of the sampling. Not all reefs were in dire straits. Sharks were plentiful in remote French Polynesia, for example. "It's just this gorgeous utopia, especially if you're into reef sharks," MacNeil says. Worldwide, the Bahamas came out on top for shark abundance, whereas Guam ranked last. To find out what kinds of conservation actions might be helping sharks, MacNeil created a computer model that compared the relative abundance of reef sharks and factored in potential threats, such as the number of people living nearby and the distance to markets where shark fins might be sold. The countries with the most abundant sharks tended to have declared protected areas. The Bahamas has banned shark fisheries for 30 years, MacNeil says, and it has done extremely well in maintaining a reef shark population. Another effective measure, the team found, is to regulate fishing so sharks are caught less often, whether intentionally or by accident. The places that are doing the worst have few or poorly enforced fishing regulations and higher levels of poverty, which can force fishing communities to exploit declining populations. Shark conservation is not one-size-fits-all, the researchers say, and their analysis suggests some management measures have more potential in certain places. In the British West Indies, for example, sharks would especially benefit from replacing long-line fishing gear, in which many hooks are left in the water for a day or so, with gear that is better at targeting particular fish. Large nets that catch fish by their gills are also especially dangerous, because they are nearly invisible to marine life and catch almost everything, including sharks. Although the Global FinPrint project is over, the researchers plan to use their data to study the ecological role of sharks and examine what happens to the reef ecosystem when they are extirpated. The data are already being used to review the conservation status of various shark species. "We really need to substantively move toward conservation and recovery in the next decade," Dulvy says, "or else we're going to be in real trouble." Read the original article here.

The webinar, based on the recently published paper, drew about 270 participants from around the globe, including diplomats, academics, and individuals working for foundations, NGOs, and government agencies. Moderated by Dr. Lauren Wenzel, Director, NOAA National Marine Protected Areas Center, and co-sponsored by NOAA and OCTO, the webinar highlighted the main methods and findings of the project and discussed how the results could be used. Since then, several requests for data use and collaborations have been received by the co-authors. View a recording of the webinar here. The Gownaris et al. paper is also featured in the latest issue of MPA News here.

John Bohorquez, Ph.D. candidate, co-authored a whitepaper report with the Conservation Finance Alliance entitled, "Conservation Finance: A Framework." The CFA is pleased to announce the release of “Conservation Finance: A Framework”. In this white paper, we seek to clarify the definition and role of conservation finance to show how important its mechanisms and strategies are for addressing the underlying causes of nature loss as well as contributing to increasing sustainable funding flows to nature conservation. This white paper is intended to improve understanding of the opportunities and challenges posed by the field of conservation finance. The paper emphasizes a holistic approach to conservation finance and seeks to support a more harmonized comprehension going forward. Secondly, the white paper provides several conceptual frameworks to facilitate an understanding of the various concepts associated with conservation finance. Finally, the white paper presents a taxonomy of conservation finance strategies and mechanisms. The white paper defines conservation finance as “mechanisms and strategies that generate, manage, and deploy financial resources and align incentives to achieve nature conservation outcomes.” Read the paper here.

Read the original publication here. A study by researchers in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) revealed that a large portion of important marine areas around the globe remain unprotected. A study published last month and conducted by a team including researchers from Stony Brook University has revealed that a large portion of the world’s most important marine areas remain unprotected. The team included Ellen Pikitch, Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Science at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS); Christine Santora, SoMAS Assistant Director for Policy and Outreach; and Natasha Gownaris, a Ph.D. graduate from Stony Brook. The study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science on Oct. 25, is the first of its kind, compiling and examining 10 diverse and internationally recognized maps that outline marine priority areas across the globe. While there are many initiatives to map globally important marine areas by the United Nations (U.N.) and other non-governmental organizations, the team was the first to overlay this wide range of mapping initiatives. “We wanted to see how much these maps agree on specific areas, and what the level of consensus was on certain areas,” Santora said. “And in addition, we wanted not just to look at the areas of the highest importance, but we wanted to see, are these really important areas protected, or not?” The criteria used for different maps vary by initiative. For example, some may identify areas because of their high biodiversity, while others may be based on threatened or vulnerable species, or relatively natural state. This results in differences in areas that are identified as important. But by overlaying the maps, the team was able to measure agreement on areas that are significant and conduct analyses of gaps at the global scale. “It’s already enough that one organization, who has already put a lot of effort and time into identifying areas, says this area is important — we should probably listen,” Gownaris said, who is also an Assistant Professor of Marine Ecology at Gettysburg College. “But especially when you have a consensus among several different organizations, many of which have very different purposes and scope. If they’re agreeing on an area, then we should really pay attention.” The study’s analysis found that 55% of the ocean has been identified as important by at least one mapping initiative. Within that, 58% is within national jurisdiction — in an area under the legal authority of a certain nation — and 42% is in the high seas, meaning open ocean, not within any country’s jurisdiction. More than 14% of the ocean was identified as important by two to four maps, which was considered a “moderate consensus.” However, a gap analysis showed that nearly 90% of this area is currently unprotected. The largest of these important but unprotected areas were located in the Caribbean Sea, Madagascar and the southern tip of Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and the Coral Triangle region. “We have a lot of critical threats to the ocean right now,” Santora said. “Marine protected areas have been shown to be one of the most effective tools we can implement in the ocean. And while in some cases it’s important to study things further, this map is the first step in showing that we don’t need to wait for perfect information. A lot of these maps agree that certain areas of the ocean are very valuable.” The team’s analysis of the maps may help guide policymakers on where to expand and establish new marine protected areas (MPAs), according to Gownaris and Santora. It may also help serve as a roadmap for reaching the U.N.’s goal to create 10% of the ocean as MPAs by 2020. The study showed that this goal could be met solely through the actions of coastal states; if all of the unprotected ocean areas identified as important by two or more initiatives were to be protected by 2020, an additional 9.34% of the ocean would be added to the global MPA network. “This study can help guide placement of future MPAs to meet agreed objectives for the quantity, quality and representativeness of the global network of marine protected areas,” Pikitch said in a press release. “Local studies and expertise will also be necessary to implement this process.” In addition, more than 76 million km² of areas beyond national jurisdictions were identified as important and unprotected, a fact which may be helpful for informing ongoing discussions about the protection of the high seas. “Studies of this type bring together various forms of information and help set realistic, tangible goals for marine conservation,” said Robert DiGiovanni, Jr., founder and chief scientist of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society. “The importance of our marine environment needs to be at the forefront of our concerns. Our oceans are an integral part of our survival.” The comprehensive mapping effort showed that much of the protection of already established MPAs was not ecologically representative, meaning they do a poor job of matching up with the size and shape of the important marine areas identified by scientists and protect just a portion of a vital ecosystem or range of vulnerable species. This suggests the need for improvement in creating an ecologically representative global MPA network. “We have to move forward on these main protected areas just to ensure that the biodiversity in the world’s oceans is intact and functioning,” said Kevin McAllister, founder and CEO of Defend H2O, a Sag Harbor-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting Long Island’s various bodies of water. “I think that’s going to be critically important as we start to really feel the ramifications of climate change in the next few decades.” “The approach taken in this study is that we all agree we should protect our oceans and that we need to do more,” DiGiovanni said. “It also lays out that if we work with coastal communities, our goals are obtainable.”

by Daniel Dunaief, November 23, 2019. It’s one thing to make a commitment to a good idea; it’s another to follow through. Ellen Pikitch, endowed professor of ocean conservation science in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University, is making sure countries around the world know where and how they can honor their commitment to protect the ocean. In 2015, the United Nations had agreed to designate at least 10 percent of the oceans as Marine Protected Areas, which would restrict fishing and foster conservation. The goal of the proposal is to reach that figure by next year. Three years ago, with the support of the Italian Ministry of Environment and private donations, Pikitch started the labor-intensive process of finding ocean regions that countries could protect. She published the results of her analysis in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. Her research could help countries move from the current 7.8 percent of oceans protected to the 10 percent target, and beyond that figure in the ensuing years. The United States has met its target, although most of its marine protected ares are far from human population centers, so the coverage is uneven, Pikitch explained. The rest of the world has some gaps in high priority areas. “I’m hoping that the study will light a fire under the policymakers so that they do meet their commitment,” said Pikitch. “It’s quite feasible for them to meet the goal. We’ve given [policymakers] advice in this paper about how exactly it could be done.” The maps in the paper show areas that are within the current jurisdiction that are priority areas and are unprotected. “There is quite a bit of area that meets this description — more than 9 percent — so there is flexibility in how countries can use the results and reach or exceed” the 10 percent target by next year, Pikitch explained in an email. To determine where nations can enhance their ocean protection, Pikitch, Assistant Professor Christina Santora at the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University and Stony Brook graduate Natasha Gownaris, who is now an assistant professor in environmental studies at Gettysburg College, pulled together information from 10 internationally recognized maps indicating the location of global marine priority areas. “We are standing on the shoulders of giants, capitalizing or leveraging all the hard work that has gone into other maps,” said Gownaris. One of the most unexpected findings from the study for Pikitch is that 14 percent of the ocean was considered important by two to seven maps, but over 90 percent of those areas remained unprotected. A relatively small part of this area is on the high seas, while most is within exclusive economic zones, which nations can control. To preserve this resource that continues to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while serving a critical role in the world’s food chain, conservationists have focused on marine protected areas because they provide the “one thing we felt was going to be the most effective single step,” said Mark Newhouse, the executive vice president for newspapers at Advance Publications and president of the Ocean Sanctuary Alliance. “It could happen overnight. A country could say, ‘This area is off limits to fishing,’ and it is.” Countries can protect areas within their exclusive economic zones “more quickly than figuring out a way to solve global warming,” Newhouse added. Santora explained the urgency to take action. “The situation in the ocean is worsening and we can’t wait to have perfect information to act,” Santora wrote in an email. “What we can do is put strong, effectively managed MPAs in the right places, with a high level of protection, that are well managed and enforced.” Members of the Ocean Sanctuary Alliance, which counts Pikitch as its scientific officer, recognize that the 7.8 percent figure includes areas where countries have announced their intention to protect a region, but that doesn’t necessarily include any enforcement or protection. “Intentions don’t protect the environment,” Newhouse said. Ambassadors from several nations have reached out to OSA to discuss the findings. These diplomats are “exactly the people we want paying attention” to the research Pikitch and her team put together, Newhouse said. Pikitch also plans to reach out proactively. According to Pikitch’s recent analysis, the largest gaps in policy coverage occurred in the Caribbean Sea, Madagascar and the southern tip of Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and the Coral Triangle area, although they found additional widespread opportunities as well. Pikitch calculated that an additional 9.34 percent of areas within exclusive economic zones would join the global marine protected area network if all the unprotected area identified as important by two or more initiatives joined the MPA network. “When effectively managed, when strong protections are put in place, they work,” Pikitch said. Indeed, one such example is in Cabo Pulmo, Mexico, where establishing a marine protected area resulted in an 11-fold increase in the biomass of top predators within a decade. Many MPAs become sites for ecotourism, which can bring in hefty sums as people are eager to see the endemic beauty in their travels. Pikitch hopes this kind of study spreads the word about the benefit of protecting the ocean and that policymakers and private citizens recognize that protecting sensitive regions also benefits fisheries, refuting the notion that environmentally driven policy conflicts with the goal of economic growth. The groups involved in this study are already discussing the new goal for the ocean. Several diplomats and scientists would like to see the bar raised to 30 percent by 2030, although the United Nations hasn’t committed to this new target yet. “Studies show that 10 percent is insufficient — it is a starting point,” Santora wrote. “I do think that targets beyond 2020 will increase.” Pikitch said the ocean has always been one of her passions. Her goal is to “leave the world in better shape than I found it” for her children and six grandchildren. Read the original article here.