In a world grappling with unprecedented challenges for our oceans, the Australian Marine Science Association (AMSA) conference illuminated the path forward, showcasing the future leaders in marine science.
Over 900 marine scientists and managers from Australia and New Zealand gathered for the joint Australian Marine Science Association (AMSA) and New Zealand Marine Sciences Society (NZMSS) conference in Hobart, held from September 15-20. With more than 300 presentations covering a diverse range of topics, including the science of wind farms, climate change, Indigenous management, habitat restoration, and ecosystem management attendees were spoilt for choice. The conference underscored the transformative potential of marine research across a range of disciplines.
Focusing on the theme of "navigating uncertainty," the conference showcased innovative approaches to scientific inquiry, risk-based decision-making, and collaborative communication strategies.
The next 12 months are predicted to be the warmest on record and with so many climate records expected to be broken, there is significant uncertainty in what this means for the environment, economy, culture, and society.
The scientific community plays an important part in helping managers, policy makers, and politicians make decision based on high quality science.
The conference also played host to a range of early career scientists and researchers who were able to showcase their expertise, many for the first time, in the poster sessions.
The agenda included numerous presentations on fishing productivity, management and aquaculture with much of this work being undertaken as a result of FRDC investments, and also demonstrating a focus on leading research that addresses climate change impacts.
Deepika Satchithananthan, Research Portfolio Manager at FRDC, remarked, “The Aquaculture, Human Impacts, and Echinoderm poster sessions were particularly impressive. The extent and engagement in these sessions highlight where research efforts are intensifying, aligning perfectly with FRDC's mission to invest in areas that are expanding and addressing critical knowledge gaps.”
Other notable presentations included Gretta Pecl's work on the Seachange project (2023-011) and Eva Plaganyi-Lloyd's ecosystem modelling (2023-062) for Tiger Prawns in the Torres Strait. These initiatives aim to revolutionise the two fisheries response to climate change by developing new decision-making tools and empowering stakeholders to implement meaningful changes.
An Indigenous workshop was also a core component of the conference. The Nipaluna Statement was one of the key outputs from the AMSA2024 Indigenous Workshop (which is being refined before release). The intent is to communicate to the AMSA community the importance of Indigenous people being engaged in the processes and decision making when it comes to shaping the solutions to the challenges we all face in the marine domain.
In the realm of aquaculture, Jimmy Hortle from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) discussed groundbreaking research on oxygenation systems for Macquarie Harbour’s salmon aquaculture.
The conference also applied a range of new communication methods including short talks, debates, mini night market where scientists could show their creative side and pub discussion forums.
Thank you to the conference organisers for a great event that highlighted the astounding array of research being undertaken in our Oceans and the commitment of that research to inform decision making.
