One thing seems certain; there is room for improvement in
our current planning and management of the marine environment. How can we as
scientists help achieve this?
At a recent coastal and marine management conference1
in London , a
general theme became clear: Our current marine planning and management regimes
can and should be improved. This was right across the board from Government and
Industry to NGOs. What also became clear to me, as a trained scientist, was
that science itself had been part of the problem. How can these issues be
overcome? What is the key?
Communication. I believe it is that simple. Specifically I
am referring to communication which is clear, simple and above all suitable for
the audience. Take the failed example of the 1998 NASA Mars Climate Orbiter2
landing. According to an Investigation Board, the reason for failure was the
lack of clarity on whether metric or imperial units were being used. Cue a
gigantic amount of money and time being lost. The problem is, with the marine
environment we do not necessarily have this time or money to waste.
Areas that seem to require effective communication are
likely to include: 1) scientists helping to define the policy questions to
answer; 2) presenting information to policy makers; 3) achieving a truly
interdisciplinary approach; and 4) Engagement with stakeholders. All these
areas require clear and simple communication to facilitate realistic and
deliverable outcomes, which will ultimately help achieve effective marine
planning and management. As Einstein once said “Everything should be made as
simple as possible, but no simpler”
Further, effective communication can deliver the type of
truly interdisciplinary projects needed in this big data and fast climate
changing world we inhabit. All may not be lost from the past however. A wealth
of collected data already exists from past projects, all we need to do now is
make it relevant and up to date as well as add value through linking
disciplines and their data together.
Do you agree, that communication is key? Are there any other key issues en route to achieving effective marine planning and
management?
Sources
Photos
USFWS Endangered Species Flickr - Creative Commons 2.0 Generic
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