Geospatial approaches to support pelagic conservation planning and adaptive management

Place-based management in the open ocean faces unique challenges in delineating boundaries around temporally and spatially dynamic systems that span broad geographic scales and multiple management jurisdictions, especially in the 'high seas'. Geospatial technologies are critical for the successful design of pelagic conservation areas, because they provide information on the spatially and temporally dynamic oceanographic features responsible for driving species distribution and abundance in the open ocean, the movements of protected species, and the spatial patterns of distribution of potential threats. Nevertheless, there are major challenges to implementing these geospatial approaches in the open ocean. This Theme Section seeks to bridge the gap between geospatial science and marine conservation by discussing the use of innovative approaches to support effective marine conservation planning strategies for pelagic ecosystems. We highlight the results of this collection of contributions in 3 main sections: (1) conceptual advances in pelagic conservation; (2) novel information techno logies and methodologies; and (3) case studies in the California Current and Pacific Ocean.

Duke Scholars

Author Patrick N. Halpin Marine Science and Conservation