xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER
Ocean law experts from West Coast Environmental Law Research Foundation are participating in the 5th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5), which kicks off today at the Vancouver Convention Centre. This major international event, which runs from February 3-9, brings together the world’s leading experts on ocean conservation to share knowledge and make progress toward our global marine protection goals.
At IMPAC5, West Coast staff lawyers will be sharing their expertise at multiple sessions as part of the official Congress program:
- Stephanie Hewson will speak about amending the Oceans Act as part of a broader ocean protection campaign (Sea-ing Blue: Reflections on ENGO Collaboration on Canada's Marine Conservation Targets – Feb. 4, 4:00-5:30pm PST, VCC Room 114-115);
- Georgia Lloyd-Smith will speak to the importance of coastal and marine Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (Recognising, Respecting and Supporting Territories of Life: The Best Opportunity for Effective and Equitable Conservation in the Anthropocene – Feb. 4, 4:00-5:30pm PST, VCC Room 207); and
- Michael Bissonnette will speak about co-governance in the Pacific north coast Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network (Co-Management in the Great Bear Sea: Innovative Legal Arrangements for Canada’s First MPA Network – Feb. 5, 4:00-5:00pm PST, VCC Room 217-219).
During the conference West Coast will also be advocating for Canada to advance key ocean protection priorities, such as establishing Canada’s first MPA Network in the Great Bear Sea, supporting Indigenous-led ocean conservation, strengthening federal regulations to reduce vessel pollution, and following through on promises to prohibit the most harmful human activities in MPAs.
West Coast Environmental Law’s marine law experts will be available for media interviews on these topics and related legal issues throughout IMPAC5. To read more, visit https://www.impac5.ca/ or see this West Coast blog post.
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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Alexis Stoymenoff | Director of Communications, West Coast Environmental Law
604-684-7378 ext. 228, astoymenoff@wcel.org