This year on World Oceans Day (June 8, 2011) WWF-Canada hosted a round table and reception with government, industry and academic participants, aimed at drawing attention to and increasing the dialogue on the conservation and economics of our oceans. Stephen Hall from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC), in was invited to present an overview of the UK’s Marine and Costal Access Act (MCAA). This Act (which gained Royal Assent on 12 November 2009) is designed to improve management and increase protection of the marine environment as well as to improve recreational access to England’s coasts. We took this opportunity to speak to Mr. Hall (NOC), Mr. Andrew Dumbrille (WWF-Canada), and Nicole Schaefer, (Sustainable Ocean Solutions Inc.), about these World Ocean Day events, the MCAA and their work in this important field (Video Blog Below)!
Also worth checking out, Andrews Blog about this “British invasion in Ottawa on Oceans Day”!!
For more information on the Marine and Costal Access Act, check out the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) MCAA page, and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).