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Embracing the Blue - South African Marine Science Symposium 2017
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The 2017 South African Marine Science Symposium (SAMSS), the 16th such event, was hosted by Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth from 4 to 7 July.
The theme of this year’s SAMSS was Embracing the Blue - Unlocking the ocean's economic potential whilst maintaining social and ecological resilience.
SAMSS is held every three years and is partially funded by the South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR). The symposium focuses on providing a platform for South African students and researchers (with a strong focus on students) to share their current research with the wider community. International participation is encouraged.
SAMSS 2017 was a packed programme, starting off with a full day of enabled discussion sessions on specific research topics, three highly cited international plenary presentations, three fascinating plenary presentations from South African researchers, a wonderfully entertaining and informative presentation by one of the 2014 Gilchrist Medal recipients, Professor Mark Gibbons, and that is before even considering the 190 presentations and 200 posters on display. A busy week indeed!
Plenaries
As the first international plenary presenter, Professor Robert Costanza from the Australian National University gave an inspiring talk on the need for a significantly more transdisciplinary approach to understanding and managing our marine and coastal ecosystem services. This was followed by a pragmatic talk by Professor Coleen Vogel from the University of the Witwatersrand, on the “wicked” environmental challenges facing scientists and society and how to integrate the two more closely.
The following day Professor Omar Defeo from the Universidad de la República in Uruguay, and Mr Craig Smith from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, shared South American and South African successes and issues surrounding subsistence and small-scale fisheries. Prof. Defeo shared his experiences working with 25 research projects that involved subsistence fisheries in Uruguay and Mexico, whereas Mr Smith highlighted the progress made and remaining challenges faced by government in launching the small-scale fisheries process in South Africa. Mr Smith also showcased 'Abalobi', a mobile app suite and program that facilitates fisher-driven governance and product tracking up the value chain.
On the final day of the conference, Professor Callum Roberts from the University of New York, described the role of marine protected areas (MPAs) in a changing world and how MPAs can help us navigate a sustainable path through the next half century. Prof. Roberts emphasised how beautiful and pristine many parts of South Africa's offshore environment appear to be, and how critical it is that these are protected now, before these ecosystems end up decimated like much of the northern hemisphere.
Professor Amanda Lombard from the Nelson Mandela University, followed on with the MPA theme at a more local scale, focusing in on the aspects of opening South Africa's oldest MPA to fishing and the repercussions thereof. Both talks showed that meaningful and transparent multi-stakeholder engagement should be applied to decisions regarding the management of MPAs for the best possible outcome.
The SAEON Egagasini team were present in force, with all seven biodiversity team members presenting talks or posters and Nicole du Plessis presenting about the academic component of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) that SAEON Egagasini are set to take over Chair later this year.
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All in all, SAMSS 2017 was an enjoyable, successful event in which many SAEON staff and students participated. Old friendships were rekindled, new networks were built and future collaborations will flourish.
We already look forward to SAMSS 2020!
