The oceans are home to the greatest diversity of life on our planet.
Growing populations and expanding industrial development mean oceans are subjected to an ever-increasing range of uses; from fishing to deep sea drilling for oil and gas; from shipping and pipeline deployment to the establishment of marine parks.
Ocean policy, management and conservation practices have to be able to conserve marine environments as we embrace new social and economic opportunities.
Managing this immense biodiversity under a range of pressures is made harder by our relatively limited understanding of marine systems. Knowledge of marine ecology, oceanography and geology needs to be coupled with social science research from diverse areas such as human geography, anthropology and indigenous studies.
By combining natural and social sciences, the Oceans Institute helps to break down barriers to effective management and can translates existing science into policy outcomes.
Goals
At the UWA Oceans Institute, leading researchers in many different fields work in close proximity. Their main goals in marine policy, management and conservation are to:
- successfully integrate the social sciences into marine research activities
- increase community awareness and capacity to engage in marine issues
- increase the use of science research in policy decision-making.
This will establish a role for UWA in marine policy, management and conservation in Western Australia’s waters and beyond. By integrating knowledge from many disciplines, it is possible to achieve marine management outcomes that are greater than the sum of the parts.
Research themes
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
