June has been a very busy ocean month. It has been so amazing to get out and meet people in the ocean community all over the world after many, many months of zoom calls and virtual connections. A virtual coffee chat does not compare to the ability to sit outside next to the water in Lisbon and talk about the future of ocean. The past few weeks have had many highlights: World Ocean Day at the United Nations in New York, the H20 conference in Halifax, the Green Marine conference in Montreal, the Global Innovation Summit in Estoril, and the United Nations Decade of Ocean conference in Lisbon, just to name a few – and that is just June. I wanted to share some takeaways although given the many activities, it was hard to narrow it down to just a few.

1. We have a story to tell:  The world is interested in what’s happening in Canada. We have created incredible momentum in the last few years and the well-attended Canadian conferences the OSC team has participated in this past month has been a great indicator of that energy. As an example, there were so many companies with so much exciting work on display at booths at H2O followed by a sold-out showcase event at the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship’s (COVE) Demo Day. These are the kinds of activities that help feed into the momentum Canada is building, and a demonstration of what is possible when we work together. It is this approach that got us invited to speak at the World Ocean Day event in New York alongside Salesforce and the United Nations, sharing Canada’s contribution to the revitalization of the ocean economy.  While there, I had the opportunity to listen to Sylvia Earle, the first woman to become Chief Scientist of the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), share her perspectives and reinforce the message that there is no green without blue – something we certainly believe at the OSC. We were also chosen as one of fifty global Ocean Titans as part of a new World Ocean Council docuseries featuring the amazing projects of some of our member companies, and launched on June 29 by Reuters. It was with a whole lot of pride and optimism that I shared Canada’s ocean story at several panels over the last month on topics ranging from innovation to climate to coastal communities.

2. We need to increase our ambition: While we should be proud of all that we have accomplished, our ocean economy in Canada remains a small contributor to our overall GDP. While listening to the many announcements and reconnecting with stakeholders around the world, it was evident that the rest of the world is also moving fast and, in many cases, with more investment and more focus. Hydrogen, small modular reactors, carbon capture, storage and use, wave energy, seaweed products, regenerative marine tourism and the list goes on – there were many stories of cutting-edge technologies and solutions being built around the world and an increasing number of programs to make those solutions more accessible. What was clear at the UN Decade events, and in listening to speakers like John Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate of the United States and Peter Thomson, UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean is that we need to move faster if we want to be leaders in the blue economy, and save our ocean and our planet. We need to continue to build awareness of Canada’s ocean opportunity; engage everyone in the ocean conversation including bringing Indigenous knowledge and Western knowledge together; connect coastal communities; attract more technology companies to the ocean economy; and scale solutions.  And, we need recognize that in order to achieve emissions reduction targets on land, we must achieve them in the ocean.

3. There is much more opportunity for global collaboration: We are getting increasing interest in building partnerships as are other organizations in Canada’s ocean ecosystem: Oceans Advance signed a memorandum of understanding with nine clusters around the world in Portugal; COVE signed an agreement for a scale up program with Innovate UK; and both the OSC and Marine Renewables Canada signed agreements with the European Leaders in Blue Energy consortium – all in the month of June. How do we maximize the value of these partnerships to the benefit of our member companies? How can member companies leverage international relationships to scale more quickly?

It is an exciting time for Canada’s ocean economy and I am thrilled to be a part of it.  The OSC team works tirelessly every day to continue to change the way we do business in the ocean across Canada and build an ocean economy that is increasingly digital, sustainable, and inclusive. These themes resonate around the world. It is, however, a time where the ocean is also facing unprecedented challenges and our ability to tackle those challenges quickly and in a coordinated way around the world is tied to the quality of our future life on the planet and the health of the planet itself. If in your work you are looking for a way to make the world a better place, I would strongly encourage you to explore opportunities in the ocean, if you haven’t already.  I am re-energized with the level of conversation and interest in the work we are doing and look forward to the next steps on the OSC journey.

The Opportunity for Rewarding Contributions to Canada’s Sustainable Development of the Ocean

Submitted by: Melody Pardoe, Chief Engagement Officer, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

When Canadians think about the ocean, what comes to mind? Unique and rewarding careers that span everything from robotics to data analysis to clean energy, or do they think of whale watching, sea kayaking, fishing and surfing? In addition to recreation and nourishment, we hope that more and more people think of the ocean as a place for economic prosperity and a source for a rewarding career.

Nearly 30% of the world’s population lives along ocean coasts. With the longest coastline in the world, Canadians have the option to live in hundreds of coastal communities, all with unique cultures and economic opportunities.  Living and working close to the ocean is extremely rewarding, something I personally recommend everyone try if they have the opportunity.

Canadian ocean companies are developing new technologies that are at the forefront of mitigating climate change and modernising traditional industries such that we are learning more about the ocean and lessening the harmful impacts on our shared aquatic global ecosystem. These solutions will allow us to sustainably meet the increasing demand for protein, decarbonize marine transportation of goods and people, transition to clean energy to power the world, and collect the data we need to monitor and operate in our ocean environment with a reduced footprint. It is through technology, collaboration and respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples that we will enjoy a thriving sustainable ocean economy. It’s exciting to know that the hundreds of small (and growing) businesses involved in Ocean Supercluster projects are leading the way with ocean innovation globally, and these companies are hiring – there are thousands of available jobs being created in ocean industries.

Our team recently took a deep dive into the jobs currently advertised by our member companies, and the range of opportunities are vast. We found that more than half of these roles required technical competency (e.g. engineer, technician, software developer, etc.) and just over 25% were senior management positions. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) anticipates that by 2030, the world’s ocean economy will double to $3 trillion (USD) outpacing the general global economy by a factor of nearly 20%. If you have never worked in an ocean industry, I encourage you to consider a new adventure, contributing to this momentous growth.

Please get in touch with us to become a member or follow us on social media to hear about the amazing things OSC members are building. In addition, here are a few places to start exploring ocean careers:

• SOI Foundation – Ocean Careers 
• Schmidt Marine – Jobs
• COVE – Work in Ocean Tech
• OTCNS – Careers
• Ocean Careers NL

Canada is an ocean nation; how will you get involved? I’m always open to connecting, please feel welcome to reach out on LinkedIn.

Ralph Eldridge, Indigenous Engagement Lead, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
Leah Beveridge & Shelley Denny, Two-Eyed Seeing Advisory Committee Members

Canada’s Ocean Economy is experiencing transformative growth. It has never been so essential to balance ocean health and productivity into a single priority, and as we look to sustainability models, we must use both eyes. A priority for Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is to adopt a “Two-Eyed Seeing” (Etuaptmumk in Mi’kmaw) approach to bring together Western science with Indigenous Knowledge. To embed this in the Supercluster’s initiatives, an advisory group is currently working on policy and program recommendations to guide ocean activity that better aligns with Indigenous community priorities. Shelley Denny was an early supporter of the advisory group. Denny, Director of Aquatic Research and Stewardship, Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, explains, “Two-Eyed Seeing recognizes the equality of different knowledge and the strengths of knowing through multiple perspectives.” Two-Eyed Seeing is an inherently different way of considering knowledge because it is based on the concept that there are different ways of seeing the world. “From the Western eye, the world can be divided into compartments (disciplines), work can be divided among experts, and through teamwork, then put together to form a more comprehensive picture of the whole because each individual can dive so much deeper into their area of expertise. But from a (generic) Indigenous eye, you just can’t divide the world, therefore you can’t divide biology from physics,” said Leah Beveridge, advisory group member and PhD candidate at Dalhousie University. “For example; you can’t divide environmental from social from cultural from spiritual from physical; the world is a whole and we are all a part of it, living in it, influencing it, not as outsiders looking down upon it. Two-Eyed seeing asks us to see the world in both ways.” There is no one Indigenous worldview. There are First Nations (plural), Inuit and Metis, each with its own unique culture and worldview.  Indigenous Peoples have unique perspectives and relationships with water. Canada’s three oceans have been their homes and have played an important role in sustaining and defining them. Many Indigenous communities have a heightened knowledge of our oceans, the interrelationships between marine species, and their ecosystems. “Indigenous knowledge must be interpreted through an Indigenous lens, meaning that Indigenous peoples must be partners in the process,” added Beveridge. “As a non-Indigenous person, I have long been struck by the concept of Two-Eyed seeing, but also completely at a loss for how to do it. I am not Indigenous, therefore I don’t have an Indigenous eye, so how can I possibly see-through one?! But then an Elder pointed out to me that I can learn to see the world in a different way. I will not hold Indigenous knowledge, but I can practice looking at the world through a different lens.” At the Ocean Supercluster, we know fostering collaboration with different ideas, insights, and experiences expands the opportunity for innovation. Incorporating Two-Eyed Seeing is securing new ways to partner with Indigenous communities, breaking down barriers, and aligning commercial and community priorities that contribute to healthy and productive oceans. As published in a special World Water Day feature in the National Post.

Ralph Eldridge
Indigenous Engagement Lead
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Leah Beveridge
Two-Eyed Seeing Advisory Committee Member
PhD Candidate
Dalhousie University

By: Ruth Mojeed Ramirez, Chief Equity Officer of The Inclusion Project

I recently became a citizen of Canada. During my first few days in Canada, I found many reasons to be grateful to be here. In pursuit of better economic and academic prospects, I left a blossoming career in communications and public relations in my home country of Nigeria and traveled over 7000 miles to Canada to pursue my post-secondary education. My adopted community in Victoria, British Columbia, afforded me a life-changing opportunity to connect, engage and learn about “inclusivity” and what it means for me as a Black woman in Canada. I learned through my own experience as an international student and through the lived realities of others who, like me, came to Canada as international students, immigrants, or refugees seeking opportunities for self-actualization.

These collective experiences have formed the basis for the work we do at The Inclusion Project, in leading change through research, public engagement, and inclusive leadership. Our work in employment equity seeks to engage organizations and key stakeholders in upholding equitable practices for equity-deserving groups across Canada. We do this by developing and strengthening accountability frameworks, roadmaps, and benchmarks for best-in-class practices in intersectional Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI+). Through our audit, assessment, and advisory services, we serve some of Canada’s leading institutions and stakeholders across public and private sectors on standard practices for employment equity.

In my day-to-day role, I have had many opportunities to learn, educate, and advise many organizations and stakeholders on inclusivity and what it means to me as a Black woman in Canada. The reality for many like me is that these opportunities do not abound. For many Black women, there are fewer opportunities for self-actualization through economic or social access, and in many cases, representation in policy or leadership positions. Sometimes, numbers tell the story:

• Despite growth in Labour Market Availability, in 2016, less than 10% of Black Canadian professional candidates at a Canadian University were hired for middle-management positions and above. Instead, Black hires were overrepresented among service positions, and female candidates were overrepresented in administrative positions.
• In 2016, approximately 70% of Black women and 63.6% of Black men had at least post- secondary or Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma (StatsCan). About 1 in every 7 working women in the top 1% belonged to a visible minority group, compared with 1 in 5 in the working population (StatsCan).
• A 2021 study by the Diversity Institute shows that the unemployment rate for persons who identify as non-Indigenous and non-visible minority was 9.3%. The rates of unemployment were much higher for those who identify as South Asian (17.8%), Arab (17.3%), Black (16.8%), Southeast Asian (16.5%), Latin American (16%), Chinese (14%), and Filipino (13.2%).

While numbers do not capture all of the multi-layered, overlapping and intersectional experiences of Black people in Canada, it starts to show us where we are as a society and if we follow the prompt of the data, it also tells us what we need to do to move the needle on racial equity. To do so, we must begin by collecting and analyzing race-based disaggregated data and engaging with lived experience and expertise to help chart the course for equity in our policies, process and practices.

I hope that as a society we will find some shared imperatives to do better to respond to the needs of our own First Peoples, and as well, Black, Asian, and all other equity-deserving groups in Canada. As we work toward equity, my hope is that it will be equity for all.

Canada’s Oceans sector should not be left behind in catching up to the change that is already on the horizon. To move forward, we will need to create and strengthen opportunities for cross-sector collaborations and partnerships.

Ruth Mojeed Ramirez is the Chief Equity Officer of The Inclusion Project. She brings extensive lived experience and grounded expertise to her work in racial equity, diversity and inclusion. Her research, engagement and solutions design focus on an intersectional and inter-generational approach to address complex issues of race, decolonization and gender equity. She leads organizational REDI strategy development and coaching among multi-level stakeholders in public and private sectors. You can read about some of her work through the Employment Equity Partnership & the Racial Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.

By: Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster & Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Candian Chamber of CommerceAs published in Toronto Star on Nov. 22, 2021 As the newly re-elected government prepares to lay out its legislative priorities in an upcoming Throne Speech, Canadians are eager to know how the policies they voted for will be brought to life. As a sense of urgency for the health of our planet increases, Canadians prioritized sustainable job creation during the election, with an eye toward a collective green ambition. At the same time, Canadians want these priorities to be implemented in the spirt of Indigenous reconciliation. Commitments to bold climate action made during the general election are cause for optimism, and businesses are eager to learn the details of the path the government will take to reach its climate change objectives. A transformed blue economy must be a central pillar of the government’s strategy to emerge from the pandemic as a world leader in sustainable and robust economic growth. Absorbing more carbon than all the rainforests combined, Canada’s ocean is home to the world’s largest carbon sink, playing a critical climate regulation role. This week, the MIT Technology Review released its Blue Technology Barometer, which ranked Canada 10th overall among 66 of the world’s coastal countries and territories based on marine activity, innovation, policy, and climate change. Not a bad showing. But as a nation boasting the longest coastline in the world, a history deeply connected to ocean resources, and home to some of the most exciting emerging blue technologies worldwide, now is Canada’s time to step up and lead a global blue recovery. Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) and its almost 450 members from across the country have already begun to lead a much-needed transformation. Bringing together ocean sectors and organizations from coast-to-coast-to-coast, the Ocean Supercluster is a collaborative and industry-led network that is triggering new investment, accelerating innovation, and creating new opportunities in Canada’s blue economy in a way that has never been done before. In the last three years alone, the OSC has approved 64 projects worth $320 million, where 86 per cent are led by small and medium sized businesses (SMEs). Businesses like Horizon Maritime, a company involved in three projects with partners out of Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador, two of which are solutions focused on emissions reduction in marine transportation, and the other focused on increasing the participation of Indigenous peoples in ocean sectors. The company’s CEO, Sean Leet, credits the cluster for bringing together partners that would never have considered working together otherwise. The OSC is early in its journey but is already delivering a direct positive impact in communities both coastal and inland, creating thousands of well-paying jobs and countless others maintained during the pandemic. It also includes programming to increase the participation of Indigenous peoples, women, youth, and other under-represented groups in the blue economy, as well as supporting the growth of forty new ocean companies through its Ocean Startup Project. As the vital connection between businesses and the federal government, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is advocating to harness the private sector’s innovative drive in service of the blue economy. One need only consider the resilience displayed over the last two years by the business community to know it must have a role in determining what Canada looks like beyond the pandemic. The ingenuity, innovation and experience which characterizes many small and medium-sized business, will deliver robust solutions, and shape the path to net-zero — if they are empowered to do so. The creation of a Blue Investments Working Group, as endorsed by chambers across the country last month, and led by the Ocean Supercluster, will support a co-ordinated effort to diversify investment products and strategies. A competitive investment climate will foster innovation and empower SMEs to contribute to the development of blue economy and the jobs that come with it. We look forward to partnering with the federal government to pursue enabling policies and legislation to advance the blue economy — inclusive of developing infrastructure to support the sustainable development and stewardship of Canada’s oceans, rivers, and lakes. From national child care to renewed commitments in the fight against climate change, the last federal budget contained much to be celebrated. In building Canada’s economic story and the measures needed to stimulate economic growth, the federal government need to look no further than our ocean for a growth and skills development strategy that is grounded in sustainability, digitalization, inclusivity, and respect for other ways of knowing.

Kendra MacDonald Chief Executive Officer, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Perrin Beatty President & Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

By: Ralph Eldridge, Indigenous Engagement Lead, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Truth and Reconciliation are two very powerful words in the modern Canadian lexicon. Separately, they sit as idle words but when paired they represent a dark past, a painful present, and a country’s continuing effort to make reparations with its Indigenous peoples.

This week, for the first time, we pause as a country to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to commemorate the lost children of residential schools, survivors, and the generations of those who continue to be affected by this legacy of trauma. It was first proposed, nearly six years ago, as one of 94 Calls to Action of the TRC’s final report. Although a long time in the making, the creation of this new federal statutory holiday was announced quickly after the very painful confirmation of an estimated 200 burial sites at a former BC residential school on the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation and later followed by further evidence by the Cowessess First Nation of an additional 750 unmarked graves at a former residential school in Saskatchewan.

It is estimated that over 150,000 Indigenous children were ripped from the grips of their loving families to face a severe indoctrination that robbed them of their identities. Like most Canadians, I shudder to comprehend the legacy of this trauma and how it has resulted in so much of the disparity and desperation faced by Indigenous communities coast to coast to coast. It’s hard to imagine how this can ever be reconciled any time soon, but without a doubt, it has to begin with the truth, the truth from Indigenous voices, the way they choose to tell it, and that describes the true measurement of forced assimilation.

I have to admit, I have not read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s full reports. I have read scholarly articles and summaries of findings and have read the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action. These calls are a blend of actions that attempt to rebuild what has been lost for Indigenous peoples and are concrete measures for which all Canadians can advocate. These Calls to Action, along with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of indigenous Peoples are good starting points for Canadians to begin to educate themselves on the historical injustices, apartheid, and genocide of Indigenous peoples, and reconciliatory paths forward.

I had the privilege, in a previous role, to be connected with top Indigenous Educators in Newfoundland redeveloping curriculum that would better represent Indigenous perspectives. Through these conversations, I began to appreciate that learning outcomes for Indigenous people must be based in Indigenous teachings that are reflexive, reflective, intergenerational, spiritual, and interconnected. I think all Canadians can apply this in how they approach their own understanding of Indigenous world views. We can do a better job of listening, not with our western linear mindset, but with a circular understanding that what has happened in the past will affect the present, and what we do now will affect the future seven generations. Through understanding there is opportunity.

Mi’kmaw Elder Albert Marshall first conceptualized Etuaptmumk – Two-Eyed Seeing. It is based on an integrated approach to learning – to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing, and from the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledge and ways of knowing. Indigenous communities are natural collaborators in ocean resource management, innovation, and research which is rooted in their historical, traditional, and cultural connection to the ocean. For ocean sector participants this wisdom can be the guiding principle to forge relationships with Indigenous communities and build partnerships that identify community priorities that benefit both parties. Certainly, for the Ocean Supercluster this is where our work begins. Stay tuned.

Ralph Eldridge
Indigenous Engagement Lead,
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

By: Aaron Stevenson, CEO, Ashored Inc.

It is an exciting time to be in ocean technology in Canada and particularly in Blue Tech, which I describe as the intersection of marine sciences, technology, and industry.  It is born out of the growing body of knowledge that looks at the big picture in studying the ways, means, and the broad impacts of our presence and activities upon the oceans. It is developing new technologies and, in some cases, combining that with old technology and materials to harness advances for the benefit of industries, while also minimizing the overall impact for the benefit of ocean ecosystems.

When it comes to the fishing industry, where Ashored is focused, the negative impacts are in the news frequently and carry such striking statistics as: “commercial fishing industry contributes 640,000 tons of the nearly 8 million tons of plastics that enters our oceans each year” and “an estimated 140,000 marine animals die annually as a result of entanglement in fishing gear”. Even without doing a deep dive into microplastics and chemical additive leaching, we can very quickly conclude that this will indeed have a negative impact on ocean life. What is less understood, however, is the business case for the fisheries to solve the problems of Abandoned, Lost, and otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) and other ecological challenges.

In fixed gear fisheries such as lobster and crab, for example, one of the consequences of ALDFG is a scenario known as “Ghost Fishing” where marine life caught in lost traps die and become bait for others in a continuing cycle.  In terms of the economic loss to commercial fisheries, some studies have estimated the loss due to the artificial competition created from these untended fishing traps is equivalent to 4.5% of the average annual harvest.

From an industry perspective, perhaps the most compelling case for Blue Technology comes from end consumers. Today, people want to know where their food comes from, how it was harvested; they want to know that their food is not only healthy and safe, but that it is harvested or produced in a manner that is also healthy and safe for the environment. Taglines on menus describing food or ingredients as “whale-safe”, “sustainably sourced”, and “wild caught” all convey a sense of higher value and environmental responsibility. What is perhaps even more telling are the policy shifts at the government levels around the world over the last decade that are now resulting in regulatory changes and funding in support of these green and blue initiatives. A prime example of this is the recent announcement from Canada’s federal government regarding whale safe technology. Not only will whale safe technology be required in the fixed gear fisheries starting in 2023, but they are also investing $20 million through a whale safe gear fund to support the adoption of this technology ahead of the 2023 fishing seasons.

As a young company and Canada’s only Rope-on-Command gear manufacturer, this is very welcome news. It puts Canada at the forefront of this global shift to a blue economy and creates opportunities right here at home for growth, innovation, and export as other countries look to follow Canada’s lead.

Personally, the one thing that makes the blue economy particularly attractive is that it is still more or less in its infancy, and it is underpinned by the notion that as we know better, we must do better. At Ashored, we started with the idea that we wanted to tackle a problem that was locally felt and globally significant. We are doing that – and making a difference in the process; but for would-be entrepreneurs looking to make their mark, the global shift to a blue economy is creating a world of new opportunities across a wide range of industry sectors and fields of study that will offer many more globally significant challenges for years and decades yet to come.

Aaron Stevenson
CEO, Ashored Inc.

Our ocean is a mighty and powerful thing. It’s a resource that is critical to our livelihoods and our existence. Whether you live in Newfoundland and Labrador like I do, or any coastal community in Canada, you will also know our ocean can be challenging but also one of our biggest opportunities. Every day, there are new possibilities uncovered in the ocean and for me it has been an incredible journey to be at the heart of much of that activity.

I have spent both my academic and professional careers focused on the marine sector and the advancement of research and development in the ocean. I have seen significant transition, growth, and innovation, as well as new ocean industries emerge through the work of people whose connection and commitment to the ocean runs deep. As Vice President, Memorial University (Marine Institute), I have been proud to see the evolution and growth of our industry-driven academic and research programs over the years.  I am proud to have led the establishment of a new School of Ocean Technology (2007) and two new research centres in Applied Ocean Technology and in Fisheries Ecosystem Research (2010).  Likewise, the building of the Marine Base in Holyrood to be the portal to the sea has been a major initiative in support of the oceans sector.  I have seen first-hand the benefits that ocean development is bringing to our province and beyond, and also the important role of the growing national network of academic institutions and ocean focused organizations across the country who also play a key role in the future of Canada’s marine sectors.

While working in an academic capacity, I also have worked closely with those in industry and personally spend a great deal of my own recreational time on the water. The value of bringing together different perspectives to do great things (and different things) in the ocean is something that I encouraged in my work at the Marine Institute, and also what drew me to serve on the Board of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster and on the Executive Council of the Ocean Frontier Institute. The ocean has helped shape our economy and our identity in the past, and I believe it will be even more foundational in our future economic prosperity and our ability to lead the global development of the 72 per cent of our planet that is covered by water.

If we look at the fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador for example, this an industry that has played a vital role in rural and coastal regions in the past and is transforming to meet today’s market demand. Today, the fishery is more than a $1 billion industry to the province that can help us meet the call for sustainable protein world-wide, and with a continued focus in aquaculture, farmed fish can also help bring our province to the forefront of this opportunity. While seemingly traditional ocean activity, fishing and aquaculture is becoming increasingly digital, creating and adopting some of the most advanced technologies to fish smarter as good stewards of the ocean. I consider myself to be quite fortunate to have been at the table for much of this advancement for the discussions, collaboration, and launch of new initiatives and projects that have transformed our fishery and aquaculture sectors over the past 40 years.

I have also witnessed and worked with the development of the oil and gas industry since the 1980s and have seen the transformative economic benefits this has brought to our province and in our country.  The oil and gas sector has greatly increased our understanding of the ocean and has invested heavily in ocean technology and ocean engineering which has benefited all users of the ocean.
Ocean technology cuts across all ocean sectors, and we need to continue to build on existing and new technology to help understand, grow, and benefit from our ocean. Ocean technology advancements like ocean mapping, underwater robotics, and the digitization of vessels help us better understand and operate in the ocean in a responsible way. As Canada’s largest and most comprehensive education and applied research institute for the ocean sector, the Marine Institute plays a unique role in bridging the gap between fundamental research and the commercialization of ocean technology.

In closing, I believe the future of our ocean sector is bright and I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to everyone that I have worked with over the years. You inspire me and I wish you all fair winds and following seas!

Glenn Blackwood
Vice President, Memorial University/Marine Institute
Director, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster