World's First Sustainable Ocean Summit

The Sustainable Ocean Summit is the first international cross sectoral business conference on ocean stewardship. The conference, organised by the World Ocean Council in association with Golder Associates is being held in Belfast, Northern Ireland on the 15th -17th June 2010 and will bring together representatives from varying marine industries including oil and gas, shipping, fisheries, aquaculture, ports, renewable energy and marine technology.

Paul Holthus, World Ocean Council Executive Director said: “Although a wide range of industries use and depend on the same ocean, there is no forum that brings this diverse ocean business community together to communicate and collaborate on leadership in the responsible use of the marine environment.

"The Sustainable Ocean Summit is the first time that likeminded industry leaders from around the world will come together to discuss crucial, common issues facing all private sector users of marine space.”

The conference will open with a unique roundtable of ocean industry association leaders that will gather directors and senior managers from a range of international industry association leaders including the Oil and Gas Producers Association, Ocean Renewable Energy Group, International Chamber of Shipping, Global Aquaculture Alliance and The Nautical Institute.

Summit sessions will address priority ocean industry issues including offshore renewable energy, seafood interaction with other industries, the Arctic Ocean, climate change, sustainable ports and marine invasive species. The conference will move beyond the exchange of information to the initiation of cross-sectoral industry working groups focused on developing action and solutions to priority issues. Collaboration on the research, development and testing of solutions to cross-cutting issues will create direct business benefits, such as cost savings through economies of scale in research.

The summit will conclude with a half day seminar dedicated to the rapidly evolving issue of Marine Spatial Planning on 17th June. The seminar will focus on ensuring ocean businesses understand the emerging approach to marine governance, developing the role of industry in ocean zoning and facilitating proactive industry collaboration and involvement in marine planning efforts.

Mr Holthus added: “The Sustainable Ocean Summit provides an unprecedented opportunity for the wide range of industries that use the ocean to come together to develop the policies and practices to address the sustainability issues that are increasingly affecting their access to marine resources.

Early registration discount for the Sustainable Ocean Summit closes on the 31st March 2010. For event program and booking details please visit www.oceancouncil.org. For further information please email paul.holthus@oceancouncil.org or call Paul Holthus +1 (808) 277- 9008.