Discussion Questions

1. Each of the ten short essays puts forth a single idea (“solution”) to promote conservation of marine ecosystems.  In your own words, summarize the central   idea of each essay in a single sentence.
2. Do you find yourself drawn to some ideas more than others? Why?
3. What disciplines and experiences provide the background for these solutions? What does this tell you about the nature of conservation?
4. How feasible are these ideas?  Are there specific obstacles--social, economic, political, or otherwise—to implementing these solutions?  What would be involved in removing these obstacles?
5. Think of a geographically specific coastal or marine habitat you are familiar with. How could two or three of these ideas be implemented there?
6. Can you think of any other ocean solutions?

Websites for Further Information

• Blue Ocean Institute:  www.blueocean.org/
• InterAmerican Tropical Tuna Commission:  www.iattc.org/HomeENG.htm
• Marine Conservation Alliance  www.marineconservationalliance.org/
• Marine Turtle Specialist Group, IUCN  www.iucn-mtsg.org/
• National Marine Educators Association  www.marine-ed.org/
• National Marine Mammal Laboratory  www.afsc.noaa.gov/NMML/
• Pacific Seabird Group  www.pacificseabirdgroup.org/
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography  http://sio.ucsd.edu/
• Sea Around Us Project  http://www.seaaroundus.org/
• Society for Conservation Biology, Marine Section  www.conbio.org/Sections/Marine/
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution  www.whoi.edu/
• World Wildlife Fund, Marine Conservation Science  www.worldwildlife.org/science/marine.cfm

Key Concepts

• Marine conservation
• Fisheries science
• Fisheries economics
• Seabird conservation
• Sea turtle conservation
• Marine and coastal policy and management