Leading marine researchers and scientists caution that it’s make-or-break for Africa’s governments to enact and enforce ocean policies.
Marine experts from around the world met in Gqeberha, South Africa, for a week in October for a symposium on the importance of cutting-edge science and innovation in underpinning marine conservation policy decisions in Africa.
Africa’s foremost meeting of minds in marine science, the 12th Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) Scientific Symposium drew 954 delegates – many representing key policy influencers from 33 countries across the continent. Presentations and discussions contributed to the global conversations around sustainable development, the blue economy, and a circular economy, particularly for plastics.
Such was its significance that the United Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development endorsed the 12th WIOMSA Symposium as an official UN Ocean Decade action.