Closing Plenary - Wednesday, June 16, 2010

"Making the Connenction: Translating Science into Coastal Policy"

The Wednesday closing plenary will conclude the conference with discussion of one of the most critical issues ocean and coastal managers face: how to strengthen the interface between scientists and managers. In order to be more effective at helping decision-makers such as legislators and policymakers make wise decisions about coastal management, the question becomes: how to leap from policy analysis to policy implementation?

Understanding the science, social issues and legal aspects of policy can be challenging. Moreover, science doesn't always perfectly fit the policy questions that follow. In addition, there is the issue of values. Natural resource utilization and protection issues have an element of value bases interwoven with policy. Science tries to be "value-neutral", but policy often has a set of values associated with it. Therefore, the broader issue becomes the strategies and tactics by which we translate scientific knowledge into effective policy. Join us at the conference's closing plenary for lively debate and discussion on how to make the connection.

Panelists include:

• Dr. Charles "Pete" Peterson, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Institute for Marine Science and Vice-Chair, North Carolina environmental Management Commission
  
  
• Dr. William Hogarth, University of South Florida and former director, National Marine fisheries Service and North Carolina division of Marine fisheries
  
  
• Dr. Betsi Beem, University of Sydney, Australia
  
  
• Terry Holman, U.S. Department of the Interior