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Now showing 1 - 10 of 19

Recent Submissions

Access status: Open Access ,
Currents of Change: Hydroelectric Development and Its Effects on Miawpukek First Nation’s Lands, Waters, and Ways of Life
(2025-12) Johnson Martin, Kaleigh
This research examines the ecological and cultural consequences that hydroelectric development in the Bay D’Espoir (the Bay), Newfoundland, has on Miawpukek First Nation (MFN). By exploring ecological disruptions to water and land alongside the impacts on MFN’s cultural practices, values and governance, this study seeks to understand the extent to which Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro’s (NL Hydro) hydroelectric project reflects a systemic failure to consult with Indigenous communities and highlights the urgent need for proper Indigenous recognition, the implementation of co-governance systems, and for environmental accountability; all of which contribute to true reconciliation. Using a mixed methods approach that includes a literature review and semi-structured interviews, this research highlights how the absence of recognized Aboriginal rights, Treaty rights, and Aboriginal title for MFN has limited opportunities for meaningful consultation and influence over development decisions. The findings reveal substantial ecological alterations to the Bay’s watershed since hydroelectric development – including reduced access to traditional lands and the decline of culturally significant species – which have collectively forced MFN to move away from several traditional practices. This study also identifies promising models for improvements by drawing on the successes of provincial and territorial implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), where Indigenous governance is increasingly woven into environmental management. Ultimately, this research calls upon the federal government to revisit its hesitancy in legally recognizing MFN through Aboriginal rights, Treaty rights, and Aboriginal title, and for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) to formally adopt UNDRIP into legislation, to update its Aboriginal Consultation Policy on Land and Resource Development Decisions, and implement frameworks of co-development, co-governance, and co-management that uphold Indigenous authority, knowledge, and stewardship. Through these measures, the province can foster more equitable, accountable, and sustainable decisions as it relates to development in Indigenous territory moving forward.
Access status: Open Access ,
Coexisting at Sea: Offshore Wind Governance and Right Whale Protection in a Changing Atlantic Canada
(2025-12) Dharmaraj, Nina
Atlantic Canada is advancing offshore wind as part of national decarbonisation and energy security goals, yet this development overlaps with the shifting distribution of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW). Climate-driven changes in prey have redirected NARW use towards the Canadian shelf and Gulf of St Lawrence habitats, increasing exposure to vessel traffic, entanglement risks, and construction-related noise and operational activities. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, including multi-year passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) in U.S. wind energy areas and climate ecology evidence of right whale redistribution, this project examines the governance conflict that emerges when rapid renewable energy deployment meets species-at-risk conservation. It frames the problem as a “wicked problem”: a governance concept where objectives are multiple and competing (for example, climate mitigation, biodiversity protection, fisheries livelihoods, regional development), data is dynamic and evolving, and solutions may create new cross-jurisdictional trade-offs. The pros and cons are weighed: offshore wind’s climate and economic benefits versus ecological risks and enforcement challenges created by data gaps and multi-national inconsistencies. Using lessons from established global offshore wind-cetacean strategies, alongside Canada’s regional assessment processes, this project proposes a governance pathway that enables coexistence: adaptive, data-linked siting and operations, stakeholder co-design, and international coordination that is tuned into real-time right whale presence. The goal is pragmatic: protect a species on the brink of extinction without sacrificing renewable energy momentum.
Access status: Open Access ,
Particularly Protected: Implementing mandatory management measures to reduce ship impacts in sensitive waters in the Exclusive Economic Zone
(2025-12) Foster, Sadie
Canada's extensive coastline and its rich marine ecosystems face growing threats from intensifying maritime activities. This paper argues that existing jurisdictional frameworks, particularly those beyond internal waters, are insufficient to protect vulnerable marine areas from ship-source pollution and other pressures. Drawing on principles of Area-Based Management (ABM), this analysis evaluates the potential of Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) designation by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a strategic tool to enhance marine conservation. By examining Canada’s current challenges in managing maritime activities, this paper demonstrates how a PSSA designation, complemented by Associated Protective Measures (APMs), offers an internationally recognized mechanism to strengthen marine management. The analysis integrates an ABM lens to illustrate the importance of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to marine governance, emphasizing long-term vision, and cumulative effects assessment. Ultimately, this paper hypothesizes that the designation of a PSSA on the east coast of Canada can strengthen marine management, thereby furthering Canada's ability to protect sensitive waters and fulfill its national and international conservation commitments.
Access status: Open Access ,
Examining the Influence of Foreign Policies and Strategies on Ocean Governance in Ghana
(2025-12) Cudjoe, Mike
The study analyses how Ghana’s domestic fishery management has been influenced by foreign policies. Using the examples of the EU’s IUU Regulation and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the study traces the evolution of Ghana’s fisheries policies over the past 25 years in response to these policies. Key events identified during this period include: (1) the EU’s decision to issue Ghana its first yellow card under the EU IUU Regulation in November 2013 for what it perceived as Ghana’s failure to implement international laws and cooperate with the region’s fisheries management body, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas; (2) an agreement between the Ghanaian government and the Chinese state-owned Sinohydro Corporation for USD 4 billion in investment to fund various infrastructure projects, including ocean-related facilities; and (3) the EU’s decision to reissue a yellow card in 2021 due to what it identified as weak enforcement of Ghana’s fisheries regulations. In response to these key events, Ghana reformed its Fisheries Act, strengthened collaboration with local NGOs and inter-institutional partners, and renewed its commitment to socioeconomic and environmental concerns. Despite these progressive initiatives, Ghana is caught between the governance-driven EU IUU framework and the investment-driven Chinese BRI, placing the country in a complex trade-off situation. This leaves Ghana with little choice, other than to comply with the strict stipulations of the European Union in the exportation of fish despite the Chinese bank support in terms of funds to put up the ports and fishing equipment. Therefore, there is a dilemma of adhering or staying at the behest of the country. The study concludes that balancing external pressures while protecting Ghana’s ecosystems and the economic livelihoods they support is essential to safeguarding the country’s fishery resources.
Access status: Open Access ,
Reconnecting People, Place, and Nature: Analyzing the Impact of Cross-Cultural Experiential Learning Expeditions for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Youth
(2025-12) Touchie, Emma
In a world marked by ecological disconnection and cultural fragmentation, youth are increasingly distanced from the ocean and the more-than-human world. Experiential and cross-cultural education thus offers a pathway to rebuild these relationships by fostering emotional, ecological, and cultural connections through direct engagement with land and sea. This research explores how cross-cultural experiential learning expeditions influence Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth’s relationships with nature, the ocean, and themselves. Using the Students on Ice Foundation’s marine expeditions aboard the R/V Polar Prince (Oqwatnukewey Eleke'wi'ji'jit in Mi’kmaq) as a case study, the research examines how immersive, intercultural experiences foster ocean literacy, environmental identity, and stewardship. A qualitative approach grounded in relational inquiry was used and data were collected through an online sharing circle with four alumni of Students on Ice Foundation marine expeditions. Thematic coding of transcripts was guided by both deductive and inductive reasoning to identify emergent patterns. Key themes included the life changing nature of expeditions, connection, meaningful experiences with the natural world, responsibility and stewardship, cultural revitalization, giving back to community, and reconciliation. Expeditions thus fostered transformative shifts in youth identity, relational accountability, and ecological awareness. This research contributes to marine management and environmental education by demonstrating how immersive, intercultural programs can reconnect young people with the ocean and foster more sustainable, relational approaches to stewardship.
Access status: Open Access ,
Integrating Community Perspectives into Reef Health Eco-Audits in Puerto Morelos, Mexico
(2025-12) Reyes Guevara, Anajose
Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, is a coastal port town with a community whose livelihoods are closely tied to the health of the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park (PMRNP) marine protected area. The local economy depends heavily on both tourism and fishing, making reef health central to community wellbeing. However, most existing literature and assessments of the reef’s condition focus primarily on biological monitoring and governmental consultation. In collaboration with Healthy Reefs for Healthy People (HRHP), an environmental non-governmental organization that focuses on conservation of the Mesoamerican reef. HRHP produces periodic reports on reef health and management measures; reef health monitoring results are found in their “Report Cards”, while evaluation of recommendations and implementation are in their “Eco-audits”. This project focuses on establish a baseline study to integrate community perceptions into the Eco-Audit framework, specifically. Through semi-structured interviews with fish harvesters and dive guides, I gathered perceptions on the key pressures affecting the reef, local management practices, and local fish abundance, among other topics. The intended outcome of this project is to establish a process that explores how community perspectives can be integrated into reef health monitoring practices, using HRHP’s Eco-Audit framework as the primary tool. By combining biological data with local knowledge, this research will ultimately provide a preliminary assessment of how the PMRNP and the surrounding MPA align with community priorities, values, and management goals.