{"id":120,"date":"2014-06-04T10:32:51","date_gmt":"2014-06-04T17:32:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/biol420ocean\/?page_id=120"},"modified":"2026-01-06T12:06:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T19:06:18","slug":"policy-briefings","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/biol420ocean\/policy-briefings\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy Briefings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Students produce a\u00a0concise summary of a ocean conservation and sustainability\u00a0issue, the policy options to deal with it, and some recommendations on the best option. \u00a0The policy\u00a0brief is aimed at government policymakers and others who are interested in formulating or influencing policy.
\n
\n[updated 6 Jan 2026]<\/em><\/p>\n

2025 (2024W) Policy briefings –\u00a0 Fraser River Estuary
\n<\/strong>In 2025 we changed the focus of the policy briefings to the Fraser River Estuary – where we live, work, and play.\u00a0 The policy briefings created by the students have been combined into one PDF file for download<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2023 (2022W) Policy briefings<\/strong>
\nBenefits of ropeless fishing gear for BC whales and marine mammals<\/a>
\nIllegal fishing is baloney when it comes to <\/a>BC Abalone <\/a>
\nProtect Pacific Herring in British Columbia<\/a>
\nUnchartered waters: the urgent need for Canada to ban deep-sea mining<\/a>
\nPeople don’t like loud noises, so why would oysters?<\/a>
\nThe tragedy of privatizing the commons – BC ITQs<\/a>
\nFalse Creek Urban Marine Park<\/a>
\nWomen are key for sustainable fisheries and marine conservation<\/a>
\nRecreational Fishing Licensing in BC: A missed educational opportunity<\/a>
\nEelgrass conservation: a critical consideration<\/a>
\nTeamwork makes the Dreamwork: Collaborative management of Vancouver’s Intertidal Ecosystem <\/a>
\nSweeping destruction: why bottom trawling must be banned<\/a>
\nThe unrecognised, overdue rights of nature<\/a>
\nGot ghosted? Ghost fishing is harming our oceans<\/a>
\nOwner operator fisheries needed in BC<\/a>
\nOpen net aquaculture is not environmentally sustainable<\/a>
\nHow to handle sea level rise<\/a>
\nMarine fish in deep water <\/a>
\nThe urgency of kelp forest maintenance and restoration in BC<\/a>
\nTo Dive or Not to Dive Ecotourism’s the Question<\/a><\/p>\n

2021 (2020W) Policy briefings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fishing for Feed. By Miranda Andersen<\/a><\/p>\n

Plastic pollution: a polymer herring. By Dilraj Atwal<\/a><\/p>\n

Paper parks fail to protect marine life. By Fiona Beaty<\/a><\/p>\n

Is that the fish you ordered? Think again. By Michele Co<\/a><\/p>\n

Glass sponges need further protection in Howe Sound. By Alexander Dungate<\/a><\/p>\n

Blue hwales vs vessles. By Jennifer Fisher<\/a><\/p>\n

Don’t let the grass grow under your feet: how e prevent lan care from harming our water. By Lauren Gill<\/a><\/p>\n

Australian mangrove restoration. By Adalynn Mai<\/a><\/p>\n

Make Room For Mangroves in Myanmar. By Melanie Man<\/a><\/p>\n

The conspirasea around marine plastics. By Theresa Nguyen<\/a><\/p>\n

Riparian buffer subsidies. By Samantha Ramirez<\/a><\/p>\n

Coral reef restoration: viable way to respond to coral loss? By Ariel Shatsky<\/a><\/p>\n

The wrong fish on the menu: the unintended side effects of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary. By Meg Sheline<\/a><\/p>\n

Squid Inc: responding to the growing illegal and unreported Humboldt squid fishery in
\nSouth America. By Joshua Shepherd.<\/a><\/p>\n

Glass sponge reefs are biting the dust. By Jade Shivak<\/a><\/p>\n

Stop coral reef mining. By Jennifer Tang<\/a><\/p>\n

Altering alternatives: a re-look at Alternative Livelihoods. By Nathaniel Walker<\/a><\/p>\n

Plastic straws are not the \u201cLast\u00a0 straw\u201d. By Kellan Woo<\/a><\/p>\n

Strengthen coastal wastewater dumping regulations for cruise ships. By Owen Yin<\/a><\/p>\n

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture: a new era for aquaculture in Canada? By Megan Yu<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

2020 (2019W) Policy briefings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Targeted seaweed co-cultures to mitigate acidification<\/a>
\nby Phoebe Wu<\/p>\n

Control ballast water to prevent economic loss<\/a>
\nby Emily Wong<\/p>\n

Artificial reefs: a mitigation strategy to anthropogenic activity?<\/a>
\nBy Kelsey Wong<\/p>\n

Carb! Restocking just isn’t enough<\/a>
\nBy Nuno U<\/p>\n

Ballast water exchange and ballast treatment: a powerful duo<\/a>
\nby Leah Marie Roldan<\/p>\n

Dam removal: what the oceans have to say<\/a>
\nby Polina Orlov<\/p>\n

Free the rivers… for the sake of the ocean<\/a>
\nby Rebecca McDonald<\/p>\n

The trouble with transplantation<\/a>
\nby Anna Madsen<\/p>\n

An alternative to alternative livelihoods<\/a>
\nby Bowen Liu<\/p>\n

The price of coral transplantation<\/a>
\nby Carmen Leung<\/p>\n

We need to sea kelp!<\/a>
\nby Angela Li<\/p>\n

Clean-up the beaches or clean-up our act?<\/a>
\nby Lexynn Kwan<\/p>\n

Alternatives needed for alternative livelihood projects<\/a>
\nBy Heather Kwok<\/p>\n

Conservation translocation<\/a>
\nby Jihyun Kim<\/p>\n

Are beach plastic clean-ups an effective way to combat marine plastic pollution?<\/a>
\nby Jess Kennedy<\/p>\n

Ranching of marine invertebrates<\/a>
\nby Eddy Kapp<\/p>\n

Towards a sustainable and inclusive future: Participatory monitoring of Marine Protected Areas<\/a>
\nby Adrianne Holland<\/p>\n

Protect and restore the UK’s seagrass beds!<\/a>
\nby Taylor Justason<\/p>\n

Reef enhancement units: the future of coral reefs?<\/a>
\nby Emma Gangbar<\/p>\n

Combating secondary spread of invasive species via domestic shipping<\/a>
\nby Allison Fung<\/p>\n

Participatory monitoring<\/a>
\nby Nela Djordjevic<\/p>\n

Can we sea ranching as an option?<\/a>
\nby Melanie Chapman<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

2019 (2018W) Policy briefings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Relive pressures on BC’s herring stocks!<\/a>
\nBy Ana Pozas<\/p>\n

How Will the Recovery of Sea Otters Impact BC\u2019s Coastal Resources?<\/a>
\nBy Graham Brownlee<\/p>\n

Let’s get (L’O)REAL about the sources of microplastics<\/a>
\nBy Gavin Gao<\/p>\n

A better way to farm fish in Sechelt Inlet<\/a>
\nBy Eugenie Jacobsen<\/p>\n

Putting your best fish forward<\/a>
\nBy Elizabeth Smith<\/p>\n

Closing the Georgia Strait Herring Roe Fishery<\/a>
\nBy Charlotte Matthews<\/p>\n

Caring about Herring: Sustaining Key Forage Fish<\/a>
\nBy Kaylie Higgs<\/p>\n

No luck for Irish fish<\/a>
\nBy Kately Nikiforuk<\/p>\n

Fight for the Bight” Big oil needs to back off<\/a>
\nBy Jasmine Keller<\/p>\n

A Sanctuary for the Southern Residents<\/a>
\nBy Holly Fellowes<\/p>\n

The Dangerous Route Home: another call for an end to open net-pen salmon farming<\/a>
\nBy Hanno Southam<\/p>\n

Swindled by Seafood: Canadians need seafood products to be more traceable<\/a>
\nBy Zaynah Khan<\/p>\n

MPA: More Protection ASAP – Ban Extractive Activities in Canada\u2019s Marine Protected Areas<\/a>
\nBy Tamara Walton<\/p>\n

Sustainable, Really?<\/a>
\nBy Russel Chiong<\/p>\n

Stop Cheap Shrimp<\/a>
\nBy Arvin Bahrabadi<\/p>\n

Oil and water don\u2019t mix, neither should bottom trawling and EU MPA\u2019s<\/a>
\nBy Karen Ballantyne<\/p>\n

Banning Plastic Bags from the UBC Campus<\/a>
\nBy Pablo Madrigal<\/p>\n

Don’t kill them with kindness: Re-evaulating marine ecotourism<\/a>
\nBy Nick Hseih<\/p>\n

Invest in Future (Fisheries) Stock – Improving Protections for Canadian Marine Fishes<\/a>
\nBy Megan Fass<\/p>\n

Putting the “Protected” back in Canada’s Marine Protected Areas<\/a>
\nBy Linnea Morgan<\/p>\n

\n

2017 Policy briefings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ban the Boom! Seismic surveys threaten Canadian marine life<\/a>
\nby Karyssa Arnett<\/p>\n

Saving Big Eddy<\/a>
\nby Hannah Avenant<\/p>\n

Swamped with value: Recommendations for coastal wetland conservation in projects under Federal Environmental Assessment Review<\/a>
\nby Maya Guttmann<\/p>\n

On the Right Track: but it is Time to Fully Protect BC\u2019s Sea of Glass<\/a>
\nby Linnea Harder<\/p>\n

Ban the Butts<\/a>
\nby Brian Hendriks<\/p>\n

Tax the Tails<\/a>
\nby Elizabeth Herbert<\/p>\n

Ban coral-harming sunscreen<\/a>
\nby Francine Josephine<\/p>\n

Mangrove Conservation In The Philippines<\/a>
\nby Cherri Lau<\/p>\n

Defining Protection in Canada\u2019s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)<\/a>
\nby Julia Lehn<\/p>\n

The Pawns of Thailand\u2019s Prawn Industry<\/a>
\nBy Cheryl Liu<\/p>\n

Ghosts of the Sea<\/a>
\nby Kevin Matsuo<\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s Northern Cod Fishery Moratorium<\/a>
\nby Brittany Ng<\/p>\n

A place on the precipice: the Southern Strait of Georgia<\/a>
\nby Erin Pippus<\/p>\n

Microbead Ban: No Longer Optional<\/a>
\nby Gabriella Schauber<\/p>\n

Do you know what you\u2019re eating? Immediate improvements needed to seafood product labeling in Canada<\/a>.
\nby Siena Smith<\/p>\n

[Note\u00a0There was no course in 2016 as it changed\u00a0 from a Fall course in 2015 (Sept to Nov) to a Winter course (Jan to March) for 2017.]<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

2015 Policy Briefings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Preventing\u00a0a\u00a0Pickle\u00a0with\u00a0Cucumbers<\/a>
\nby Daphne Austin<\/p>\n

Microbeads: a Macro\u00a0Problem<\/a>
\nby Maggie Bell<\/p>\n

BC\u2019s Herring Fishery<\/a>
\nby Blaire Cameron<\/p>\n

Iron Fertilization: few should\u00a0not decide the fate of many when risks remain uncertain<\/a>
\nby Claire Cameron<\/p>\n

The Necessity of Montreal\u2019s Untreated Sewage Discharge<\/a>
\nby Cody Carlyle<\/p>\n

Who Controls the Arctic?<\/a>
\nby Peter Cheng<\/p>\n

Humpback whales: more than just a special concern<\/a>
\nby Sandra Emry<\/p>\n

Phoenix Rising from the Ashes: Reviving Dead Zones<\/a>
\nby Richard Gao<\/p>\n

Seabed Mining:\u00a0Impacts of Experimental Deep Sea Mining<\/a>
\nby Tamara Harris<\/p>\n

Take a Stand for Whales, not Whaling<\/a>
\nby Mark Henry<\/p>\n

Banning the sale of Red-Listed seafood is the green choice for Canada\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Virginia Hermanson<\/p>\n

Little shrimp, jumbo impact:\u00a0why Canada should ban farmed shrimp imports<\/a>
\nby Sarah Keller<\/p>\n

Key Stakeholder in Fisheries Management neglected:\u00a0Women fishers need to be considered<\/a>
\nby Hilary Low<\/p>\n

Look, Don\u2019t Touch.\u00a0Protecting Florida Manatees<\/a>
\nby Lori Ludwig<\/p>\n

Mercury: An Industrial Meal<\/a>
\nby Donny Mackintosh<\/p>\n

Open-Ocean Net-Cage Salmon Farming in BC<\/a>
\nby Daniel Millerd<\/p>\n

Turning Down the Volume on\u00a0Growing Ocean Noise
\n<\/a>by Simon-Luc Noel<\/p>\n

Horrors at Sea:\u00a0Calling on the Thai Government to take immediate action\u00a0against the Human Trafficking crisis<\/a>
\nby Sachiko Ouchi<\/p>\n

Plastically speaking<\/a>
\nby Thea Rachinski<\/p>\n

Defusing\u00a0the\u00a0Territorial\u00a0Dispute\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0Spratly\u00a0Islands<\/a>
\nby John Shannon<\/p>\n

Yes or No to GMO: should Canada be involved?<\/a>
\nby Brock Staller<\/p>\n

\u2018Whale\u2019 You Turn That Down?! Noise Pollution and BC\u2019s Southern\u00a0Resident Killer Whales\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Michelle Stevens<\/p>\n

Canada-Wide Adoption\u00a0of the Seafood Watch Program\u2019s\u00a0Seafood Recommendation Labels<\/a>
\nby Erik Toren<\/p>\n

\n

2014 Policy Briefings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing<\/a>
\nby Theodore Back<\/p>\n

Deep sea mining: an ocean odyssey we need to take?<\/a>
\nby Toby Buttress<\/p>\n

No sewage treatment is unacceptable<\/a>
\nby Eva Chu<\/p>\n

Sink or swim<\/a>
\nby Sarina Clay-Smith<\/p>\n

Bad Habits, Bad Habitats Canada\u2019s weakened Fisheries Act fails to protect marine species<\/a>
\nby Brittany Derrick<\/p>\n

Keep British Columbia Beautiful. Pipe Up Against Enbridge<\/a>
\nby Natasha\u00a0Dudley<\/p>\n

Shark Finning in Thailand:\u00a0You can\u2019t afford NOT to stop!\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Jake Dytnerski<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t use the\u00a0Ocean as\u00a0a\u00a0toilet<\/a>
\nby Salar\u00a0Fazeli<\/p>\n

LNG on Lelu Island?<\/a>
\nby Hannah Fiegenbaum<\/p>\n

Would you poop in this harbor?<\/a>
\nby Rebecca Fiorito<\/p>\n

Fishing with poison: cyanide fishing in the Philippines<\/a>
\nby Ivan Gill<\/p>\n

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna:\u00a0This is Your Next Move<\/a>
\nby Aimee Guile<\/p>\n

Shifting from Atlantic salmon aquaculture to Arctic Char closed-loop farming<\/a>
\nby Steve Healy<\/p>\n

Mercury is swimming on your plate<\/a>
\nby Mary Kassis<\/p>\n

Harmful: Cruise ship sewage disposal<\/a>
\nby Shannon Keffe<\/p>\n

Competition with Whales:\u00a0A Myth<\/a>
\nby Josephine Ling<\/p>\n

Reduce pressure on threatened trophy fish through\u00a0policy change<\/a>
\nby Jeremy Mayer<\/p>\n

Pipe\u00a0up\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0BC\u00a0coast<\/a>
\nby Kate\u00a0McGivney<\/p>\n

Fight from the Coastlines\u00a0Front Line<\/a>
\nby Liria Nair<\/p>\n

Say NO to Shrimp Slavery in Thailand<\/a>
\nby Tiffany Nam<\/p>\n

Shark Finning: A social science\u00a0approach that works<\/a>
\nby Eva Regehr<\/p>\n

Protecting Caribbean Coral Reefs<\/a>
\nby Manreet Sangha<\/p>\n

Prevent Arctic oil spills: dangerous and destructive<\/a>
\nby Jemma\u00a0Titheridge<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Ban Plastic Bags! <\/a>
\nby Kelsey Webb<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2013 Policy Briefings<\/strong>\u00a0(links to pdf)
\n
\nSave the Reefs in the Philippines\u2026 Save their Souls
\n<\/a>by Bernard Lee<\/p>\n

Stopping Captive Dolphins from Performing in Aquariums!<\/a>
\nby BingLu Zhang<\/p>\n

“Big Eddy” – The Juan de Fuca Eddy Ecosystem.\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Cassandra Girdlestone<\/p>\n

Ocean Acidification: The Importance of a Proactive Management Plan for Canadian Fisheries.\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Chris Ketcheson<\/p>\n

What\u2019s for dinner? Lionfish! How eating lionfish can help coral reefs.<\/a>
\nby Courtney Graham<\/p>\n

For the Love of Humans, Fish and Biodiversity<\/a>
\nby Emma Jackson<\/p>\n

Closed System Aquaculture:\u00a0the future of sustainable salmon farms\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Erica Hunter<\/p>\n

Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture in Canada\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Jarred Cacnio<\/p>\n

Equality Among All Fish\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Jennifer Sun<\/p>\n

Marine Parks: No-Take Marine Protected Area\u2019s In Canada\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Kalie McGratten<\/p>\n

Why should we incorporate traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) from the B.C.\u2019s First Nations peoples in regulations and licensing requirements for salmon farms in British Columbia?\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Katelyn Dick<\/p>\n

Womens’ roles in fisheries: Changes to improve their futures<\/a>
\nby Kristen Walters<\/p>\n

Marine Debris: Taking\u00a0Back What is Ours\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Logan Makaroff<\/p>\n

Who is Canada\u2019s Species At Risk Act Protecting? Necessary Amendments to the SARA\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Megan Eadie<\/p>\n

Vegetarian Fish: Dietary Phytase: A potential solution to reducing the costs and pollution associated with aquaculture\u00a0<\/a>
\nby Megan Webster<\/p>\n

To Dredge or Not to Dredge?<\/a>
\nby Melanie Ang<\/p>\n

Shifting Gears in Pacific Fisheries<\/a>
\nby Piper-Lynn Brady<\/p>\n

Bottom Trawling has no place in a Sustainable\u00a0Ocean<\/a>
\nby Reed Lannan<\/p>\n

Sea Waste Disposal: Cause For Concern<\/a>
\nby Shari Mang<\/p>\n

Renovating Fishing Policy to Prevent Potential Fishery Collapse
\n<\/a>by Takuhiro Someya<\/p>\n

Too Valuable to Protect: Socioeconomic Factors Hinder Listing of Marine Species Under SARA
\n<\/a>by Vivian Hui<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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