Apologies for cross postings - Announcing the 2nd International Marine Conservation Congress Victoria, Canada 14-18 May 2011 Making Marine Science Matter The Marine Section of the Society for Conservation Biology will be hosting the Second International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC2) from 14-18 May 2011 at the Victoria Convention Centre, British Columbia, Canada. New themes for this conference include: • Innovative techniques and technology for marine conservation; • The Human dimension for marine conservation; • Advancing marine conservation through International treaties; • The changing Arctic; • Marine conservation awareness and outreach; • Climate and the changing oceans; • Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture; • Conservation at the land/sea interface; and • Effective Marine Spatial Planning. During interactive symposia and workshops, we will challenge participants to go beyond one-way communication. Each of these sessions will address specific topics within major themes and develop innovative solutions to current conservation challenges. Symposium organizers will invite a select group of speakers and devise creative ways to facilitate discussion. Workshops will consist of multi-disciplinary teams focused on crafting policy and management recommendations, briefings, conservation action plans, white papers or peer-reviewed publications. The Congress organizers can also assist agencies, NGOs and other groups to organize receptions and academic or social events with a variety of venues available, including rooms at the conference center, at the adjacent Empress Hotel or the nearby Maritime Museum. The Congress will open on 14th May with an evening reception at the Shaw Ocean Centre, Sidney BC, near Victoria. The event will close on the evening of 18th May with a final reception at the Royal BC Museum, Victoria. The first International Marine Conservation Congress was held on 20-24 May 2009 at George Mason University near Washington D.C. The meeting brought over 1,200 scientists, managers and policy-makers together, with over 16 simultaneous conference sessions, symposia and workshops, and over twenty associated events, training sessions and activities, making it one of the largest academic marine conservation conferences ever held. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of the next step in this critical process! Important Deadlines and Dates: • 1 August 2010 – Deadline for symposium and workshop proposal submission • 1 December 2010 – Deadline for poster and spoken presentation abstracts Further announcements and details will be posted later. Please email imcc2chair@gmail.com for more information. A website and Facebook page are under construction. Stay tuned! See you in Victoria! Dori Dick Posted on behalf of the Marine Section, Society for Conservation Biology