Knowledge to action – protecting ocean life through marine science

Angela Bednarek

The Pew Environment Group

• Lenfest Ocean Program – funding policy-relevant science

• Challenges in moving from knowledge to action• Ways to making scientific information relevant to

policy

Knowledge to action

Traditional Scientific Inquiry Model

Making Science Relevant to Policy

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Types of Research

• Ecosystem Impacts of Fishing

• Social and Economic Impacts of Fishing

• Sustainable Fisheries Management

• Sustainable Marine Aquaculture

Case study:Rebuilding Fish Populations

Lingcod-North

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Challenges

• Maintaining the “thin line”

• How much science is enough

• Science as a tool

1. Learn the policy context.

2. Learn about research in other disciplines related to your issue.

3. Make sure research questions are relevant to policy.

4. Conduct research or evaluation in a timely fashion.

5. Write up research and/or publish it in a timely fashion.

Top Ten Steps to Making Scientific Research Relevant to Policy

6. Take steps to keep results unbiased.

7. Make sure the research publications are publicly available.

8. Commit to communicating research results broadly and effectively.

9. Make data publicly available.

10. Value all of these components in other scientists.

Top Ten Steps to Making Scientific Research Relevant to Policy

Protecting ocean life through marine science

www.lenfestocean.org