COMPASS: A new communication partnership for science and the sea

George H. Leonard, Ph.D.
Monterey Bay Aquarium

Wednesday, March 21, 2001
3:00 p.m.—Pacific Forum

COMPASS (Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea) is a new collaboration among the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Island Press, SeaWeb and an independent Board of Scientific Experts, chaired by Jane Lubchenco at Oregon State University. COMPASS seeks to facilitate a transition to more sustainable ocean practices and policies through advancing and communicating marine conservation science. By engaging in a variety of activities, COMPASS:

	Catalyzes communication among marine scientists, policy makers, the media and the concerned public;
	Stimulates interdisciplinary, conservation-oriented research and action by marine scientists, and
	Translates scientific concepts and information into accessible forms to help improve marine policy and management.

During today’s seminar, I will describe the impetus for the COMPASS program and our recent work on marine reserves, media outreach, training of scientists in communication skills and the publication and promotion of conservation-oriented books. COMPASS hopes that the outcome of all these activities will be to quicken the pace of solutions to important marine conservation problems.