Indigenous Knowledge invaluable in identifying important habitats
Conservation and management decisions require an understanding of important habitats for species. “Identifying such habitat begins with looking at the environmental conditions that animals use consistently,” said Dr. Marie Auger-Méthé, Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and Department of Statistics, and a co-author of a recent paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Indigenous Knowledge can provide a holistic understanding of species’ habitat use given that it “contains, among other things, observations of multiple species across seasons and includes animals’ complex relationships with other species and habitats,” said Dr. Rowenna Gryba, lead author of the recent paper and a settler who undertook this research as part of her PhD work at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and Department of Statistics.
Current methods for estimating critical habitat are limited
Despite Indigenous Knowledge providing valuable insights into species’ habitat use, conservation and management decisions tend to be made solely based on ‘Western’ scientific data, which is often limited to what can be determined from, for example, telemetry or aerial surveys. Data collected using these methods typically suffer small sample sizes and span short durations. Such limitations are especially problematic when conservation and management decisions involve rapidly changing habitats and hard-to-track species, such as Arctic seals.
Searching for seals on the Beaufort Sea. Photo credit: Rowenna Gryba.
Researchers from UBC collaborated with Indigenous Knowledge holders of Utqiaġvik, Alaska and the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management to co-produce an approach to translate Indigenous Knowledge of relationships between local species and their habitats into a format compatible with ‘Western’ scientific frameworks– a process that the authors acknowledge can be extractive. However, this approach was developed in recognition of the need for Indigenous Knowledge to be more readily included in ‘Western’ conservation management approaches.
Indigenous Knowledge improves understanding of species’ habitat use
The authors applied their approach to a case study on ringed seals – a species that is important culturally and for subsistence to many Inuit – but whose critical habitat has previously been debated. Given that Iñupiat hunters observe ringed seals across seasons, and throughout the region, the knowledge they shared with the authors provided detailed information about ringed seals’ relationships with different habitats and environmental variables, such as sea ice concentration.
The Indigenous Knowledge shared was documented qualitatively, quantitatively, and spatially and then statistically characterized to estimate habitat use and important areas for ringed seals throughout the region using Indigenous Knowledge as the only data source. Indigenous Knowledge holders contributed throughout the process, “providing needed corrections to accurately reflect the Indigenous Knowledge shared and also to ensure the results were meaningful and accurate,” explained Gryba.
Ringed seal in Alaska. NMFS Permit No. 350-1434. Photo credit: Rowenna Gryba
Their study is the first to solely use Indigenous Knowledge in habitat models to identify important habitats while accounting for dynamic habitat types and complex species-habitat relationships. “We showed that Indigenous Knowledge reflects some of the same processes that ‘Western’ science approaches have captured,” explained Gryba. “But we also showed that Indigenous Knowledge provides population-level understanding that satellite telemetry has not yet been able to capture and reflect. For example, how ringed seals use sea ice and currents.” This new approach is especially useful in the context of climate change, as sea ice thickness and the timing of ice formation and retreat vary annually and can affect habitat use by Arctic seals.
Centring Indigenous Knowledge in conservation and management
Utqiaġvik, Alaska. Photo credit: Rowenna Gryba.
Recognizing Indigenous Knowledge as a robust knowledge source and supporting Indigenous-led management frameworks can provide more detailed insights to better inform conservation and management decisions and contribute to decolonizing current management approaches. Taqulik Hepa, subsistence hunter and Director of the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, explained, “this approach helps to show the depth of understanding of Indigenous Knowledge and there is a need to help grow the understanding of Indigenous Knowledge for management use.”
The study “Indigenous Knowledge as a sole data source in habitat selection functions” was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Tags: Alaska, animal movement, Arctic, faculty, habitats, Indigenous fisheries, Indigenous Knowledge, IOF students, Marie Auger-Methe, movement ecology, seals
ScholarGPS publishes its list of Highly Ranked Scholars for 2024
ScholarGPS has published its list of Highly Ranked Scholars for 2024, and the University of British Columbia, and Institute for Oceans and Fisheries scholars received honours.
First, University of British Columbia was ranked 21 in the Global Overall Academic Institutional Rankings, and 25 for the past five years. Nationally, it was ranked 2 both for lifetime and for prior five years. In terms of disciplines, it ranked 2 over lifetime and 1 over prior 5 years in “Wildlife and Fish”. In the specialties area, it ranked 1 for ecosystem, fishing, fish physiology, and marine ecosystems.
| Discipline/Speciality | Scholar | Lifetime | Prior 5 Years |
| Wildlife and Fish | Daniel Pauly | 4 | 4 |
| Carl Walters | 7 | ||
| Tony Pitcher | 19 | ||
| Rashid Sumaila | 25 | 6 | |
| William Cheung | 18 | ||
| Climate Change | William Cheung | 79 | 36 |
| Ecosystem | Villy Christensen | 64 | |
| Daniel Pauly | 31 | ||
| Fishing | Daniel Pauly | 4 | |
| Rashid Sumaila | 9 | ||
| Marine Ecosystem | Daniel Pauly | 6 | |
| Rashid Sumaila | 1 |
Congratulations to all!
First ever global map of fishmeal and fish oil factories exposes industry’s footprint
Fishmeal powder. Credit: Phu Thinh Co, CC BY-SA 2.0
Published in Science Advances, the study delivers the first-ever open-source global map of FMFO factories—506 in total, spread across 63 countries, with Peru, Mauritania, and Chile hosting the highest numbers.
“Production of fishmeal is a major issue in aquaculture. Understanding where FMFO production occurs is essential for addressing its environmental, social, and economic impacts,” said lead author, Lauren Shea, who conducted this research while a Master’s student at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. “Knowing that, along with what species are being used and how it affects local environments and economies, can support the development of more transparent and responsible aquaculture practices.”
Spatial distribution of factories: Factories are color-coded by data type. Factories in dark blue represent plants whose locations we were able to verify using satellite imagery and company website information. Green shaded circles represent and are scaled to the number of factories per producing country.
This makes the industry both vital and controversial, according to the study’s authors. On one hand, it supports aquaculture, which is essential for meeting global seafood demand as wild fish stocks decline. On the other hand, its reliance on wild-caught, small-pelagic fish—like anchovies and sardines—which are critical to the dietary backbone for communities in regions like West Africa and Southeast Asia.
“Dependence on the global FMFO trade could undermine food security while fueling unsustainable fishing practices,” explained Dr. Rashid Sumaila, professor at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and senior author on the study. “This is not just an environmental issue—it’s about justice and equity.”
The study used satellite imagery, national databases, and industry certifications to verify factory locations and raw material use. Company websites, government lists, and open-source certification data were also cross-referenced.
Example of factory location verification using the Google Maps satellite layer. All factories had large warehouses and cylindrical tanks for FMFO processing and storage (highlighted in yellow boxes). Factories were typically located on the waterfront and clustered together in industrial zones.
The researchers emphasised that the database was just a starting point. Regular updates and deeper dives into factory-level environmental and social impacts are essential next steps, noting that countries like China, a major FMFO player, remain opaque due to language barriers, lack of public reporting, and minimal online presence from producers.
“With more transparent data, governments and organizations can better regulate FMFO sourcing, track environmental impacts, and support alternatives—like plant-based feeds or novel proteins—that reduce pressure on wild fish stocks,” said Shea. “By-products can be a sustainable solution when managed properly. Improved data could further enable traceability, helping ensure that seafood products are sourced responsibly throughout the supply chain.”
Dr. Sumaila agreed, noting that frameworks, like the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), which encourages governments to publish key data on fish production and trade, are excellent tools to use in conjunction with this map database. He highlights Mauritania, a FiTI member, for its leadership in its publicly accessible factory list.
“Science can only go so far,” said Sumaila. “We need political will, corporate accountability, and community engagement to drive real change. If aquaculture is going to be part of a sustainable food future, we need better data, smarter policies, and ethical sourcing of feed ingredients,” he said.
Spatial Distribution of Fishmeal and Fish Oil Factories Around the Globe was published in Science Advances.
Deep-sea mining risks leads study to urge shift to circular solutions
Deep-sea mining (DSM) not only poses significant environmental, social, and economic risks that may have far-reaching implications for coastal communities and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), it is also likely to negatively affect the business community, including insurers and investors, says a new study by researchers from the University of British Columbia and the Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.
Small scale fisheries in Brazil.Image by Fotos-GE/Pixabay
DSM operations are expected to increase the negative impact on environmental indicators by up to 13 per cent, a change categorized as having “great” significance, relative to the “without” DSM scenario, the study published in PLOS One said, notably through increased coastal vulnerability, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
“The risks associated with DSM extend well beyond environmental degradation — they pose significant hazards for marine ecosystems, coastal and Indigenous communities, and for businesses, in particular, the insurance industry,” said Dr. Rashid Sumaila, professor at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) and School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA), and senior author of the study.
“The potential liabilities inherent in DSM activities necessitate a reassessment of current insurance models,” said Dr. Sumaila. “Our analysis indicated a surge in risk factors will lead to a large increase in economic risks, with an estimated 11 per cent rise in threats, including contractual violations and loss and profitability risks, which could have major implications for insurers, as they directly impact risk assessment models and industry stability.”
Key West, Florida during Hurricane Denis.(Pixabay)
Dr. Lubna Alam, research associate at The University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, and associate fellow at the Institute for Environment and Development of the National University of Malaysia, first author of the study pointed to recent climate change impacts already disrupting coastal insurance markets, including rising sea levels, more frequent hurricanes, and extreme weather events. “Think, for example, of places like Florida, in the United States, where its coastal environment is increasingly vulnerable to hurricanes, rising sea levels, and flooding. Insurance companies are pulling out of these high-risk areas. If the flood risk in your area surges up by 11 per cent, it would have a chilling effect on insurance companies.
“That’s exactly the kind of warning this 11 per cent increase signals for nature,” said Dr. Alam. “And nature, unfortunately, cannot renegotiate its premiums.”
“We have also seen the unexpected impact of oil and gas catastrophes on the marine environment. The Exxon Valdez leak in Alaska in 1989 had devastating impacts on the local environment, and resulted in Exxon spending billions of dollars on clean-up costs and punitive damages. The Deepwater Horizon well blowout in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico is considered one of the largest environmental disasters in world history, and continues to impact the area. Again, the economic costs paid by BP have been in the billions, and the environmental and health costs continue to affect the area,” said Dr. Sumaila. “And these are environmental disasters that occurred in large developed countries. How would they impact SIDS, which are much closer to the areas that would see the DSM activities?”
For small island states, climate change is also producing severe financial and economic consequences, which have resulted in greater risk scores, driving coverage higher or making it unavailable. An independent researcher from India, Ms. K. Pradhoshini, a co-author of this study, commented that, “many island nations are already facing reduced participation from private insurers, forcing governments to provide state-backed insurance with limited coverage. In such a scenario, a high-risk score, as observed through our study, can negatively impact a country’s sovereign credit rating, increasing borrowing costs. This makes it harder for small island states to secure international funding for infrastructure and climate adaptation projects.”
“Fisheries and tourism – key economic sectors for many small island states – are also directly tied to environmental stability. If risk scores rise due to climate threats or ecosystem degradation from DSM, businesses may suffer losses, leading to employment instability, discouragement of investment, limitations on financial growth, and economic instability,” said Ms. Pradoshini.
Tuna for sale at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Dr. Sumaila concurs, noting that currently projected plans for DSM are targeted for the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean, one of the richest tuna fishing areas in the world. “Rising ocean temperatures are already causing tuna species to migrate eastward, reducing the catch within the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Pacific SIDS, with a potential economic loss of up to $140 million annually by 2050 for these nations. Deep-sea mining activities can create sediment plumes, introduce noise and light pollution, and discharge water with higher concentrations of metals, potentially disrupting tuna habitats and altering their migration patterns, which would have a devastating effect on the sustainability of tuna fisheries and the economic resilience of SIDS.”
The study advocates for a shift toward circular economy strategies, such as enhanced recycling and urban mining, which offer sustainable alternatives to DSM. These approaches could reduce the risk exposure that all parties currently face, by mitigating the environmental and economic uncertainties linked to deep-sea mining operations. “Recently, researchers claim to have developed a process to recover nearly all of the lithium from used electric vehicle batteries for recycling,” said Dr. Sumaila. “This is an example of other technologies that would help meet the growing demand for essential materials while dramatically reducing environmental and social risks.”
“Circular solutions can maximize our resource efficiency, extending the lifecycle of materials and promoting the reuse and recycling of existing stock of metals already in cirulation. This approach will not only decrease the demand for virgin minerals, but also minimizes waste, leading to a substantial reduction in the overall environmental footprint,” Dr. Sumaila concluded.
Deep-sea mining and its risks for social-ecological systems: Insights from simulation-based analyses, was published in PLOS ONE.
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The UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF)’s envisions a world where the ocean, freshwater systems, and those dependent on it – from microbes to plankton, fish to marine mammals, and human populations – are healthy and their resources are used sustainably and equitably. With climate change, overfishing, and habitat loss destabilizing vital ecosystems, a transformative shift is needed to avoid a global ecological and economic collapse. Our integrated research programs span the natural and social sciences, including aquatic ecology, economics, zoology, anthropology, sociology, oceanography, marine geochemistry, microbiology, resource management, and international maritime law. Through a combination of research and outreach, we seek to understand and address the overall impacts of our changing global environment on marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy is dedicated to fostering a healthy balance between people and nature, with a strong focus on environmental conservation. Through collaborations in advocacy, education, scientific research, technology, and community-driven initiatives, we aim to create lasting positive change that supports the well-being of all life on earth for a sustainable future.
Tags: circular solutions, deep sea mining, Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy, fisheries management, insurance, IOF Research Associates, Lubna Alam, metals, Pacific Ocean, pollution, Publications, Rashid Sumaila, recycling, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), temperatures, tourism, tuna, tuna fisheries
Cooperating to tackle plastic pollution
Plastics play a valuable role in daily life and across industries, but their production and waste have severe environmental consequences. Mismanaged plastic waste persists in marine environments and food webs for centuries and cause harm to marine species that have ingested or been entangled in it.
In addition, greenhouse gas emissions from plastic manufacturing contributes to rising global temperatures causing environmental damage estimated to cost millions of dollars.
The widespread and long-term consequences of plastic pollution necessitate intervention to reduce the environmental and economic damages. Addressing these concerns – and meeting international targets for mitigating climate change, such as those outlined in the Paris Agreement – may include slowing the production of single-use plastics and focusing on re-use and recycling.
“Plastic bottles and garbage on the bank of a river” by Horia Varlan is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Addressing plastic pollution at the source
Previously, interventions on plastic pollution have focused on the demand-side, by implementing taxes or bans on single-use plastics. These often face public resistance and fail to target the primary sources of plastic production.
A recent study by researchers from the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) shifted the focus of intervention to the supply-side, by evaluating the potential environmental and economic outcomes of a voluntary levy on the top 100 plastic producers. This shift in focus could “limit the generation of new plastics at its origin and incentivize manufacturers to invest in recycled plastics and sustainable alternatives,” said Dr. Ibrahim Issifu, research associate at the IOF, and the study’s primary author.
A voluntary levy on plastic producers
Collective action from manufacturers, policymakers, and society is needed to most effectively address plastic pollution. As such, the voluntary levy operates using a framework of cooperative behaviour, aligning the stakeholder’s incentives toward a common objective. A cooperative framework “ensures sustained commitment, as participants are more likely to adhere to agreements when they perceive them as fair and beneficial,” says Dr. Ilyass Dahmouni, co-author and an adjunct faculty member at the IOF. Cooperation from profit-driven companies would be dependent on whether the perceived benefits to them, from environmental improvements and public perception of their environmental responsibility, outweigh the cost of the levy.
“smoke stacks” by bionicteaching is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
The researchers estimated the plastic production emissions contributing to global warming, and used economic models to assess the financial implications of imposing a voluntary levy on the top 100 plastic producers. Then, using game theory, they projected the environmental and economic impacts of manufacturers adopting the levy at varying levels of cooperation, ranging from non-compliance to full participation.
The projected benefits of cooperation
The researchers found that under the scenario with the highest level of cooperation, global plastic production emissions could decrease by 70% by 2050, while recycling rates would rise by 73%. “This scenario not only curbs plastic production; it also reduces CO2 emissions, thereby contributing to meeting the target set by the Paris Agreement”, says Dr. Rashid Sumaila, professor at IOF and UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA), and director of the Fisheries Economics Research Unit, and senior co-author.
The levy, which was designed to minimize adverse impacts on the cost of living while supporting plastic recycling initiatives, would also contribute to broader environmental objectives, such as marine conservation.
The findings suggested that while plastic production may continue to grow, it can do so at a more controlled pace to align with environmental targets.
“Fishing Gear + Wildlife Entanglement” by Ingrid Valda Taylar is licensed under CC BY 2.0
“Collaborative efforts—driven by policies and shared responsibility—could significantly curb emissions, safeguard marine habitats, and support global climate efforts,” said Issifu. The study demonstrates that meaningful progress is achievable under a voluntary levy, but without strong action, plastic pollution will persist at unsustainable levels.
“This study has reinforced my optimism about humanity’s capacity to address complex environmental challenges through innovative policy tools and cooperative behavior,” added Dahmouni.
“Assessing the ecological and economic transformation pathways of plastic production system” was published in the Journal of Environmental Management.
Tags: adjunct faculty, climate change, faculty, FERU, Ibrahim Issifu, Ilyass Dahmouni, IOF Research Associates, Paris Agreement, plastic, pollution, Publications, Rashid Sumaila, recycling
Dr. William Cheung gives Ronald O. Ball Lecture at University of Alberta
On March 11, 2025, Dr. William Cheung, director and professor of the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Oceans and Fisheries, gave the Ronald O. Ball Lecture at the University of Alberta.
His presentation was titled:
Making Waves: Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Face of Extreme Events and Irreversible Climate Impacts
Climate-driven phenomena have a profound impact on global fisheries and aquaculture systems. Disruptions such as marine heatwaves, hypoxia and compound events are reshaping aquatic ecosystems with drastic ecological and socioeconomic implications – for both marine life and humankind. Are Earth’s oceans reaching a tipping point? Could this lead to a global food production collapse?
William Cheung, director and professor of the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Oceans and Fisheries will address these impacts including shifts in species distributions, social-ecological impacts and tipping points, threats to food and nutritional security, as well as the challenges they pose to resource management and conservation policies. He will explore low-probability, high-impact events and irreversible changes in marine ecosystems and highlight adaptation strategies and policy responses necessary to build resilience in aquatic food systems as they face increasing risks and uncertainties.
William Cheung is a Professor and Director of the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, the University of British Columbia. He is a Canada Research Chair in Ocean Sustainability and Global Change. He studies the nexus of food-climate-biodiversity in the ocean. He is the Principal Investigator of the Changing Ocean Research Unit at UBC. He serves as Director for a 6-year SSHRC Partnership “Solving the Sustainability Challenges at the Food-Climate-Biodiversity Nexus”. He is an international leader in developing and using scenarios and models to explore solution options and pathways to desirable and sustainable ocean futures. His work addresses policy-relevant research questions and cuts across multiple disciplines, from oceanography to ecology, economics and social sciences. His research ranges from local to global scales.
William has published over 260 peer-reviewed papers and more than 50 book chapters and reports. He is actively involved in international and regional initiatives that bridge science and policy. For instance, he was a Coordinating Lead Author in the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in the Changing Climate and core author of the Synthesis Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment. He has received multiple international and national awards and recognitions, including the Prix d’Excellence Award of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas. The E.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship, the A. G. Huntsman Award for Excellence in the Marine Sciences, and named by Reuter as the top 20 world’s most influential climate scientists. William obtained his BSc and M.Phil. from the University of Hong Kong and completed his PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies at the University of British Columbia.