An assistant professor at the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture in Truro has been named Canada Research Chair in Aquaculture and Nutrition.
Stefanie Columbo also received funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund as part of its partnership with the Canada Research Chairs Program.
The focus of Colombo’s research is discovering innovative ways to improve nutrition in aquaculture and contribute toward improved, healthier and environmentally-sustainable and economically-viable farmed seafood.
As well, David VanderZwaag, a professor in the Dalhousie Faculty of Law, was reappointed as Canada Research Chair in Ocean Law and Governance. VanderZwaag’s research aims to strengthen ocean law and governance at the global, regional and national levels in support of sustainable seas and vibrant coastal communities.
He is tracking and seeking to influence global efforts to negotiate a new international agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity on the high seas. This includes:
- assessing the seaworthiness of the Paris Agreement, with a focus on whether climate change and ocean acidity threats to ecosystems are being adequately addressed; and
- advocating for the need for more comprehensive and precautionary approaches to control the long-range transport of pollutants into the marine environment, considering indigenous and human rights.
His regional research will explore future directions for ocean governance in the arctic and take stock of Canada’s transboundary fisheries management arrangements. The effectiveness of regional fisheries management organizations, such as the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), in implementing precautionary and ecosystem approaches, will also be investigated.
VanderZwaag will also continue to assess and critique Canadian national legislative and regulatory approaches to ocean and coastal governance. His priority topics include modernizing the Fisheries Act; fixing major gaps in the Species at Risk Act; updating the Oceans Act; and building new legislative frameworks for offshore aquaculture and renewable ocean energy developments.
