Canada and the EU foster cooperation on marine conservation at the Second Ocean Partnership Forum

The second Canada-EU Ocean Partnership Forum, which occurred on May 20 to 21, 2025 in Ottawa, Ontario brought together approximately 50 scientists, non-government organizations, industry, Indigenous representatives, and youth to discuss innovation and marine conservation.

The goal of the Canada-EU Ocean Partnership Forum (OPF) is to increase cooperation on ocean governance. It seeks to link tools and marine and maritime knowledge aimed at the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of the ocean, seas and marine resources. Ocean observation, monitoring and marine data are the foundation for research, innovation and management and thus paramount to efficiently protecting and sustainably managing the ocean.

Over two days, attendees discussed the various steps in advancing marine conservation and protection, including the identification, engagement, management, and monitoring aspects of the conservation process.

• Identification: Participants explored how areas for protection and conservation are identified in Canada and the EU.
• Engagement: Participants discussed the role of stakeholders, partnership, and collaboration, in developing area-based management tools (ABMTs, such as marine protected areas) .
• Management: Participants dove into the various aspects of managing ABMTs, namely reporting, financing, adaptive management, and data management as applied by each country.
• Monitoring: Participants exchanged views on how conserved areas are monitored, namely though ecological monitoring, including innovative approaches.

A series of case studies explored how the conservation process has played out in the Great Bear Sea, the Canadian Pacific Coast, and in the Azores islands. Presentations by key stakeholders also explored the role of youth and governance in these conversations.

The OPF was an opportunity to show the value of the Canada-EU Ocean Partnership Agreement and allowed for exchange between European and Canadian experts coming from science and policy. Sharing information on marine conservation initiatives, promoting partnerships, and highlighting achievements help future planning and coordination between nations and networks across the Atlantic Ocean.

The third OPF will be hosted by the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, in 2028.

Background

Ocean governance is a shared challenge and responsibility, and only international cooperation can ensure the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, their resources and ecosystems.

The Ocean Partnerships on ocean affairs are a pillar of the EU International Ocean Governance agenda, as reiterated in the 2022 Joint Communication on International Ocean Governance. Both Canada and the EU recognize that sharing of data across boundaries supports management and drives entrepreneurial, civil society, academic and educational activities.

This is why Canada and the EU signed an Ocean Partnership Agreement in 2019. This Ocean Partnership Agreement includes clear commitments to combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries, marine pollution and climate change. It will also help to facilitate the sustainable development of marine and maritime sectors and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Ocean Partnership Forum fosters Canada and the EU’s commitment to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 regarding ocean science, observation, environmental monitoring and prediction.