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OCS Conference 2008
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Australian Museum Sydney NSW
22-24th of September 2008
The Oceania Chondrichthyan Society invites you to participate in its second workshop and conference 'Priority areas concerning the sustainability of sharks globally with specific emphasis on the Oceania region.' The aim of the workshop is to gain an overview (and possible consensus) of the priority areas concerning the sustainability of sharks globally with specific emphasis on the Oceania region. This year's workshop provides a key opportunity to contribute to and direct the assessment of priority areas for future research and management of sharks, particularly within Australian waters. The workshop will be developed to be all inclusive of participants, provide benefit to all parties involved in the OCS workshop providing outcomes that WWF and others would be able to further use and build on after the event. The workshop will be focused on the recent changes to the Australasian chondrichthyan fauna (some 100 new species formally described most in the past 12 months) with a focus on those species that interact with fisheries and the possible ramifications for fisheries and conservation management. The workshop will have a strong emphasis on the east coast of Australia in light of these new descriptions. The workshop will focus on: > immediate implications for management (primarily focused on fisheries and gears);
Conference Themes:
Conference Program and Abstracts Download the OCS 2008 Program here (PDF 1291kb) 2008 Conference Plenary Speakers David A. Ebert, Ph.D.
David Ebert is the program manager for the Pacific Shark Research Center (PSRC) located at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) and an adjunct faculty member at MLML. The PSRC is the west coast branch of the National Shark Research Consortium, a coalition of four major shark research organizations working in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service. Over the past six years Dr. Ebert has developed a very ambitious research program at the PSRC/MLML and one that now conducts global research on the biology, ecology, and systematics of chondrichthyan fishes. Since its inception in 2002 Dr. Ebert has managed the day to day operations of the PSRC, advised graduate students, and managed numerous research grants. He has advised and mentored approximately 24 PSRC graduate students during this time with 12 having completed their degrees. Dr. Ebert in the past six years has published more than 50 papers, attended 33 conferences where in collaboration with his students has presented 113 papers, and co-organized an international symposium on the biology of skates.
The Australian Museum
For information on travelling to the venue and accomodation click here. Registration for the OCS 2008 workshop is now closed. Conference Registration Prices: Standard members Student members Non-members Student non-members To register fill out this form PDF (102kb) or Word (72kb)and send via email. Registration Entitlements A full registration (including full students) includes: A workshop only registration includes: A conference only registration fee includes: Cancellations Oceanworld Manly You are invited to the 2008 OCS Dinner to be held on Wednesday evening, September 24th. The dinner will begin at 7 pm at Oceanworld in Manly, Sydney, NSW. Oceanworld, Manly is a premier aquarium located on the northern side of Sydney Harbour where we will dine amongst the marine life. To reach the dinner venue we will be crossing Sydney's spectacular harbour. Dinner tickets include a return ferry cruise across the harbour. We have arranged a set menu of a three-course meal. Several bottles of wine shall be provided for each table, and non-alcoholic drinks will also be provided. Beer and spirits will be available for purchase. Note: a vegetarian meal shall be included within the set menu. The cost of the dinner is $60 for OCS student members, $75 for non-student members and $90 for non-members. The conference dinner registration form is available here (Word 147kb).
Abstract submission Abstract deadline 15th of August. Please complete the attached abstract form pdf (128kb) and word (141kb) and send it to Jessica Gwilliam with the subject (Surname_ abstract). Abstracts should be submitted as an email attachment as either a Microsoft Word document or as a PDF file. You will receive an email to acknowledge the receipt of your abstract. Contact Jessica Gwilliam if you have not had a reply one month after the date you submit the abstract. Please note that at least one author of each presentation must be registered at the conference. PresentationsOral and poster presentations are called for. Oral presentation Poster Session Three prizes for oral presentations and two prizes for poster presentations will be awarded at the 2008 conference. Three student travel awards are also available to assist students travelling to the conference. Prizes and awards are provided by Passions of Paradise and Undersea Explorer. For more information about awards and sponsors go to prizes and awards. To apply for student awards please tick the appropriate boxes in the registration form. To be eligible for all prizes and awards you must be registered as a student at the conference. How to Get There The Australian Museum is relatively easy to access from most parts of Sydney. It is located in the heart of the city centre close to Hyde park.
Parking Public Transport For more information about museum accessibility click here. AccommodationSpecial rates have been negotiated with hotels located close to the conference venue. These include Oaks Hyde Park Plaza, Metro Hotel on Pitt and Hyde Park Inn. To obtain discounts you will need to mention that you are part of the OCS conference. Discounts require a minimum number of rooms to be booked so you may want to organise a group booking or register your interest with the hotel. Discounts will be valid until the end of August. Listed below are a range of accommodation options located close to the Australian Museum. Sydney Marriott Oaks Hyde Park Plaza Metro Hotel on Pitt Y Hotel Sydney Hyde Park Inn Hyde Park Backpackers 2008 OCS CONFERENCE T-SHIRT This year the conference t-shirt features the traditional OCS logo on the front pocket and the conference logo on the back (see pictures below). The t-shirt comes in women's and men's options and can be purchased in a range of sizes. The t-shirt can be ordered from the OCS online shop. For direct access to conference t-shirts go to: Alternatively you can go to the OCS online shop homepage (http://www.cafepress.com/ocs_shop) and find the t-shirt in the list of available products. Women's Conference T-shirt (front on left, back on right)
Men's Conference T-shirt (front on left, back on right)
OCS Conference Activities compiled by Will Robbins click here. Shark Dive!!! For those of you who would like to take this opportunity to dive with east coast Australia's critically endangered grey nurse shark, we will be organizing a shark dive at Sydney's famous Magic Point on Thursday the 25th of September (the day after the conference). If you are keen, bring along your dive gear and register your interest here Sunday 21st of September Monday 22nd of September Tuesday 23rd of September Wednesday 24th of September tops Conference contactsJessica Gwilliam OCS Conference Sponsors for 2008 Platinum Sponsors
The Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts develops and implements national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment. The Department's Marine Division has a range of responsibilities across the Commonwealth marine jurisdiction. These include Marine Bioregional Planning, the development of networks of Marine Protected Areas and management of the existing MPA estate, domestic and international policy and programs in relation to cetaceans, invasive species, coastal policy and the coordination of marine science and information management. An important role of the Division is the assessment of fisheries managed under Commonwealth legislation and state export fisheries in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the Act). These independent assessments ensure that, over time, fisheries are managed in an ecologically sustainable way. The Marine Division coordinates the Australian Government's protection and management of threatened, migratory and marine species under the Act. Using international treaties, agreements and conventions, the Division plays a central role in the Australian Government's work with other countries to ensure that highly migratory species are protected across their range. For more information visit http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/
WWF-Australia is part of the WWF International Network, the world's largest and most experienced independent conservation organisation. It has close to five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: > conserving the world's biological diversity; WWF work spans the full spectrum of conservation activities - from on-ground field projects through to long-term, large-scale programs and policy formulation through to public campaigns. Our activities use the best available scientific information to address issues and critically evaluate all our endeavours to build concrete conservation solutions through a combination of field-based projects, policy initiatives, capacity-building and education work. WWF - Australia also strives to build partnerships with other organisations, governments, business and local communities to enhance WWF's effectiveness. In Australia, WWF are working with the fishing industry, governments, businesses and various organisations to safeguard marine ecosystems from the effects of fishing, to reduce the number of overfished fisheries, and improve the management of others. We are working to achieve a fundamental shift in the way fisheries are managed. We promote a set of scientific principles that aim to balance the social and economic needs of human communities with the maintenance of diverse, functioning and healthy ecosystems. For more information please visit our website www.wwf.org.au
Gold Sponsors
Division of Environmental and Life Sciences The Division of Environmental and Life Sciences is one of the leading research bodies within Macquarie University. The division is highly regarded for its research achievements and seeks to maintain national and international leadership in specific research areas, as well as becoming involved in creative and innovative research collaborations in new areas. Students travel from all around the world to undertake undergraduate courses and postgraduate research in marine science at Macquarie University. Macquarie has a large and diverse marine science community with a thriving specialty in the ecology of higher predators including sharks. Expertise is available in animal tracking, animal ecology and population genetics. Other specific areas of marine science strength at Macquarie include ecotourism impacts on marine animals, marine pollutants and their impact on invertebrates, and the development of aquaculture industries. For more information visit www.els.mq.edu.au
SARDI Aquatic Sciences expands shark research in South Australia Southern Australian shelf and coastal waters support a rich and diverse Chondrichthyan fauna. For example, bronze whalers cruise the beaches and reefs hunting sardines and Australian salmon, an array of benthic species patrol the cool depths of enormous submarine canyons, and white sharks glide past isolated rocky islands looking for their next seal. Unique oceanographic systems in this region also support populations of pelagic sharks including shortfin mako, common and pelagic thresher, smooth hammerhead and blue sharks. These pelagic predators inhabit the outer shelf waters of the Great Australian Bight throughout most of the year, and some move west-ward into the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean during winter. Mako and thresher sharks have recently been listed globally as Vulnerable (Threatened) species, yet there is currently minimal information available for populations in Australian waters, that can be used to assess their conservation status. The Threatened and Endangered Species Sub-Program at the South Australian Research and Development Institute's (SARDI) Aquatic Sciences division has an extensive background in the ecology of top predators, and use of bio-logging tags, and has recently developed research projects to investigate the migration pathways and residency times of pelagic sharks off southern Australia. This initiative includes the creation of a Shark Ecologist position supported by Marine Innovation South Australia (MISA) as part of a joint appointment between SARDI Aquatic Sciences and Flinders University. SARDI Aquatic Sciences leads and conducts scientific research in the fields of marine ecology, wild fisheries, aquaculture and inland waters ecology to support the sustainable utilisation of aquatic living resources. SARDI Aquatic Sciences is proud to support the Oceania Chondrichthyan Society Conference in Sydney, Australia in 2008.
CSIRO is delivering science and technology to explore, exploit, conserve and manage Australia's marine and coastal environment, including biodiversity, and to understand the complex relationships between ocean, land and atmosphere, particularly in relation to climate change. We aim to provide Australia with the information and tools to responsibly and effectively access the rich economic and social wealth of our vast ocean territory, while maintaining its marine biodiversity and environmental value. In partnership with industry and research groups, we focus on issues affecting both Australia and the world, and we provide a range of scientific and consulting services underpinned by research. http://www.csiro.au
The Flinders University Marine Biology/Aquaculture Research Cluster within the School of Biological Sciences has a strong focus on enhancing understanding and promoting management and sustainable use of the aquatic environment with a primary emphasis on the South Australian coastal environment. The group currently consists of 11 researchers, 6 post doctoral fellows, 36 postgraduate students, 23 Honours students and 13 research assistants. Expertise and research activities range from bacterioplankton, over invertebrates and fish to cetaceans. Active research areas in marine biology and aquaculture span the spectrum from coastal food webs, population and community ecology, over plankton dynamics through to seagrass and mangrove ecosystems. The mix of disciplines consists of estuarine, benthic and |
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