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One Ocean

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One Ocean

About One Ocean, the liaison organization for the fishing and petroleum industries in Newfoundland and Labrador.

BACKGROUND

In 2001, a series of meetings were held with representatives from the Newfoundland and Labrador fishing and petroleum sectors to address establishing a liaison organization to enhance working relationships between the two industries.

Both industries recognized the need for a forum to bring industry representatives together to share and exchange information, learn more about the others’ operational activities, and provide the opportunity to identify, address, and resolve issues before they become problematic.

Launched in 2002, One Ocean provides a neutral and practical forum to enhance sustainable coexistence and facilitate communication, understanding, and cooperation for the NL offshore petroleum and fishing industries.

The One Ocean model is unique to the world, a proactive entity that enhances the opportunity for information dissemination and joint initiatives for two industries operating in one ocean.

MANDATE

One Ocean does not represent the fishing and petroleum industries in Newfoundland and Labrador – it represents the mutual interests of both.

One Ocean provides opportunity to facilitate communication, cooperation and successful coexistence in a shared marine environment and provides a neutral forum for information exchange between the two industries.

An objective of One Ocean is to assist the fishing and petroleum industries understand each sector’s operational activities. An important element of this objective is the timing and location of offshore operations as fishing and petroleum activities may overlap.

Effective communication and joint planning ensure both sectors are aware of proposed activities and provide the opportunity to identify and address industry concerns and develop mutually beneficial practices and protocols.

For more information on One Ocean practice and protocols, visit www.oneocean.ca.

STRUCTURE

One Ocean’s organizational structure is comprised of a Secretariat (Chairperson and Managing Director), Board and committees including a Working Group and a Fisheries and Land Tenure Committee.

The One Ocean Board of Directors is comprised of equal, senior-level representation from the two industry sectors.

Fishing industry members are represented by FFAW-Unifor, Association of Seafood Producers and the Atlantic Groundfish Council.

Petroleum industry members are members of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

One Ocean identifies the value of having industry regulators represented on the Board. C-NLOPB, regulator for the offshore petroleum industry, and DFO, sit on the Board as Official Observers, along with Marine Institute and the Canadian Coast Guard. Industry Relations Representative, FFAW-Unifor, sits on the Board as a Standing Invitee.

One Ocean 2025 Annual Report: 

One Ocean, Marine Institute

155 Ridge Road, PO Box 4920, St. John’s, NL A1C 5R3

Email (One Ocean Managing Director): Ashley.Woodford@mi.mun.ca
Office Phone: (709) 778-0511
Web: www.oneocean.ca

Industry Relations

Dr. Erin Carruthers

Dr. Erin Carruthers is the Science Director and Senior Fisheries Scientist with the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor), which is the labour union that represents the owner-operator fleet in Newfoundland and Labrador. The FFAW is committed to research and management that supports healthy oceans, fisheries, and coastal communities. Dr. Carruthers received her Ph. D. in Biology from Memorial University in 2011 followed by a postdoctoral fellowship with the Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research. Before coming to Newfoundland, Erin worked as a Research Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the St. Andrews Biological Station. Her current research program is co-constructed with fish harvesters and includes research on coastal fishing communities, collaborative longline and trap surveys, and best practices for the avoidance, handling and release of unwanted catch.