The IMPAC5 conference, an international conference focused on marine biodiversity, ends today in Vancouver. Photo: Blue Seeds

The fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) will conclude today in Vancouver.

IMPAC is a global conference primarily focused on protecting and conserving sustainable marine life in oceans. The congresses are held jointly by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the host country’s government.  This year, various experts and marine biologists from around the world gathered in Vancouver to attend the week-long event and share knowledge on means to preserve the ocean for the future.

This year’s congress will make major strides in protecting marine life. The biodiversity of oceans and fish populations are under threat from both uncontrolled human activities, such as excessive waste, and climate change. Expect Canada to allocate further investments on projects—such as waste removal—focused on protecting the marine life in its coastal areas. It is also likely Canada will implement several laws—in addition to the existing protectionist laws— during the short to medium-term that will concentrate on limiting destructive human activity such as overfishing. However, Canada’s initiative will have little impact on altering worldwide climate change or decreasing marine biodiversity given its lower contribution to those issues.