OCEAN EXPERTS SHARE SCIENCE, POLICIES AT INTERNATIONAL FORUM IN HAWAII
PACON Celebrates 20th Anniversary

More than 200 government officials, industry leaders, scientists and managers are meeting this week in Hawaii to exchange information, ideas, new developments and advances in the field of marine science and ocean technology. They are participating in the 11th Pacific Congress on Marine Science and Technology, at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort today through Friday, June 4. The honorary chair for the event and keynote speaker is Richard Spinrad, Ph.D., assistant administrator of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Organized by PACON International, a non-profit organization headquartered in Honolulu, the conference is the only recurring scientific assembly that showcases Hawaii and Pacific Rim research.

“Since its inception, PACON has served as a forum for uniting scientists, policy makers, educators, planners and administrators in a common effort to conceive new technologies and forge new opportunities to further our understanding of the role the world’s oceans play in every aspect of our daily lives,” Spinrad said.

In addition to announcing scientific findings, one of the major aims of PACON is to foster joint projects and economic opportunities. The marine sector is growing in the Pacific and many companies and organizations are looking for outside suppliers and partners. PACON provides a setting in which to establish these contacts.

“Our goals are to provide information freely to all participating nations, promote environmentally-sound utilization and sustainable development of the ocean’s resources, emphasize through education and public programs the need for sound ocean policies, and advance the various disciplines involved in marine science and technology,” said Narendra Saxena, Ph.D., professor and director, Univ. of Hawaii Pacific Mapping Program, and founding president of PACON International.

The program will feature presentations from 14 countries on topics relevant to the Pacific including deep-ocean-water applications, invasive species, ports and harbors, natural disasters, marine law, climate and society, aquaculture, seafloor mapping, coral reef habitats, marine recreation and tourism, coastal zone management, and global observation systems.

Technical field trips, workshops, exhibits and social events are also part of the program. For a list of speakers, abstracts, and concurrent events, visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/pacon.

PACON International is an international, non-profit, professional marine science and technology society dedicated to the sharing of scientific and technical information among those interested in the future of the world’s oceans with a Pacific focus.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of America’s coastal and marine resources. For more information, visit: http://www.noaa.gov.