The 7th International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC7) will be held from 13-18 October 2024, in Cape Town, South Africa.

The overall theme of IMCCs is Making Marine Science Matter. For marine conservation to be effective, marine conservation science must matter to stakeholders, policymakers, and practitioners.

IMCC seeks to engage everyone involved in marine conservation to share ideas and promote action for the long-term health of our oceans!

Themes:

Blue Economy: This theme is for talks including those focusing on the conservation implications of marine tourism, shipping, alternative energy related to the ocean and coasts, and mining impacts.

Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: Talks about research or policy related to climate change or ocean conservation, including impacts or mitigation.

Conservation and Management Policy: Talks that are about new developments in conservation-relevant regulations and laws, as distinct from policy-relevant research.

Endangered and Threatened Species: Talks that are specifically about the science or practice of endangered or threatened species conservation.

Fisheries and Aquaculture: Talks about the science, practice, or management of fisheries and aquaculture, including but not limited to the development of sustainable fisheries.

Habitat Conservation and Restoration: Talks about the science or practice of protecting or restoring marine and coastal habitats without a species-specific focus.

Human Dimensions of Ocean Conservation: This topic includes a variety of topics including but not limited to stakeholder knowledge attitudes and practices, ocean literacy, marine conservation education, and communicating marine conservation, and socioeconomic interventions. Indigenous knowledge, attitudes, and practices are under a separate category.

Local and Traditional Ecological Knowledge: This theme includes Indigenous knowledge and practices in marine science and conservation, as well as cultural heritage.

Marine Pollution: This theme includes talks about pollution as a threat to marine biodiversity as well as solutions to this problem.

Ocean Science and Conservation Technology: Talks about new developments related to ocean conservation technology including testing and development.

OceansOnline: Talks related to the use of online tools for marine conservation research, collaboration, or education. (Please note that in past IMCCs, these talks have all taken place on a different day from the rest of IMCC, but at IMCC7 they will be interspersed throughout the conference).

Participatory Marine Conservation and Community Science: Talks related to involving members of the community in marine conservation research and management.

Abstract submission opens on the 1st of Februar 2024 and is open until the 30th of March 2024.