The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) granted Dr. Dan Lane’s research project Marine Evaluation Systems for Fisheries, Oceans and Aquaculture in the amount of $95,000 through the Discovery Grant program.



This research consolidates work on problem solving in the management of fisheries, oceans, and aquaculture. Focusing on the state of Canada’s oceans with application to the Atlantic Ocean, research themes include the importance of viewing complex marine problems as a "system" requiring a multidisciplinary approach, and developing tools for integrated management. The long-term objective of this research is to categorize structured and integrated problem solving approaches to operational and strategic issues in the fisheries, oceans, and aquaculture.

Dr. Lane is also Co-Director (with Dr. Patrick Watson of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago) of a research program on environmental change and its impact on coastal communities in the Caribbean region and regional coastal communities in Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Canada where the inhabitants’ livelihoods will be most affected by rising sea levels.

This project has received $29,560 in seed funding from the International Community-University Research Alliance (ICURA) Program through the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). This funding will assist in the development of a research alliance which could receive up to $2M in further funding though the ICURA program.

The research team is comprised of national and international experts including: Drs. Lane and Watson (Co-Directors), Aldrie Henry-Lee, Martin Franklin, Michelle Mycoo, Sandra Sookram, Michael Sutherland, Sonja Sabita Teelucksingh (University of the West Indies); Philippe Crabbé, Colleen Mercer-Clarke, Kaija Metuzels, Caryle Mitchell, Scott Parsons, Howard Powles, Maureen Woodrow (University of Ottawa); Michael Brklacich (Carleton University), Daniel Rubenstein (International Institute for Sustainable Development); Slobodan Simonovic (The University of Western Ontario); Susan Nichols (University of New-Brunswick) and Peter Williams (Simon Fraser University).