The Canada – Europe – United States Galway Statement
The Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation was signed on 24 May 2021 by the European Union, Canada and the United States. This statement establishes a formal Atlantic Ocean Research Cooperation between the CA, EU and the US and partner countries that builds on existing initiatives and programmes to:
- improve ocean health and stewardship
- promote sustainable management of resources
- improve ecosystem assessments and forecasts and deeper understanding of vulnerabilities and risks, including climate change
- generate new tools to increase resilience, conserve rich biodiversity, manage risk and determine social, environmental, and economic priorities
- promote our citizens’ understanding of the value of the Atlantic by promoting oceans literacy
The signatories of the Galway Statement mandated Fisheries & Oceans (DFO), Canada, the European Commission (EC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), USA, to implement the commitments taken and to guide the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance. These governing bodies established the Trilateral Galway Implementation Committee.
Key achievements to date are summarised here.
ADVANCING THE ATLANTIC OCEAN RESEARCH ALLIANCE (AORA)
The following simplified schematic shows how the Trilateral Galway Implementation Committee implements and guides the AORA.
The Priority Areas of Cooperation Identified are:
- Atlantic Seabed Mapping and Characterization
- Aquaculture
- Ocean Literacy and Outreach
- Ocean Health and Stressors
- Ocean Observation and Prediction
The three jurisdictions are working together to advance results in the identified areas of research cooperation and seeking to improve efficiencies and effectiveness by:
- Organising, aligning and leveraging research activities in a way that takes advantage of opportunities for synergies in work already underway and the use of infrastructure or installations
- Better coordination of data sharing, interoperability and coordination of observing infrastructure
- Promoting researcher mobility
- Coordinating the planning and programming for better alignment of relevant activities and resources
Trilateral Working Groups have already been established, Aquaculture, Ocean Literacy, Atlantic Seabed Mapping and and Ocean Health and Stressors.
Further endeavours in the remaining Priority Areas are being pursued, supported by the H2020 funded Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Co-ordination and Support Action (AORA-CSA).