The world’s oceans face growing pressure from new and often poorly understood human activities. Increasingly, ocean management agencies and policy-makers must make consequential decisions on a variety of competing ocean uses with imperfect information about their impacts on ecosystems, economies or other users. Through targeted readings, group discussions and guest lectures, this seminar will explore the scientific basis and policy implications of key conservation challenges facing ocean managers worldwide. Examples of emerging issues in ocean management include: global climate change, alternative energy operations, desalination, offshore aquaculture, rigs to reefs conversions, invasive species, acoustic pollution, and the evolving ecosystem-based approaches to ocean zoning and governance.