Ocean Week Buoyed by Ocean Innovation 2015

The 13th annual Ocean Week is taking place in St. John’s from October 25 to 31 with a free public lecture at the Marine Institute on Sunday, Oct. 25 and proclamation the next day during City Council meeting.
 
“The ocean is an important aspect of our culture, economy and history, and we are pleased to welcome the Ocean Innovation conference back to St. John’s this year,” said Mayor Dennis O’Keefe. “The conference places a spotlight on St. John’s and has attracted more international delegates this year as additional meetings are being held in conjunction with the conference.”
 
Hosted by the Marine Institute, this year’s conference has ‘Mapping Our Oceans’ as its theme which focuses on the importance of ocean mapping to the many industries that operate in the ocean environment. More than 300 delegates are expected to attend the conference and the associated meetings of the Tri-Lateral Galway Statement (Can-EU-US) Implementation Committee and the International Atlantic Seabed Mapping Working Group.
 
“Ocean Week highlights the innovative and specialized work in local oceans-related industries and enhances public awareness of its importance to our economy. It also helps us achieve our goal to become a global leader in ocean technology and a global centre for offshore energy expertise as outlined in the City’s Economic Roadmap 2021,” said Mayor O’Keefe.
 
The official kick off for Ocean Week 2015 includes a free public lecture ‘Charting the Canadian Arctic: A behind the scenes look at the 2014 Franklin Expedition’ by George Schlagintweit of the Canadian Hydrographic Service. The world’s largest flume tank at the Marine Institute will be the site of the telling of this dramatic story on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.  Admission is free and includes refreshments and prizes.

Media Contact:
Kelly Maguire
Media Relations
City of St. John's
709-576-8491
kmaguire@stjohns.ca