Research and policy development at ocean basin scale is being driven by the realisation that climatic change and anthropogenic impacts are rapidly altering marine ecosystems at a time when the drive to promote increased economic output from the marine environment is increasing. These scientific and economic drivers set the considerable challenge and opportunity for marine science, industry and policy to shape the frameworks through which such sustainable economic ‘Blue Growth’ can be achieved (e.g. via partnerships arising from the transatlantic Galway declaration). Studies built upon new discoveries from poorly-understood deep ocean ecosystems, including coral, sponge, vent and chemosynthetic communities, are now allowing the scientific community to create a new evidence base for long-term management. In addition to advances in this multidisciplinary evidence base this topic will bring together contributions that explore the present and near-future industrial and policy landscape at ocean basin scale. Research and policy development at ocean basin scale is being driven by the realisation that climatic change and anthropogenic impacts are rapidly altering marine ecosystems at a time when the drive to promote increased economic output from the marine environment is increasing. These scientific and economic drivers set the considerable challenge and opportunity for marine science, industry and policy to shape the frameworks through which such sustainable economic ‘Blue Growth’ can be achieved (e.g. via partnerships arising from the transatlantic Galway declaration). Studies built upon new discoveries from poorly-understood deep ocean ecosystems, including coral, sponge, vent and chemosynthetic communities, are now allowing the scientific community to create a new evidence base for long-term management. In addition to advances in this multidisciplinary evidence base this topic will bring together contributions that explore the present and near-future industrial and policy landscape at ocean basin scale. For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go to the Frontiers website

TOPIC EDITORS: Murray Roberts, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom & Telmo Morato, University of the Azores, Portugal