About Us
Transforming ecosystem conservation initiatives & the sustainable use of coastal & marine resources
The Coastal & Ocean Information Network Atlantic (COINAtlantic) is a non-governmental organization based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, dedicated to supporting coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and decision-making through open data management and information sharing.
We value transparency, shared responsibility, and inclusiveness in decisions that impact our marine environments.
We use existing partnerships and the expanding network of professionals to develop cross-sector approaches for managing open ocean and coastal data. Open information sharing helps us to identify environmental and social change earlier and to adapt sooner— together.
Through our proactive and integrated approach to coastal and ocean data sharing, COINAtlantic is contributing to a clearer picture of our oceans and how they are changing and, in turn, to truly sustainable management of coastal and marine environments and resources in Atlantic Canada.
What is Marine Spatial Planning?
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is a collaborative and transparent approach to managing ocean spaces that helps to balance the increased demand for human activities with the need to protect marine ecosystems. It takes into consideration all activities and uses in a marine area to help make informed decisions about the management of our oceans in a more open and equitable way. (source: dfo-mpo.gc.ca)
What impact does human activity have on our marine ecosystems?
Canada's Atlantic ocean is home to a diversity of marine life such as shellfish, fish and sharks, corals and sponges, sea turtles, sea birds, and marine mammals like dolphins, seals, walruses, and whales, as well as plant life such as phytoplankton, seagrass, and kelp (source: dfo-mpo.gc.ca).
Development and research activities that take place in the waters off the coast of Atlantic Canada, such as marine renewable energy, commercial and recreational fishing, offshore oil and gas exploration and development, as well as cargo, cruise, and passenger ships, each impact our local coastal and marine ecosystems to some degree and should not be considered in isolation from one another.
The ocean knows no boundaries – and neither should our approach to understanding, managing, and protecting these dynamic environments.
Vist the Our Work page to learn more about what we do.
