CHONe II is a five-year (2015-2020) strategic partnership between Canadian university researchers and government scientists. It is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) in partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, industry and ENGOs. It is made up of 39 researchers from 11 universities, one community college and multiple federal research labs from coast to coa
st in Canada. CHONe's research program focuses on conservation strategies for Canada's changing oceans. The Challenge
Canada is an ocean nation; it has 16% of the world's coastlines and the largest territorial sea in the world. Many stressors (e.g. climate change, habitat modification/ destruction, natural resource exploitation, ocean acidification, species relocation, chemical loading (eutrophication), removal of target species and by-catch, etc) affect ocean health. At the same time major international conservation agreements, as well as Canada’s national laws define a requirement to protect marine habitat, biodiversity and ocean health. The diversity of life in the ocean, from genes to species to ecosystems is recognized as irreplaceable natural heritage crucial to human well-being and sustainable development. The challenge is we have very little information on Canada's oceans and the things that live in it, as well as a relatively small scientific community. Why Should We Care about the Ocean? The oceans...
(1) Provide 95% of the livable environment on the earth
(2) Host the great breadth of species diversity on our planet, between 500,000 and 10 million species
(3) Produce half the oxygen we breathe
(4) Proved significant food resources (e.g. fish, shellfish, kelp)
(5) Support diverse industries (e.g. fisheries, energy, transport)
(6) Helps regulate climate change
Who We Are
The Canadian Healthy Oceans Network, or CHONe (pronounced Ko-nee), is an NSERC strategic network focused on biodiversity science for the sustainability of Canada's three oceans. CHONE, a marine worm that occurs in all of Canada’s three oceans is the equivalent of the canary in the coal mine: it indicates a healthy benthic habitat. The CHONe team includes about 140 researchers from across Canada and focuses on 3 interrelated research themes:
(1) Marine Biodiversity: How many and what type of plants and animals live in our oceans? And where do we find them? (2) Connection between populations: How are groups of animals connected? (3) The function of the ecosystem: How do plants, animals and stressors influence how the marine environment works? How does changes in one group affect another? Healthy Oceans - Solution and Benefits
CHONe’s research helps to:
(1) Understand the vulnerability and the resilience of the living sea
(2) Protect highly productive areas to maintain species diversity
(3) Predict how marine systems and populations can adapt to change
(4) Suggest strategies for life in a changing ocean
(5) Ensure sustainability for all life on Earth
