Earth Day is a day to draw attention to the state of the Earth and foster awareness and support for environmental protection. Earth Day helps us recognize the impact that all human activity has on changes in our climate and ecosystems, including the oceans. It is also an opportunity to take stock and remember how much we depend on our oceans, from local to global scales. This day reminds us that marine life and ecosystems need to be protected in light of drivers of change such as climate change. In short, Earth Day is a clarion call for environmental sustainability of fisheries and oceans – an opportunity for us to step up and act as stewards of these resources, making sure these resources are there for both current and future generations.

In this newsletter issue, the Ocean Frontier Institute Module I has selected and organized its contents by drawing inspiration from Earth Day. We hope to foster reflection about the ocean’s needs, in balance with our own. As we move toward the Getting IT Right Dialogue, Module I researchers and partners seek to better understand what actions need to be taken to rebuild fisheries and marine ecosystems and inform governance responses to changes in the ocean.

Earth Day has inspired Module I to think about what changes in oceans are important and what key governance questions might require prioritization:

• What priorities exist to rebuild and protect marine life in the North Atlantic Ocean?

• What will be gained or lost in the governance of marine change off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador?

• What are the long-term implications of human activity and environmental change in the North Atlantic Ocean to a range of marine sectors?

These are some of the questions that we must ask ourselves. The answers will help us achieve a fuller picture of what governing NL fisheries and oceans through change and transition entails. In other words, the answer will help Get Environmental Change Right.