Marine science has taken a historical turn during the past two decades. Individual studies and global initiatives such as the History of Marine Animal Populations (HMAP) and the Sea Around Us programmes have led to a large number of research projects in diverse socio-ecological systems, from coastal European marshes to Pacific islands to Atlantic fisheries.
Meanwhile, in what could be dubbed a sea change of history, environmental historians are also studying human engagement with the underwater realm. Historians, including archaeologists, sociologists, and geographers, have engaged with marine scientists in an interdisἀciplinary effort to bring together the long-term study of human and animal worlds. Thanks to this collaborative effort, researchers have not only identified, but in many cases resolved, the problem of the 'shifting baseline' by pushing back the chronological limits of our knowledge.
This conference, the fifth in the Oceans Past series, will provide a forum where the latest research in marine environmental history and historical marine ecology can be presented and debated, and easily accessible to all researchers and policy makers.