Conference Themes
The 2022 conference theme is Working Waterfronts: Traditions and Transitions and examples of potential topics are below. This is not an exhaustive list. New ideas and emerging topics that are critical to working waterfronts are welcomed.
COVID-RELATED IMPACTS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOVERY
Employment, supply chain, consumer demand, new products and services
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE
Dockage, processing, off-shore aquaculture, gear innovation, seafood markets, balancing/integrating with existing and emerging waterfront activities
RECREATIONAL BOATING AND HARBORS
Recreational boating economic benefits, anchoring and mooring fields, access and infrastructure needs, marinas and boatyards, waterway maintenance, boating safety, partnerships with ports to enhance access and opportunities
WATERFRONT INFRASTRUCTURE
Small harbor maintenance, funding, community collaborative dredging, partnerships, water access
WATERFRONT INDUSTRIES
Economics, infrastructure, dredging, funding and financing strategies, land use, environmental issues, data and technology needs, multi-purpose waterfronts, expanding industries (e.g., offshore renewable energy)
CLIMATE CHANGE
Sea level rise, coastal flooding, storms, ocean acidification, water levels; natural and manmade hazards; disaster preparedness and response; coastal resilience planning and protection; living shorelines and nature-based solutions; natural resource protection
WORKING WATERFRONT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Maritime labor issues, recruitment and retention, diversity, training and education, marine trades (e.g., boatbuilding, net repair), economic value in context of jobs, working with non-English speaking and underrepresented populations
MARITIME COMMUNITY, CULTURE, AND HERITAGE
Tourism, public access, historic preservation, oral history projects, waterfront festivals, coastal and island communities
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR WATER-DEPENDENT USES
Tools and technology, design and innovation, community input processes, aesthetics, planning, zoning, smart growth strategies, transportation connections, revitalization programs, partnership building, legal issues, policy development, legislative initiatives
OTHER
Additional topics and themes related to working waterfronts and waterways
