Francis, Prue, Kelly, Rachel, Swanson, Louise, Adyel, Tanveer M., Arthur, Benjamin, Benkendorff, Kirsten, Bishop, Melanie J., Bostock, Helen, Campbell, Marnie L., Church, Emma, Condie, Corinne, Dwivedi, Vaibhavi, Dyer, Michelle, England, Matthew, Fullbrook, Liam, Huveneers, Charlie, Johnson, Malcolm, Le Busque, Brianna, Mcintosh, Rebecca R., Meyer, Amelie, Mos, Benjamin, Mrazova, Jana, O'Brien, Allyson, Pecl, Gretta T., Schaeffer, Amanda, Shellock, Rebecca J., Smith, Grant A., Smithers, Scott, Vila-Concejo, Ana, and Wood, Graham (2026) Strengthening ocean literacy: marine science education and training to ensure Australia's blue future. Australian Journal of Maritime and Ocean Affairs. (In Press)

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Abstract

This white paper sets out a national vision for advancing ocean literacy in Australia and outlines the role of marine science in fostering an informed, engaged society capable of addressing the challenges and opportunities of our changing oceans. As environmental pressures intensify, and marine resource demands increase, Australians’ capacity to engage with ocean issues, understand risks and opportunities, and participate in marine decision-making has never been more urgent. Marine science will play a central role in building ocean literacy by delivering credible, actionable science, and strengthening education and training systems that enhance understanding of, and connection to, the ocean. Our vision identifies three key enablers: 1/ enhancing ocean literacy for all Australians; 2/ credible, actionable and co-produced marine science; and 3/ future-ready marine science education and training that builds a skilled, adaptable workforce for the blue economy. Building on existing international efforts and frameworks, we outline current gaps, barriers, and opportunities, and make recommendations for coordinated national action, including the development of a National Ocean Literacy Strategy to drive progress. This paper calls for national leadership and cross-sector collaboration. Our vision is to empower all Australians to make informed, responsible choices that contribute to a resilient and thriving future.

Item ID:	92877
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2333-6498
Keywords:	Ocean literacy; ocean stewardship; marine science education; workforce development; blue economy
Copyright Information:	© 2026 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
Funders:	Australian Research Council (ARC)
Projects and Grants:	ARC DE200100414
Date Deposited:	10 Aug 2026 07:12
FoR Codes:	39 EDUCATION > 3999 Other Education > 399999 Other education not elsewhere classified @ 50% 41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4199 Other environmental sciences > 419999 Other environmental sciences not elsewhere classified @ 50%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1805 Marine systems and management > 180599 Marine systems and management not elsewhere classified @ 50% 16 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 1699 Other education and training > 169999 Other education and training not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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