Internship Dispatch: Anthea Fleming
I recently returned from the Coastal Zone Canada Conference 2025 in Prince Edward Island, where I had the chance to attend as a graduate student with the FishPeoplePlace Lab. This was one of my first major conferences, and to be honest, I didn’t quite know what to expect, but it turned out to be a great experience.
On the first day, I felt both nervous and excited. Navigating the University of PEI campus with sessions spread across multiple buildings was a challenge in itself. I quickly realized how much planning it takes to attend a conference like this, reading abstracts, making tough decisions between overlapping sessions, and figuring out how to get from one building to the next on time.
My goal was to mainly attend sessions relevant to my summer project: creating a coastal access inventory of publicly owned properties in Nova Scotia. I was drawn to the wide variety of presentations with some being very technical, focusing on 3D mapping, or drones. I found myself especially intrigued by the use of tools like ExperienceBuilder for interactive mapping. Other presentations were more grounded in community-led approaches and ecosystem-based strategies like kelp and eelgrass restoration. I really appreciated the balance between new technologies and the social-ecological connections people have to coastlines. One thing that really shocked me when listening to the varied presentations was how varied our definitions of coastal “access” are, and how few sessions directly addressed this complex and deeply political topic.
Dr. Patricia Manuel (center, red shirt) leads part of the coastal access workshop. Photo: Nicolas Winkler
My main focus was to attend sessions that aligned with my summer project: creating a coastal access inventory of publicly owned properties in Nova Scotia. Some sessions were highly technical, diving into tools like 3D mapping, drone applications, and interactive platforms such as ExperienceBuilder, which I found particularly fascinating for its potential to visualize and communicate spatial data. Others were rooted in community-driven efforts and nature-based solutions, like kelp and eelgrass restoration. I really enjoyed the balance between new technologies and the social-ecological relationships that shape how we interact with the coast.What surprised me most was how differently people interpret the concept of coastal “access.” I noticed that few sessions addressed access explicitly. This highlighted just how complex, nuanced, and politically charged the issue really is.
A standout moment for me was helping facilitate a two-part interdisciplinary workshop on coastal access. It brought together legal, community, and storytelling perspectives, and allowed for discussions around the politics and challenges of accessing the coast. It was interesting to hear from participants across Canada, each bringing unique lived experiences and regional challenges. As someone from landlocked Switzerland, I was surprised to learn how much winter ice poses a significant and often overlooked barrier to coastal access in many parts of Canada. I’m grateful to Professor Emeritus Patricia Manuel for organizing the sessions, and to Mike Kohfal, Nicolas Winkler, Dr. Hannah Harrison, and Bryson Guptill for sharing their knowledge and passion in these workshops.
MMM student Anthea Fleming (right, dark blue blazer) shares back from a group discussion about coastal access challenges and promising directions. Photo: Nicolas Winkler
The poster session on the last day was another highlight, where more casual, one-on-one conversations led to some of my biggest learning moments. I was especially struck by discussions around shoreline armouring, coastal insurance policies, and the ripple effects of private seawalls. These conversations raised big questions for me about how we govern and plan for coastal futures: are we retreating, or doubling down?
This conference helped remind me that coasts are more than just points, lines, or polygons on a map, they are lived spaces, stories, and ongoing struggles for access and equity.