Dr Danielle Smith

Dr Danielle Smith is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Blue Economy CRC, The University of Queensland. Her research identifies international best practices in the legal and policy frameworks that will inform and govern the expanding offshore wind energy industry in Australia.

Danielle’s areas of expertise are in international ocean governance, international environmental legal institutions and regimes, marine protected areas (MPAs) in particular biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), marine spatial planning, environmental impact assessments, and impacts of anthropogenic activities and other climatic impacts on offshore marine and coastal environments. Danielle has seven years working experience in ocean governance and over 15 years’ experience working as a marine environmental consultant conducting environmental impact assessments for large development projects such as, coastal defence plans, port developments, offshore wind farms, nuclear power stations, offshore oil and gas activities, etc., both within Australia and internationally.

Danielle has worked in the offshore oil and gas industry for several years before moving into the burgeoning offshore wind energy industry arena, and through her experience has come to understand the successes and challenges of the regulatory framework from both a scientific and legal background.

Published articles:

• Smith, D 2024 ‘The legal and ecological complexities of establishing the North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Sea-basin (NACES) marine protected areas in the North-East Atlantic region’, ICES Marine Science Journal, under review.
• Smith, D 2024, ‘Contestation over the Legal and Practical Implications of Implementing CCAMLR MPAs’, Marine Policy, under review.
• Smith, D 2020, ‘A Global Network of MPAs as a Mitigation Tool against the Impacts of Climate Change’, in McDonald, J, McGee, J & Barnes, R (eds), Research Handbook on Climate Change, Oceans and Coasts Research Handbooks in Climate Law series, Edward Elgar, pp. 425-440.
• Jabour, J & Smith, D 2018, ‘The Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area: Can it be successfully managed?’ Ocean Yearbook 32, vol 32 pp. 190-205, doi: 10.1163/9789004367005_008.
• Smith, D & Jabour, J 2017, ‘MPAs in ABNJ: Lessons from Two High Seas Regimes’, ICES Marine Science Journal, vol 75, no. 1, pp. 417-425, doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsx189.
• McGee, J, Gogarty, B and Smith, D 2017, ‘Associational Balance of Power and the Possibilities for International Law in Disputes over the South China Sea’, Asia-Pacific Journal of Ocean Law and Policy vol 2, no. 1, pp. 88-116, doi: 10.1163/24519391-00201006.
• Smith, D, McGee, J & Jabour, J 2016, “Marine Protected Areas: A Spar’k for Contestation over ‘Rational Use’ of Antarctic Marine Living Resources in the Southern Ocean?" Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs vol 8, no. 3, pp.1-19, doi: 10.1080/183663.2016.1229398.
• McGee, J & Smith, D 2016, ‘Framing Australian Antarctic Policy: The 20-year Antarctic Plan and Beyond’, Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs vol 8, no. 4, pp. 332-348, doi: 10.1080/18366503.2016.1253906.

Presentations and conference papers:

• ‘The legal and ecological complexities of establishing the North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Sea-basin (NACES) marine protected areas in the North-East Atlantic region’, Marine Socio-Ecological Systems Symposium (MSEAS), 3-7 June, 2024, Yokohama, Japan.
• ‘Marine Protected Areas in international waters’, MARIPOLDATA Ocean Seminar Series, Online, Date to be confirmed.
• ‘The Legal and Practical Implications for Implementing CCAMLR MPAs through Research and Monitoring Plans’, Antarctic Workshop 24 January 2023, Hobart, Australia.
• ‘Governance of Underwater Noise: Oil & Gas Exploration’ presented by Dr Jeff McGee and Danielle Smith, Marine & Antarctic Seminar Series: Towards an acoustically sound ocean: How is anthropogenic sound impacting marine life? 12 September 2017, Hobart, Australia.
• ‘Planning, Negotiating and Establishing MPAs in ABNJ: Lessons from Two Regimes in the Southern Ocean and the North-East Atlantic Region’ presented by Danielle Smith, Centre for Marine Socioecology Showcase, May 2018.
• ‘Planning, negotiating and establishing MPAs in ABNJ: Lessons from two regimes in the Southern Ocean and the North-East Atlantic region’, presented by Danielle Smith, 4th International Marine Protected Areas Congress, September 4–8, 2017, Chile.

• ‘Comparing the Effectiveness of Two International Environmental Regimes in the Southern Ocean and the North-East Atlantic Region, in Planning, Negotiating and Establishing MPAs in ABNJ’ presented by Danielle Smith at the Law Beyond Boundaries - ANZSIL OIELIG Inaugural Workshop, February 2017.
• ‘Establishing MPAs in the Southern Ocean?’ presented by Danielle Smith, Research Colloquium, 7 September 2016, IMAS, University of Tasmania.
• Huber, M. E; Zigic, S; Gilbert, R; Smith, D; Edison, K; Goudkamp, K; Langtry, S. and Burling, M. “Improved dredge material management for the great barrier reef region”. Coasts and Ports 2013: 21st Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference and the 14th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference. Sydney, 2013. Available at: http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=827623239924684;res=IELENG.