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Almost every ocean science paper has one. A sentence, or sometimes a whole paragraph, near the end stating that the findings have important implications for policy or management. Image credit: Thomas Lohmann (Unsplash)

Researchers aren’t always sure how far they can go in drawing policy conclusions without overstepping. Vagueness becomes a form of caution. Better to imply relevance than to assert it and risk being wrong. The problem is that vague implications aren’t really implications at all.

A manager responsible for a fisheries decision or a protected area boundary needs something more specific. Does this research tell me something useful about the decision I’m actually facing?