Download Ecosystem Approach to Management in the Maritimes

ESSIM
Ecosystem-Based Management
on the Eastern Scotian Shelf.
Tana Worcester
Centre for Science Advice
Maritimes Region, Canada
The ESSIM Area
…a shared commitment to work together for our ocean and our future…
ESSIM Objectives
Governance
Ecosystem
Maintain:
• Biodiversity
Use
• Human
Productivity
• Habitat
Ecosystem Objectives
Conserve community
diversity and habitat
integrity.
Prevent introduction
& spread of invasive
species.
Maintain a healthy
trophic structure.
Protect and recover
species-at-risk.
Lessons Learned
 Broad objectives can be useful.
 Should be relevant across a range of
scales and activities.
 Dialogue between science, managers and
stakeholders is essential.
 Objectives will evolve over time.
 Don’t get bogged down in semantics!
Habitat Characterization
Surficial Geology
Benthic Disturbance
Scope for Growth
Ecologically Significant
Species and Areas
Laurentian Channel & slope
The Noodles
Deep holes of Canso area
Canso Bank
Deep holes north of Banquereau Bank
Banquereau Bank - fish sub-populations Eastern Shoal
Middle Bank
The Bull Pen, the Cow Pen and the Owl
Emerald Basin and The Patch
Gully Trough
Sable Island Area
Sambro Bank
Emerald Bank & Western Bank
Haldimand Canyon
Shortland Canyon
The Gully
^
Logan Canyon
Cod
Blue Whale
Clams / Scallops
Corals
Scotian Slope/Shelf Break
Lessons Learned
 Ecosystem characterization is useful in
developing scientific understanding.
 It is also time and resource intensive.
 How will it be used for management?
e.g., development of an ecosystem
model to be used in scenario testing?
e.g., development of a decision-support
tool for conflict resolution?
e.g., used in MPA network design?
Impact Analysis
Noise
Shipping
Drilling,Seismic
Cables,
Waste
Lessons Learned
 Lots of information available on the impacts
of specific activities – still work to be done.
 Cumulative effects are harder to monitor,
map and evaluate.
 GIS can be a helpful tool for impact analysis
and decision-making, but need better
georeferencing of human activities.
 Need indicators that apply across a variety
of activity types.
Indicators and Reference Points
Lessons Learned
 Long-time series data are a valuable
resource – use what you have.
 Determine what types of information
managers actually use to make decisions.
 Trends or rates of change can be useful
when limits and thresholds aren’t known.
 Weight of evidence approach can provide a
strong basis for decisions.
 However, theory/modelling is also required.
DFO Maritimes Science Role
 Provision of chemical, physical and
biological data.
 Oceanographic modelling.
 Research on impacts: aquaculture, fisheries
(by-catch, benthic impacts), oil and gas.
 Data management.