Proceedings 2011/030

Proceedings of a Maritimes Science Advisory Process to Develop a Framework for Monitoring the Musquash Estuary Marine Protected Area (MPA) and Administered Intertidal Area (AIA); December 9-10, 2010

Chairperson: Eddy Kennedy
Rapporteur: Kristian Curran

Summary

The Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Centre for Science Advice (CSA), Maritimes Region, held a Regional Science Advisory Meeting in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, on December 9-10, 2010, to peer review a draft Musquash Estuary Marine Protected Area Monitoring Framework. Participants from DFO Science, DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, DFO Oceans, Habitat and Species at Risk, as well as external participants from universities and environmental non-government agencies, attended the meeting. The meeting was held to review the proposed indicators, strategies, and protocols for monitoring the Musquash Estuary Marine Protected Area and intertidal area administered by DFO. Specifically, the meeting addressed the following questions: 1) are the proposed monitoring indicators, strategies, and protocols identified in the framework appropriate and feasible to monitor the conservation objectives of the Musquash Estuary protected area; 2) are there any outstanding sources of uncertainty that might influence the selection or implementation of the proposed monitoring indicators, strategies, and protocols; and 3) are there any other considerations that should be taken into account in the development of the proposed framework for monitoring the Musquash Estuary. In summary, the meeting participants concluded that the proposed monitoring indicators, strategies, and protocols were general in scope, and that this was due to the limited baseline information that exists in the estuary. It was felt that the monitoring framework would increase in detail over time as subsequent baseline information becomes available, and that limitations of the existing information should not impede advancement toward development of a monitoring plan for the area. In addition, participants concluded that despite the limitations in baseline data, the greatest threats to the state of the estuary are likely from human activities that occur on neighbouring lands, in the broader watershed, or in the waters of the adjacent Bay of Fundy. The importance of maintaining a list of known or potential threats from activities occurring in these areas, including the identification of indicators, strategies, and protocols for monitoring these threats, was emphasized. Results of the advisory meeting will be published in a CSA Science Advisory Report, Research Document, and meeting Proceedings. The Science Advisory Report reached consensus on February 4, 2011. All CSA documents associated with this meeting will be published on the national CSA website as they become available.

Complete document (PDF, 142 KB)

Accessibility Notice

This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.