Research Document - 2013/048
International Approaches to Characterizing Marine Seascapes to Achieve Representativity in MPA Network Design
By V. Sheppard
Abstract
To design Marine Protected Area (MPA) networks in 12 bioregions across the country, Canada will apply the Convention on Biological Diversity’s scientific guidance regarding required network properties and components; this list includes representativity. Currently, there is little guidance available regarding how to apply this network property in practice, particularly with respect to defining the appropriate scale of biogeographic subdivision to reflect the full range of marine ecosystems, including biotic and habitat diversity. Therefore, to inform the development of national scientific guidance to support bioregional MPA network planning in Canada, this paper investigates various approaches other jurisdictions have taken internationally to address this question. No jurisdiction took the approach of specifying outright the scale at which they will apply the representativity property. Most jurisdictions took a systematic approach to characterizing marine landscapes/seascapes, subdivided primarily using geophysical, plus some biological, factors. Such an approach is an option for the Canadian context considering benthic and pelagic ecosystems separately, and proceeding at different scales for coastal versus offshore areas. In order to achieve national consistency, scientific guidance on the types of factors to consider in bioregional landscape/seascape characterization is needed.
- Date modified: