Science Advisory Report  2013/026

National synthesis of the ‘Ecosystem Research Initiatives’

Summary

• The ‘Ecosystem Research Initiative’ (ERI) was a program conducted by the Ecosystems and Oceans Science Sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) from 2007-2012.  The ERI program was comprised of seven large-scale ecosystem research programs that focused on how Science could support the Department’s implementation of an ecosystem approach to management (EAM).
• Delivery of the ERIs varied among Regions, but all studies advanced understanding of how Canadian aquatic ecosystems are structured and how they function, which are prerequisites for an EAM. The ERI program also provided the opportunity to learn valuable lessons with respect to the design, coordination, and implementation of complex science programming at the ecosystem scale. 
• There is significant benefit in establishing approaches, mandates, and direction for scientific research initiatives, in particular those relevant to EAM, through ongoing multi-sector collaborations.  These interactions ensure results will be relevant to Departmental needs and priorities and improve the likelihood of their integration into decision-making.
• Although supporting immediate, short-term management and policy needs are a priority for DFO scientists, investments should be made in research that addresses broader scale questions over longer timeframes to provide the scientific basis to support anticipated future management and policy needs. 
• An overarching and comprehensive framework that outlines the Department’s intentions, including roles and responsibilities, with respect to implementing EAM would greatly assist in the development of relevant future scientific research programs and the design of related scientific projects.
• Key conclusions and advice from the ERI programs include:
  1. the need for multi-sector working groups at regional and national levels to identify priorities for science support within an EAM;
  2. a national ecosystem modelling and analysis working group to address ecosystem-scale issues;
  3. new tools to assess cumulative effects of multiple stressors; and
  4. improvement of comprehensive ecosystem-level monitoring, assessment, and predictive capabilities.

This Science Advisory Report is from the 14-15 November 2012 National Synthesis of the ‘Ecosystem Research Initiatives’.  Additional publications from this process will be posted as they become available on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule.

Complete document (PDF, 133 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.