Science Response 2014/014
Eastport Marine Protected Area (MPA) Case Study in Support of Ecosystems Goods and Services Valuation
Context
In 2012, the Office of the Auditor General concluded a Performance Audit of Biodiversity-Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). One of two key recommendations for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) was that the Department "identifies specific ecosystem services provided by existing and planned marine protected areas and assesses their values to better understand their benefits and costs". In recognition of the complexity of this work and capacity/resource constraints, DFO committed to undertake a benefits valuation case study of an existing MPA by March 2014. The site selected for this study was the Eastport MPA, located off the east coast of Newfoundland, which has the primary conservation objective of maintaining a viable population of lobster through the conservation, protection, and sustainable use of resources and habitats.
Given the data constraints, it was determined that the most feasible approach for DFO Science to contribute to the study of ecosystem services in the Eastport MPA would be to use different geographical areas to compare indicators of population status for a time series between 1997 and 2012. The study involved a review and analysis of the available data for:
- Estimate of abundance using landings
- Estimate of abundance using catch per unit effort (CPUE)
- Estimate of berried females
- Size structure and distribution
The study analyzed data at two scales where possible: the Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 5 in which the Eastport MPA is located, in relation to two other LFAs where no MPAs are located (4B and 10: Fig. 2); and the local effects of protected and unprotected areas within the East port Peninsula Lobster Management Area (EPLMA).
This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of December 10-11, 2013, Science Advice in Support of the Eastport Marine Protected Area (MPA) Ecosystems Goods and Services Valuation Case Study. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.
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.
- Date modified: