Terms of Reference

Science Guidance on the Development of a Network of Marine Protected Areas¹ (MPAs)

Environment and Biodiversity Science Branch, in support of Health of the Oceans (HOTO) Initiative

June 17-18, 2009

Ottawa, ON

Chairperson: Jake Rice
Contact: Roger Wysocki

Background

Canada has national and international commitments to establish a “network” of marine protected areas (World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution, etc.). The Oceans Directorate (Oceans Policy and Planning Branch) of Fisheries and Oceans Canada has requested Science advice on how to maximize the ecological benefits of a national network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The vision of the Oceans Sector is to create a national system of marine protected areas comprised of a number of bioregional MPA networks. Oceans Sector aims to move from identifying individual new MPAs, to strategically creating “networks” of ecologically linked MPAs.

A major workshop sponsored by Oceans Sector in January 2008, and with international participation, provided a high-level description of properties of a “network”.  High-level guidance is also provided in Annex II of the CBD COP Resolution IX/20.  However, this high-level guidance on network properties needs to be made more specific and operational, in order to be applied consistently in Canada’s oceans and coastal areas.  Science guidance is required on how to ensure the high-level documents are interpreted and applied in ways that provide cohesion at the national level but will also allow for regional flexibility.  This work will also contribute to drafting the framework of the national system of MPAs that is due by September 2009.

Workshop Objectives

A workshop is planned for June 2009 to develop Science advice that will inform development of a national system of MPAs in Canada, which will be comprised of bioregional networks. This Science advisory process will provide detailed guidance on defining the priority ecological linkages for achieving a national system of bioregional networks of MPAs in Canada (referred to by Oceans Sector as the “national network”).  It will also provide guidance on the interpretation and application of the terms and criteria in the high-level documents, with regard to the properties of a “network” of MPAs.

Primary Objectives:

1. Provide Science guidance regarding how to apply the definitions and considerations listed in Annex II of CBD COP Resolution IX/20 as underlying the ecological features and functions necessary for an MPA network. The Guidance for selection of areas for establishment as “representative” network of marine protected areas includes:

2. Consider how the spatial scale(s) at which the national network of MPAs could be developed might affect the ability of the networks to achieve these ecological linkages and the overall objectives of the network.  Document and justify if a “best” spatial scale exists.
   
3. Specifically consider how to address representativity of areas within the MPA networks.
   

[Note:  It is expected that this workshop objective will be a product from a preceding advisory process – the “Biogeographic Classification Systems Review”.  Within this review, several extant marine biogeographic classification systems will be reviewed, including; Marine Ecoregion Classification of Canada (Powles et al, 2004), Marine Ecoregion Classification of North America (Wilkinson et al, 2009), Marine Ecoregions of the World (Spalding et al, 2007), etc.]

4. Consider and advise how well the existing marine protected areas and areas proposed for legal designation (areas of interest) in Canada, fulfill the internationally identified ecological features and functions of a  “network” (sensu Annex II of CBD COP IX/20).  This Science guidance will be considered by Oceans Sector in creating and strengthening ecological linkages among existing and forthcoming MPAs.
   

Secondary Objective:

5. Identify Science knowledge or information gaps that once filled, may enhance the development of Canada’s national network of MPAs.

Products

A CSAS Science Advisory Report and accompanying Proceedings document will be produced to summarize the workshop discussions and conclusions, and to provide Science guidance regarding the design of bioregional networks.  

Participation

This will be a Science workshop with some participation of MPA policy staff and practitioners:

• DFO Science
• DFO Oceans Sector
• Parks Canada
• Environment Canada Science
• Provinces/Territories
• Consideration of appropriate external and international experts.

Background Documents

1. Guidance and Lessons Learned for Canada’s Marine Protected Area Networks: Proceedings of a national workshop held in Ottawa in January 2008.
2. Framework for the National System of Marine Protected Areas of the USA.
3. Science outputs from “Biogeographic Classification Systems Review” advisory process.