Terms of Reference

National Science Advisory Workshop to

Review Canadian experiences with ecologically and biologically significant areas (EBSA) and Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VME)

in the Northeast Pacific

June 29-30, 2009

Nanaimo, British Columbia

Context

In May 2008, at the 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Decision IX/20 was adopted to address issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.  At this meeting, a suite of scientific criteria were agreed upon for identifying ecologically or biologically significant and/or vulnerable marine areas in need of protection (CBD Decision IX/20, Annex I).  Scientific guidance was also provided for selecting areas to establish representative networks of marine protected areas with applicability to open ocean and deep sea habitats (CBD Decision IX/20, Annex II).

At CBD COP9 it was agreed upon that a scientific and technical expert workshop would be convened to provide, using the best available information and data, scientific and technical guidance on the use and further development of biogeographic classification systems (including guidance on identifying areas beyond national jurisdiction which meet the scientific criteria found in CBD COP 9 Decision IX/20, Annex I).   The workshop will convene in the fall of 2009 (to be hosted by Canada with co-financing by Germany) and will review and synthesize progress on the identification of areas beyond national jurisdiction which meet the scientific criteria in CBD CoP9 Decision IX/20 (Annex I), as well as encourage participants to share experiences in the use of biogeographic classification systems.   As agreed upon in CBD Decision IX/20, the outcomes of the workshop will be made available to the CBD Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) for consideration prior to CBD COP10.  In addition, the CBD COP9 Decision takes note of the Global Open Oceans and Deep Seabed (GOODs) Biogeographic Classification (UNEP/CBD/COP/9/INF/44) and requests that it also be made available to SBSTTA prior to CBD COP10.

In preparation for the aforementioned CBD Workshop in fall 2009, as well as advancing Canada’s commitment to develop networks of marine protected areas that meet the obligations under the CBD, the United Nations General Assembly and the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) has been identified as the best approach to assemble and review relevant available information.  This CSAS workshop will review experiences with, and synthesize progress related to, the application of scientific criteria to identify ecologically and biologically significant areas (EBSA) and vulnerable marine ecosystems (VME) in the Canadian Northeast Pacific Ocean.  Outcomes of this workshop will be brought forward for consideration at the CBD Workshop in fall 2009.

Objectives

Workshop participants are encouraged to contribute working papers and/or presentations which report on how EBSA and/or VME criteria have been used and how they have contributed to developing policy or management measures.

The workshop participants will:

1. Review experiences on the current and potential uses of EBSA and VME criteria (with specific reference to developing policies and management measures);
2. Synthesize regional progress on the application of scientific criteria to identify EBSA and/or VME;
3. Identify biological datasets for the Northeast Pacific that could be used to a) identify sensitive marine regions for individual species or functional groups, and 2) aid in the provision of guidance related to EBSA and VME; and
4. Conduct a feasibility analysis on how to apply the EBSA and VME criteria.

Background information for consideration at the workshop may include:

• CBD CoP9 Decision IX/20, with particular attention given to Annexes II and III;
• the report of the CBD Expert Workshop on Ecological Criteria and Biogeographic Classification Systems (Azores, Portugal, October 2-4, 2007);
• DFO, 2004. Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Ecosystem Status Rep. 2004/006; and
• any other information deemed relevant by the participants

Outputs

Outputs from the meeting will include CSAS Proceedings (to document the discussion of the meeting) and a report containing results and recommendations to be forwarded to the CBD Secretariat for consideration at the CBD Expert Workshop (fall 2009).

Participation

The workshop will be chaired by Jim Boutillier (Research Biologist, DFO - Pacific) and will include experts from DFO Science (Pacific Region and HQ), Ellen Kenchington (nominated Canadian expert to participate in the CBD Expert Workshop), other DFO sectors, and external participants.