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Terms of Reference

Meeting of the Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Advisory Process (RAP) on Gilbert Bay Marine Protected Area (MPA) Monitoring Protocol Region and Scope

October 22nd 2009

Holiday Inn, 180 Portugal Cove Road, St. John’s, NL

Chairperson: Robin Anderson

Context

Under the Health of the Oceans (HOTO) initiative, DFO Science is required to provide support and advice on Marine Protected Areas to DFO Oceans Management. Currently, this includes Science identifying indicators, protocols and strategies that are to be incorporated into MPA monitoring plans to be carried out by Oceans. The identification of such indicators, protocols and strategies are to be based upon the regulatory conservation objectives (COs) set out for each particular MPA. For the Gilbert Bay MPA, the conservation objective is to protect and conserve a unique population of Atlantic cod and its habitat. This MPA is largely a community derived initiative, and as such, the monitoring strategy must consider the methods and measurable appropriate for community based participation and decision making.  

The monitoring of biological and ecological indicators (and their respective threats) is essential to: a) the development of a broader MPA monitoring “plan” or “program” (which would include socio-economics); b) tracking status, condition and trends to determine if MPAs are effective in achieving their COs; c) aiding mangers in the adjustment of MPA management plans to achieve their conservation objectives; and d) reporting to Parliament and Canadians.

Science monitoring products are not intended to address non-biological/ecological aspects of monitoring (with the exception of threats as presented by human activities). Selection of indicators and protocols for collection and analysis of data must be scientifically defensible.  Science will not be examining social, economic or cultural indicators.

Given that Science in support of the Gilbert Bay initiative has been ongoing (both pre- and post-MPA designation) for several years, this process will require taking into consideration the indicators that have been used to date, advising on their suitability for measuring against the existing conservation objectives for Gilbert Bay, identifying other potentially important indicators where required, and if appropriate, assessing trends in the available indicator data to assess the status of the Gilbert Bay cod population.

Objectives

Overall objectives of the meeting are to:

Specifically, five proposed indicators related to the Gilbert Bay cod population will be assessed, and advice to accept and/or improve the various indicators will be developed. The five indicators proposed for use in monitoring the Gilbert Bay cod population are:

  1. Recruitment of age 0 pelagic juvenile abundance
  2. Recruitment, relative abundance, and year class strengths based on age 2,3 and 4 year old Gilbert Bay cod
  3. Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE)
  4. Movement patterns in relation to population demographics and MPA boundaries
  5. Localized commercial, recreational, sentinel, and aboriginal catch rates and fishing effort.

Advice to improve the above indicators for their relevance to the conservation objectives will consider:

Products

A Science Advisory Report (SAR) and associated research document(s) will be produced.
A Proceedings Report will record the meeting discussions.

Participation will be solicited from:

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