Terms of Reference

National Science Advisory Workshop to Review Assessment Protocols on Benthic Habitat in the Northeast Pacific

March 16-17, 2010

Sidney, British Columbia

Context

The pressure to provide scientific advice on the nature and extent of anthropogenic impacts on the benthic environment and the management measures required to address these impacts (e.g. aquaculture, fishing, oil and gas, etc.) are ever-increasing.  The provision of science advice should be provided within an ecosystem-based framework which takes into account not only the direct impacts on specific species and populations, but also addresses the indirect impacts on the health and nature of the ecosystem.  Both the United States of America (USA) and Canada have committed to conserving and protecting ocean biodiversity and resources in a variety of domestic and international forums.  This is coming at a time when there is a growing need to understand the biological implications of major ecosystem drivers such as climate change, ocean acidification, intrusion of oxygen-depleted water, etc.

To date, both the USA and Canada have experienced challenges in providing science advice on the aforementioned issues as the appropriate data is not always consistently available.  Researchers in both countries have utilised a variety of techniques to collect photographic qualitative and quantitative data to enhance their ability to provide advice.  However, developing the appropriate tools, expertise, and infrastructure is a lengthy process which often competes with more conventional assessment methods. Relevant Departments and organisations in both the USA and Canada have endeavoured to assemble a coherent program from which we can start to collect meaningful information.  

A Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Regional Workshop will convene on 16-17 March 2010 in Sidney, British Columbia to review experiences related to benthic habitat assessments in the Northeast Pacific, identify knowledge and/or technology gaps, and provide an opportunity to further collaborations between technical experts in the USA and Canada whose work may contribute to the provision of relevant science advice. 

Objectives

The workshop participants will:

1. Review experiences on current and potential technologies, applications, and data management related to benthic habitat assessments in the Northeast Pacific;
2. Identify gaps and synthesise recommendations for “best practices” for each of the three themes mentioned in 1);
3. Identify opportunities for potential collaborations that would improve the provision of science advice related to benthic habitat assessments in the Northeast Pacific. 

Background information for consideration at the workshop may include:

• ICES working group experience.
• 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.

Workshop participants are encouraged to contribute presentations which report on how they are approaching technologies, applications, and data management for benthic habitat assessments in the Northeast Pacific.  For example, presentations could focus on: i) what technologies, applications, and data management tools are currently available; ii) how have they contributed to developing policy or management measures; iii) what will we need in the future; and iv) how can science advice related to benthic habitat assessments of the Northeast Pacific be more effective?

Outputs

Participation