Terms of Reference

Identification of Ecological and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA) – Lessons Learned

National Science Advisory Process

May 19-20, 2011
Ottawa, Ontario

Co-Chairs: Jake Rice & Nadine Templeman

Context

Canada’s Oceans Act (1997) authorizes Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to conserve and protect living resources and their supporting ecosystems through the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and MPA networks, and to provide enhanced management to areas of the oceans and coasts via the development of Integrated Oceans Management Plans. The identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA) is considered to be a useful tool for calling attention to areas that have particular ecological or biological significance, in order to facilitate a greater-than-usual degree of risk aversion in the management of activities.

DFO has developed  national guidance for the identification of EBSAs and has endorsed the scientific criteria of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for identifying ecologically or biologically significant marine areas in need of protection in open-ocean waters and deep-sea habitats as defined in Annex I of Decision IX/20 of its 9th Conference of Parties.

Since 2005, DFO has undertaken the identification of EBSAs within Canadian waters, primarily within the Department’s five Large Ocean Management Areas (LOMAs).  As efforts expand to identify EBSAs outside the boundaries of the LOMAs, for example within the 13 biogeographic units that are the spatial framework for Canada’s network of marine protected areas, it is timely to reflect on the lessons learned in previous EBSA exercises within Canadian waters. 

There is general agreement within the scientific community on the use of criteria for the identification of EBSAs.  However, the scientific guidance regarding the use of these criteria should be revisited to ensure it is adequate and clear as, based on experience to date, further guidance may be possible on how to evaluate an area using these criteria.  In order to properly and efficiently identify the EBSAs, an approach that would minimise the likelihood of potential bias and subjectivity during the identification and evaluation process is required.

A national Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) national science advisory process will be held May 19-20, 2011 in Ottawa to reflect on the lessons learned to date and to provide science advice on the application of EBSA criteria in the future.

Working Papers and Meeting Objectives

Working Papers

Working papers and/or presentations submitted for review by meeting participants will comprise the primary information sources that will be considered at this science advisory process. 

Meeting Objectives

The primary objective of this science advisory process is to reflect on lessons learned in previous initiatives to identify EBSAs in Canadian waters, and to provide further guidance for the application of criteria to identify EBSAs in the future.

In order to achieve this objective, meeting participants will:

1. Review and summarise the lessons learned with respect to previous initiatives to identify EBSAs within Canadian waters (e.g. how have EBSAs have been used in policy and management, have scientific caveats been explicit, how have stakeholders responded to EBSAs?).
   
   
2. Provide further guidance on an appropriate approach to identify EBSAs within Canadian waters, including:
   1. Areas that are considered information poor compared to the original LOMAs, and;
   2. Areas where information is widely scattered and/or resources for extensive data assembly and analyses are limited.
3. Provide further guidance on an appropriate approach to prioritising EBSAs once they have been identified.

Expected Publications

Publications from the meeting will include a CSAS Science Advisory Report, CSAS Proceedings to document the discussion of the meeting, and CSAS Research Document(s) based on submitted working papers that provide a basis for the science advice.

Participation

This national science advisory process will include experts from DFO Science and other sectors of the Department, as well as a range of invited external participants from other government Departments/agencies who have had direct experience with the EBSA process.