Terms of Reference

Scenario Analysis for the Future Marine Protected Area Network in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence Bioregion

Zonal Peer Review – Quebec, Gulf and Newfoundland and Labrador Regions

January 31 and February 1, 2017
Mont-Joli, Quebec

Chairperson: Jacques A. Gagné

Context

The many provincial, territorial, national and international commitments related to the establishment of marine protected area networks highlight the importance of marine biodiversity conservation. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is combining its efforts with those of other federal departments and the provinces that have mandates, expertise or interest in establishing marine protected areas to plan a Marine Protected Area Network. The main goal of this network will be to provide long-term protection of marine biodiversity, ecosystem functions and specific natural characteristics of the marine environment. The network will also contribute to achieving the Government of Canada's conservation objectives to protect 5% of coastal and marine areas by 2017 and at least 10% by 2020.

A first peer review held on September 24 and 25, 2013 made it possible to review the various layers of information that will be used to define the network and to validate the chosen methodology. A technical committee is currently working on developing a scenario for the Marine Protected Area Network based on the methodology used at this first review.

A peer review process is required in order to review the proposed preliminary scenario and ensure that its implementation would achieve the conservation objectives defined for the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence Bioregion.

Objectives

The purpose of this second meeting is to evaluate the results of the spatial analysis of the data integrating ecological and some socio-economic aspects. According to the methodology and decision support tool (Marxan) used, all sites represented in the preliminary scenario would make it possible to achieve the network’s strategic conservation objectives. Scientists will be asked to comment on the results of the analysis from an ecological perspective by answering the following question:

1. Should additional ecologically significant areas be identified to complete the preliminary scenario (DFO 2017)?
   1. If so, which one(s)?
   2. Considering the strategic conservation objectives, please provide a rationale for integrating a new area into the existing preliminary scenario.
   3. Considering the strategic conservation objectives, please identify the specific consequences of not integrating this area into the scenario.

Expected Publication

• Proceedings

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Regional Science Branch and Oceans Management, Quebec Region),
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Regional Science Branch and Oceans Management, Gulf Region)
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Regional Science Branch and Oceans Management, Newfoundland and Labrador Region)
• Parks Canada
• Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service)
• Academia

Reference

DFO. 2017. Establishment of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. Proposed scenario for the future MPA network in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence Bioregion. Discussion paper. 49 pp. + appendices.