Terms of Reference

Biophysical and Ecological Overview of the Southern Portion of the Offshore Bioregion Area of Interest (AOI)

Regional Science Response Process – Pacific Region

October 2017
Nanaimo, British Columbia

Chairperson: Tammy Norgard

Context

The Government of Canada has agreed to a suite of international biodiversity conservation goals and targets (the Convention on Biological Diversity 2011-2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity’s Aichi Targets) and adopted complementary domestic 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada. Both international and domestic targets (Aichi Target 11 and Canada’s Target 1) call for the conservation of 10% of coastal and marine areas by 2020. Further, to highlight these targets as a priority, the Government of Canada recently identified an interim target of 5% protection by 2017.

The designation of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Canadian waters has been identified as one part of the national strategy to meet these targets. Under the Oceans Act, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is authorized to provide protection to areas of the oceans and coasts through the establishment of MPAs, where the identification of an Area of Interest (AOI) is the first step in this process. The identification of this particular Area of Interest for potential MPA designation in the Pacific Region was first informed by Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in Canada’s Offshore Pacific Bioregion (DFO 2016;  Ban et al. 2016).

On May 24, 2017, following the conclusion of a regional site selection process the southern portion of the Offshore Pacific Bioregion was approved as an Area of Interest (AOI) for potential MPA establishment within the Pacific Region. Once an AOI is identified, detailed information on the key biophysical and ecological attributes of the area, especially as it pertains to its potential conservation priorities and their linkages to other key ecosystem components and processes, is required. A review of this scientific knowledge will provide details on these conservation priorities and may also serve to highlight additional conservation priorities.

Furthermore, the biophysical and ecological overview will assist in formulating and/or refining conservation objectives, delineating the proposed MPA boundary (and zones if required), and completing an ecological risk analysis to inform the development of the regulatory approach for the MPA. The information contained within will also inform subsequent advice on monitoring protocols and strategies, identification of information gaps requiring further research, and the development of a management plan for the area.

Areas adjacent to the AOI may need to be considered to capture the necessary breadth and scope of the various components of the ecosystem. Therefore, given the geographic scale at which scientific information is currently collected and reported, the study area that has been deemed appropriate for the Offshore Area of Interest biophysical and ecological overview is displayed in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 . Offshore Area of Interest (AOI) in the Offshore Pacific Bioregion and the DFO marine bioregions.

Objective

This Science Response will be reviewed and provide the basis for discussion and advice on the specific objectives outlined below:

1. Evaluate, describe and map, where possible the key biophysical and ecological features of the study area, including:  

• predominant and/or unique physical and biological oceanographic characteristics;
• predominant, unique, and/or sensitive habitat features; and
• ecologically, socially/culturally and/or commercially significant species; depleted species; and marine mammals and birds.

2. Where appropriate, identify relevance of the study area to the life histories of species of interest, species distribution and abundance (and status and trends where available), and the local abiotic and biotic factors influencing these.
3. Identify known sensitivities, resilience and recoverability of habitats and species of interest within the study area.    
4. Identify key uncertainties and knowledge gaps as it pertains to the current understanding of the existing environment and species of interest within the study area, and recommend measures to address these gaps, where possible.
5. Where appropriate, based on the best available science, describe the area that each ecosystem components/features covers.

Expected Publication

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science and Oceans)
• Academia or Academics
• Environmental non-government organizations

References

Ban, S., Curtis, J.M.R., St. Germain, C., Perry, R. I., and Therriault, T.W. 2016. Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in Canada’s Offshore Pacific Bioregion. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/034. x + 152 p.

DFO. 2016. Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the Offshore Pacific Bioregion. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2016/011.