Research Document - 2001/095
Ocean Activities and Ecosystem Issues on the Eastern Scotian Shelf:
An Assessment of Current Capabilities to Address Ecosystem Objectives
By S. Coffen-Smout, R.G. Halliday, G. Herbert, T. Potter, N. Witherspoon
Abstract
Conservation and environmental protection objectives and regulatory measures for key ocean use sectors (fisheries, oil and gas, marine transportation, maritime defence operations, and potential ocean mining) on the eastern Scotian Shelf area are examined. These ocean sectors are analyzed to determine the extent to which proposed new ecosystem objectives are considered in current management planning. Existing management plans and measures were not expected to have explicit references to all of the proposed ecosystem objectives. The capabilities and effectiveness of current governance/institutional structures are assessed, and changes required for addressing defined ecosystem objectives are identified, for each ocean use sector. In addition to sector-specific considerations, the paper addresses the issues of cumulative ecosystem effects and makes recommendations for changes and additions to governance structures to ensure that ecosystem objectives are met in the eastern Scotian Shelf area.
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