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Biophysical and Ecological Overview of the Pacific Region Offshore Haida Gwaii Network Zones

Regional Peer Review – Pacific Region

November 8-9, 2022
Vancouver, British Columbia

Chairperson: Gudt’aawt’is Judson Brown (Council of the Haida Nation), Janet Lochead (DFO / MPO)

Context

As a signatory of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Canada has committed to safeguarding biodiversity through “…equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas…” (CBD 2011) and planning processes are currently underway in five priority bioregions. The Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) is responsible for the stewardship of “the lands and waters of the Haida Territories on behalf of the Haida Nation, and to perpetuate Haida culture and language for future generations” (CHN 2021). As signatories of Reconciliation Framework Agreement for Bioregional Oceans Management and Protection (RFA), the Council of the Haida Nation and Government of Canada, “...wish to advance a collaborative, coordinated and efficient approach to the governance, management, restoration and protection of oceans in the Pacific North Coast, including marine ecosystems, marine resources and marine use activities” (RFA 2018). The Northern Shelf Bioregion (NSB), located off the coast of British Columbia (BC), has been the focus of multiple marine planning initiatives over the past several years. Planning initiatives in the NSB include the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA) plan, the Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) and most recently the NSB Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network planning process. The MPA Network process is co-led by the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the CHN, and 17 other partner First Nations.

The boundaries of the seven zones (numbered 500 through 506) representing the Offshore Haida Gwaii Network Zones are a subset of the NSB MPA Network scenario sites and therefore contribute to the overall MPA Network goals and objectives. This makes this Biophysical Overview Report unique among most Biophysical Reports for several reasons:

  1. these areas were identified as individual zones that work in complement with other potential individual MPAs to contribute to conservation objectives at the MPA Network scale (the first MPA Network at this stage in Canada);
  2. network level ecological conservation priorities (E-CPs; Gale et al. 2019), cultural conservation priorities (C-CPsFootnote 5), and zone-specific conservation objectives have already been identified, a step that usually follows the Area of Interest Biophysical Report in an Oceans Act MPA establishment process; and
  3. “activities of concern” or activities that may affect conservation objectives have already been identified by the MPA Network technical team. This allows this report to focus more specifically on these areas’ contribution to the overall MPA Network, while also highlighting any zone-specific, or locally important ecological, cultural and physical components.

Potential Network Zones, including the Offshore Haida Gwaii sites, were identified by the Marine Protected Area Technical Team (MPATT) as part of the draft MPA Network scenario during the summer of 2021. These sites encompass offshore zones along the west coast of Haida Gwaii, running as far north as Fredrick Island down south to Cape St. James. The Offshore Haida Gwaii Network Zones represent portions of the Dixon Entrance, Continental Slope, Transitional Pacific and Subarctic Pacific ecosections and capture portions of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs; Clarke and Jamieson 2006). EBSAs are areas within Canada's oceans that have special biological or ecological significance, as identified through formal scientific assessments (DFO 2004). This area also has high spiritual and cultural value, providing key seascapes and habitat for species significant to the Haida Nation, including groundfish and rockfish (Haida Marine Traditional Knowledge (HMTK) Participants et al. 2011). Some of the most notable features of the sites within the area are: high benthic heterogeneity (including trough, shelf, and slope habitats), a seamount, significant concentrations of coldwater corals, areas of high diversity and productivity for fish and invertebrate species, important foraging habitat for various seabird species, and distinctive oceanographic processes. The diversity of species and ecosystems contribute to the overall MPA Network objectives and help to ensure representation of all ecosystems in the NSB.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Oceans Program has requested that Science Branch provide a biophysical and ecological overview of the Offshore Haida Gwaii Network Zones as a first step in the regulatory process for MPA designation under the Oceans Act. The overview report will detail the key biophysical, ecological, and cultural attributes of the study area, especially as it pertains to potential conservation objectives and the overall MPA Network goals and objectives. A risk assessment will occur in a subsequent step in the process to establish a MPA under the Oceans Act (DFO 2022); therefore, it will not be part of this process.

The advice arising from this Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Regional Peer Review (RPR) will assist managers in refining conservation objectives and area boundaries (if required) and will inform subsequent steps of the Oceans Act MPA designation process. The information contained within the report will also inform subsequent advice on monitoring indicators, protocols and strategies, identification of information gaps requiring further research, and the development of management and monitoring plans for the sites.

Objectives

The following working paper will be reviewed and provide the basis for discussion and advice on the specific objectives outlined below.

Bannar-Martin, Katherine H. Skil Jáada Vanessa Zahner, Kil Hltaanuwaay Tayler Brown, Burke, Lily, Hannah, Charles G., Hilborn, Andrea, Iacarella, Josephine C., Lok, Erika K., McDougall, Chris, Proudfoot, Beatrice, Robb, Carolyn K., Sastri, Akash R., Stacey, Cooper and Rubidge, Emily M. 2022. Biophysical and Ecological Overview of the Offshore Haida Gwaii Slope Network Zones. 2016OCN04a

The objectives of the working paper are to:

  1. Evaluate, describe, and map, where possible, the identified key biophysical and ecological features of the selected sites, including:
    • predominant and/or unique physical and biological oceanographic characteristics;
    • predominant, unique, and/or sensitive habitat features with a specific focus on habitats selected as conservation priorities for the MPA Network; and
    • ecologically and/or culturally significant species, and species of conservation concern with particular focus on species that occur in the area that were identified as cultural and/or ecological conservation priorities for the MPA Network process.
  2. Identify known areas of overlap with potential anthropogenic stressors and species and habitats of interest within the selected sites. Include sensitivity of species of known conservation concern, if available.
  3. Identify key uncertainties and knowledge gaps as they pertain to the current understanding of the existing environment and species of interest within the selected sites, and recommend measures to address these gaps, where possible.

Expected Publications

Expected Participation

References

Notice

Participation to CSAS peer review meetings is by invitation only.

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