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Integrated oceans management

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Oceans governance approach

Canada’s Oceans Strategy (2002) (PDF, 840 KB) provides a foundational definition of integrated management or integrated oceans management:

A continuous process through which decisions are made for the sustainable use, development, and protection of areas and resources. Integrated management acknowledges the interrelationships that exist among different uses and the environments they potentially affect. It is designed to overcome the fragmentation inherent in a sectoral management approach, analyzes the implications of development, conflicting uses and promotes linkages and harmonization among various activities.

Integrated oceans management in the context of oceans governance is:

Marine environment showing wind turbine, cargo ship, industrial crane, fishing boat, whale and fishing nets.

Other leading global definitions include Marine Spatial Planning Global, Ocean Panel, (World Resources Institute).

Overview

Current issues and solutions relating to coastal and marine systems are complex and cross-cut sectors and scales. The ocean is a busy, fragmented space where various users compete for access and resources, and it’s crucial to manage these competing interests equitably and effectively. This situation is further complicated by multiple jurisdictions, compounding pressures such as climate change, pollution and widespread loss of biodiversity.

Moving away from a siloed or sector-based ocean management approach is integrated oceans management. It is also sometimes referred to internationally as integrated management, Integrated Coastal and Marine Management (ICM) or Integrated Coastal and Oceans Management (ICOM) internationally. The integrated oceans management approach offers a holistic and strategic form of governance that is necessary in the pursuit of sustainable development and seeks to address multiple objectives across ocean uses, rather than a single objective or ocean use.

The well-being of Canadians can be improved with the management of ocean uses and activities that support multiple objectives, such as:

Integrated oceans management can help:

No one group can achieve integrated oceans management alone. It is done in partnership with rightsholders and stakeholders across our vast ocean areas.

Canada’s commitment to integrated oceans management

Broadly, the Government of Canada (GC) is committed to:

Canada’s commitment to integrated oceans management is solidified under section 31 of Canada’s Oceans Act, which provides the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans the authority to:

lead and facilitate the development and implementation of plans for the integrated management of all activities or measures in or affecting estuaries, coastal waters and marine waters that form part of Canada or in which Canada has sovereign rights under international law.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) have the lead role in coordinating a whole of government approach to oceans governance and management. We are committed to working with all relevant partners and stakeholders, including other federal departments and provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments and coastal communities. Co-creating successful governance structures with partners is an essential element of the integrated oceans management process. It is instrumental in implementing regionally-relevant initiatives, such as marine spatial planning.

DFO regions continue to build relationships with Indigenous groups. Through established regional governance, they continue to engage on the concept of planning in the marine environment. The initial focus is on capacity building and gathering and mapping Indigenous KnowledgeFootnote 1, where feasible and with consent.

We support Indigenous communities to:

We carry out this work in accordance with our Reconciliation strategy. This supports the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Operationalizing integrated oceans management

Integrated oceans management is operationalized through key principles and best practices, including:

Detailed information on implementation of integrated oceans management can be found in the Policy and Operational Framework for Integrated Management of Estuarine, Coastal and Marine Environments in Canada.

Integrated oceans management requires a suite of approaches or tools. Some actions that Canada has been involved in that contribute to our efforts include:

Integrated management plans

Ongoing integrated management and marine spatial planning initiatives build upon the knowledge, lessons and partnerships developed through our past integrated oceans management experiences initiated with the passage of Canada's Oceans Act in 1996.

Related information

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