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Guidance and Lessons Learned for Canada's Marine Protected Area Networks

Guidance and Lessons Learned for Canada's Marine Protected Area Networks: Proceedings of a national workshop held in Ottawa in January 2008

Guidance and Lessons Learned for Canada's Marine Protected Area Networks: Proceedings of a national workshop held in Ottawa in January 2008 (PDF, 2.06 MB)

Proceedings of a national workshop held in Ottawa in January 2008

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Fisheries and Oceans Canada and World Wildlife Fund Canada would like to thank all the experts who helped us plan the workshop and came to share their experience in planning marine protected area networks. We would also like to thank Fanny Douvere and Charles Ehler for helping us capture the discussions that took place throughout the workshop and for providing a first draft of this summary report.

DECLARATION

The views captured in this report represent those of the authors and presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views of Fisheries and Oceans Canada or the Government of Canada.

Recommended citation:

Fisheries and Oceans Canada and WWF-Canada. 2009. Guidance and Lessons Learned for Canada's Marine Protected Areas Networks: Proceedings of a national workshop held in Ottawa in January 2008.

Photo credits:

SG̲áan K̲ínghlas-Bowie Seamount underwater view (top): Neil McDaniel

Clown Nudibranch, Strait of Georgia: M. Heibert

© 1986 Panda symbol WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (also known as World Wildlife Fund)

® "WWF" is a WWF Registered Trademark

FOREWORD

In November 1994 the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans issued A Vision for Ocean Management, which highlighted the need for an oceans-management strategy and oceans legislation. Following an extensive period of consultation and parliamentary committee debate, the Oceans Act came into force on 31 January 1997. The Act established Canada as the first country with comprehensive oceans-management legislation. Canada has begun to implement its Oceans Act through a series of integrated management activities in priority areas, using area-based management tools such as marine protected areas.

Canada committed nationally and internationally to establish marine protected area networks. This commitment has been identified as a key deliverable under the federal Health of the Oceans initiative (2007) and Canada's Federal Marine Protected Areas Strategy (2005). Fisheries and Oceans Canada is the Government of Canada lead for the establishment of Canada's system of marine protected areas, working in cooperation with Parks Canada Agency, Environment Canada, and provincial and territorial agencies with a mandate to conserve and protect marine areas, as well as with First Nations and Aboriginal groups, industries, non-governmental organizations and other interest groups.

This workshop gave these Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial authorities, Aboriginal organizations and national level stakeholders an opportunity to jointly access and explore the growing body of international knowledge and experience in the planning of marine protected area networks. It represents the first of many steps to come in building Canada's marine protected area networks in an inclusive, coordinated, and complementary fashion.

Martine Landry for Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Jennifer Smith for World Wildlife Fund-Canada

ABBREVIATIONS

BfN

German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation

CBD

Convention on Biological Diversity

COP

Conference of the Parties

DFO

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

EBSA

Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area

EEZ

Exclusive Economic Zone

EU

European Union

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

GBRMP

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

IUCN

International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (World Conservation Union)

LOMA

Large Ocean Management Area

MBS

Migratory Bird Sanctuary

MCPA

Marine and Coastal Protected Area

MEC

Marine Environment Classification

MLPA

Marine Life Protection Act (California)

MPA

Marine Protected Area *

MPPF

Marine Protection Planning Forum

MWA

Marine Wildlife Area

NGO

Non-governmental Organization

NMCA

National Marine Conservation Area †

NRSMPA

National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas

NWA

National Wildlife Area

NZBS

New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy

OSPAR

Oslo-Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic

POW

Program of Work

SAC

Special Area of Conservation

SBSTTA

Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

SCI

Site of Community Importance

SPA

Special Protection Area

WCPA

World Commission on Protected Areas

* In this document, the term "marine protected area (MPA)" is used in a generic sense and not to refer to any one specific legislative or regulatory mechanism - unless otherwise noted.

† While the Federal Marine Protected Areas Strategy applies to the ocean environment, it is recognized that Parks Canada Agency's NMCA program also includes the Great Lakes.

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