Ocean Zoning and Marine Planning
What is our goal?
A functioning zoning system off Nova Scotia that protects critical habitat areas from the fishing practices that damage them as well as extensive marine planning that properly engages all stakeholders.
Why are we working on this?
Ocean zoning, setting aside certain spatial areas in the ocean for being fished by certain gear types only, or not at all, is a critical conservation tool because it recognizes the different impacts of various fishing gears as well as the changing habitat features of the ocean that make some areas more susceptible to certain human activities than others.
For example, a strong zoning system could protect coral and sponge beds from bottom trawling in some areas and shark and tuna spawning habitats from pelagic longlining in other areas. Rather than attempting to apply one management plan to an entire large region, ocean zoning recognizes the diversity and complexity of the marine ecosystem and manages it accordingly.
Marine planning is the process of bringing together all ocean stakeholders to discuss and plan how ocean resources will be used. In the offshore waters of eastern Nova Scotia, the Eastern Scotian Shelf Integrated Management (ESSIM) planning process is a multi-stakeholder process, engaging all ocean users and sectors. To date, the ESSIM process has produced an integrated management plan. With luck, this will be the first such plan under the Oceans Act in Canada.
EAC hosted an Ocean Zoning workshop in 2004, bringing together international experts on zoning, to inform the ESSIM process, and have continued to build on this work. EAC has a seat on the ESSIM stakeholder council and takes active part in the process. Furthermore, EAC is pushing for meaningful marine planning in inshore areas as well and collaborating with EAC ‘s Coastal Issue Committee on achieving a coastal planning framework, which does not currently exist in Nova Scotia.
What have we achieved?
As a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Eastern Scotian Shelf Integrated Management (ESSIM) initiative, EAC is working closely with World Wildlife Fund, the ESSIM planning office and other SAC members to develop and implement a spatial conservation action plan. The plan will augment industry action plans as well as support marine protected area designation and coastal community conservation areas. ESSIM is slated to be the first integrated management plan signed off by the Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
We are working closely with the community of Canso to develop a community conservation area plan, as part of the objectives under the ESSIM initiative.
We are also engaging the community of Port Mouton in discussions on community-based conservation, based on fisheries and spatial planning.
Priorities for 2008 and beyond
The designation of the ESSIM plan by the Minister of Fisheries of Oceans.
Develop and implement community based spatial conservation plans with our community and government partners.
Designation of at least one new marine protected area on the Scotian Shelf, and continued advocacy for a network of marine protected areas by 2012, as committed to at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.
Marine Issues Committee
Phone: (902) 446-4840
Fax: (902) 405-3716
Are you interested in mysterious sea creatures, fishing boats and gear, tasty and sustainably caught seafood dishes, or the unique and beautiful Sable Island? Then you’ll be in good company at our monthly Marine Issues Committee (MIC) at the Ecology Action Centre on the last Tuesday of every month at 5:30.
*note: the July MIC meeting has been cancelled. Our next meeting will be August 31
