Spatial Planning in Canada’s Spatial Planning in Canada’s Maritimes RegionMaritimes Region

Glen Herbert, Scott Glen Herbert, Scott CoffenCoffen--SmoutSmout, and , and Tanya Tanya KoropatnickKoropatnick

Oceans and Coastal Management Division Oceans and Coastal Management Division Ecosystem Management BranchEcosystem Management Branch

Fisheries and Oceans CanadaFisheries and Oceans CanadaMaritimes RegionMaritimes Region

BIO Dartmouth, NSBIO Dartmouth, NS

AgendaAgenda•• IntroductionIntroduction

•• Challenges and opportunities for MSP in CanadaChallenges and opportunities for MSP in Canada•• DFO Maritimes Region’s view of MSPDFO Maritimes Region’s view of MSP

•• Work to dateWork to date•• Spatial conservation action planSpatial conservation action plan•• OnOn--going data collection and analysisgoing data collection and analysis•• Case studies: Spatial planning in practiceCase studies: Spatial planning in practice

•• Next stepsNext steps

Challenges and Opportunities for MSP Challenges and Opportunities for MSP in Canadain Canada

• No federal oceans-related acts explicitly recommend or exclude the use of MSP

• DFO Minister has “authority to implement MSP” relative to MPAs, fisheries, aquaculture, habitat protection, and pollution prevention

• Other oceans-mandated Ministers have “authority to implement MSP” for maritime transport, cables, oil and gas exploration and development, ocean dumping, marine conservation areas, and marine wildlife areas etc.

• Collaborative approach is required due to multiple jurisdictions

DFO Maritimes Region View of MSPDFO Maritimes Region View of MSP

MSP is a tool for collating information for assessment, monitoring, and reporting that supports informed decisions and actions for effective integrated management

Work on MSP in DFO Maritimes RegionWork on MSP in DFO Maritimes Region

• ESSIM spatial conservation action plan

• Data collection and analysis to support region-wide, long term ‘MSP’ (e.g., MPA network planning)• Human use atlas• GIS decision support tool

• Small scale ‘msp’: Planning and coordination• User-user conflicts• User-environment conflicts

Spatial Conservation Action Plan (SCAP)Spatial Conservation Action Plan (SCAP)

•• SCAP was one of the first action SCAP was one of the first action plans under the ESSIM strategic plans under the ESSIM strategic plan.plan.

•• The aim was to:The aim was to:–– Define and build common understanding of Define and build common understanding of

spatial conservation planningspatial conservation planning–– Synthesize existing information on areas of Synthesize existing information on areas of

conservation value and existing sitesconservation value and existing sites–– Identify areas of convergence and Identify areas of convergence and perform perform

gap analysisgap analysis–– Build agreement on areas of conservation Build agreement on areas of conservation

priority and suggest options/toolspriority and suggest options/tools–– Inform ongoing initiatives (ex. MPA Action Inform ongoing initiatives (ex. MPA Action

Plan) and steward implementation Plan) and steward implementation by by relevant legislative authority or through relevant legislative authority or through community led conservation approachescommunity led conservation approaches

Gap AnalysisGap Analysis

Areas of Areas of conservation conservation

valuevalue

Existing Existing management management

areasareas

(Big) gap analysis (Big) gap analysis

Draft socioDraft socio--economic principles for economic principles for conservation planningconservation planning

•• Design a process in which stakeholders can see how their input iDesign a process in which stakeholders can see how their input is being useds being used

•• Plan at a regional scale (to maximise opportunities for meeting Plan at a regional scale (to maximise opportunities for meeting objectives)objectives)

•• Seek to incorporate areas nominated by communities and resource Seek to incorporate areas nominated by communities and resource usersusers

•• Seek to minimise total area protected while meeting objectives (Seek to minimise total area protected while meeting objectives (find areas find areas with best “bang for the buck”)with best “bang for the buck”)

•• Seek to minimise socioSeek to minimise socio--economic impacts on resource userseconomic impacts on resource users

•• Seek opportunities to allow sustainable activities to occur whilSeek opportunities to allow sustainable activities to occur while meeting e meeting objectivesobjectives

•• Build on and enhance existing conservation measures where possibBuild on and enhance existing conservation measures where possiblele

•• Select appropriate tool and level of protection for conservationSelect appropriate tool and level of protection for conservation needneed

•• Don’t focus only on where activities should be avoided; also looDon’t focus only on where activities should be avoided; also look for areas k for areas where certain uses are appropriate where certain uses are appropriate -- “how” and “when” are key“how” and “when” are key

Spatial Data Collection / Analysis Spatial Data Collection / Analysis

Highest intensity bottom trawls (all species)

1995-2009

Highest intensity longline(all species) 1995-2009

GISMO: GISMO: GISGIS for for MManagement of the anagement of the OOceancean•• Spatial decision support tool for integrated management Spatial decision support tool for integrated management

and conservation planningand conservation planning

•• Data in the Data in the geodatabasegeodatabase are aggregated based on are aggregated based on planning units (2 minute grid cells for the offshore)planning units (2 minute grid cells for the offshore)

Spatial Data Collection / Analysis Spatial Data Collection / Analysis

Case Studies: ‘Case Studies: ‘mspmsp’ in Practice’ in Practice

1)1) UserUser--user conflict: Submarine cables and user conflict: Submarine cables and fisheries interactionsfisheries interactions

2)2) UserUser--environment conflict: Ballast water environment conflict: Ballast water exchange near the Gully MPAexchange near the Gully MPA

3)3) UserUser--environment conflict: Fisheries and coral environment conflict: Fisheries and coral conservationconservation

Submarine Cables and Fisheries InteractionsSubmarine Cables and Fisheries Interactions

•• Recent submarine cables in Maritimes RegionRecent submarine cables in Maritimes Region–– Hibernia Atlantic (NSHibernia Atlantic (NS--USUS--Ireland) in 2000Ireland) in 2000–– Persona/Persona/EastlinkEastlink (NS(NS--NL) in 2007NL) in 2007–– Canada Express (NSCanada Express (NS--UK) in 2012UK) in 2012–– NSNS--NL energy cable by 2014NL energy cable by 2014--16?16?

•• Potential for lost fishery access and cable Potential for lost fishery access and cable faultsfaults

•• Established Joint FisheriesEstablished Joint Fisheries--Cables Industry Cables Industry Working Group 2005Working Group 2005

•• Demonstrates: Demonstrates: –– the importance of early information sharingthe importance of early information sharing–– the need to facilitate interthe need to facilitate inter--governmental governmental

coordination for cable regulation and route coordination for cable regulation and route planningplanning

Browns Bank Segment = 78.1 kmBrowns Bank Segment = 78.1 km

Buried = 52.4 km (67.1%)Buried = 52.4 km (67.1%)

Exposed = 25.7 km (32.9%)Exposed = 25.7 km (32.9%)

•• DFO Science Branch estimates DFO Science Branch estimates that, that, on averageon average, 4.5% of the , 4.5% of the annual scallop biomass landed annual scallop biomass landed on Browns Bank (1991on Browns Bank (1991––2000) is 2000) is from the 1/2 nautical mile area from the 1/2 nautical mile area straddling the cable route.straddling the cable route.

•• Analysis of Analysis of groundfishgroundfish fishery fishery indicates most overlap with <65’ indicates most overlap with <65’ otter trawl gear.otter trawl gear.

Browns Bank Fishery ImpactsBrowns Bank Fishery Impacts

Canada ExpressCanada Express

Environmentally sensitive areas

Shrimp landings 2005-2009

Crab landings 2005-2009

Ballast Exchange Near the Gully MPABallast Exchange Near the Gully MPA

Georges Bank

Lophelia CCA (2004)

Size: 15 km2

Objective: Protect Lophelia pertusa reef

Legislation: Fisheries Act closure

Restrictions: No bottom fishing

Fisheries and Coral ConservationFisheries and Coral Conservation

13 km13 km

Source: Dave Kulka, DFO-Newfoundland

Historic Fisheries(1990 - Trawler)

Proposed Boundaries

LopheliaLophelia ClosureClosure

Next StepsNext Steps

• Update / expand mapping of human activities in the region

• Work with industry and other subject-matter experts to verify the adequacy of spatial data and maps

• Communicate/share spatial information to regulators, industry, and the general public (e.g., multipurpose marine cadastre, georeferenced pdfs)

• Apply spatial analysis tools (e.g., spatial risk assessment, intensity of use metrics, cumulative impacts analyses, future scenarios modelling) to identify user-user and user-ecosystem conflicts and compatibilities in marine space

• Work with other regulatory authorities to coordinate sectoral-based spatial planning and regional environmental assessments

• Continue to update spatial information for adaptive management