A gap analysis: facilitating marine conservation planning in the Maritimes region offshore Tracy Horsman 1, Jennifer Smith 2, Melanie Hurlburt 1, Graham Bondt 2 and Derek Fenton 1 1 Oceans and Coastal Management Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes Region 2 WWF-Canada, Halifax, Nova Scotia

ESSIM context Stakeholder agreement on plan Role: the aim of the Plan is to augment or enhance existing decision-making processes by linking sector planning and management to an overarching set of goals and objectives.

Action plans To implement the objectives and strategies of the ESSIM Plan. Shorter term (2-3 yr) Higher level of detail, i.e.: –Roles and responsibilities –Timelines, milestones, targets –Specific activities may be –sector-based –Issue-based –Collaborative/cross-sectoral

Spatial Conservation Action Plan The intent of the Action Plan is to support a collaborative process to advance spatial conservation planning on the Scotian Shelf by –Recognising/building on existing managed areas –Identifying options for filling conservation gaps

Action Plan Goals Define and build common understanding of spatial conservation planning Synthesize existing information on areas of conservation value and existing sites Assess the contribution of existing managed areas and identify gaps in conservation efforts. Identify areas of conservation priority and make recommendations for action Inform ongoing initiatives (ex. MPA Action Plan) and steward implementation

Gap analysis An analysis of the extent to which species, natural communities, ecological systems and the ecological processes that sustain them are represented in a protected area network Well-accepted tool in conservation planning What proportion of each conservation feature/habitat type falls within each level of protection?”

Conservations features – distinctive areas EBSAs – uniqueness, aggregation, fitness consequences, resilience, naturalness. Greater than usual degree of risk aversion. DFO process, science-led. OAP Phase 1 Science deliverable in support of IM Scientific expert opinion workshop

EBSA map

Other initiatives to map ecological values

Seabed feature classification Concept of representation Physical features that influence characteristics of communities/ecosystems Gordon Fader, commissioned by WWF General, intuitive, based on consensus, intended to be used as an interim classification tool

Seabed Classification

Existing managed areas inventory Range of tools, agencies legislative / regulatory / voluntary No comprehensive inventory

Existing spatial conservation areas

Gap classification ClassDescriptionExample 1 Permanent protection from degradation of natural ecosystems, habitats and communities. Gully MPA zone 1 2 Permanent protection from degradation of natural ecosystems, habitats and communities. Mandated to maintain a primarily natural state, but subject to limited use that may affect the quality of existing natural communities. Gully MPA zones 2 & 3 3 Seasonal or conditional protection from degradation of natural ecosystems, habitats and communities. Mandated to maintain a primarily natural state, but subject to limited use that may affect the quality of existing natural communities. 4 Permanent or conditional protection from extraction for focal resources but subject to other intensive uses. fishery closures 5 Permanent or conditional protection of ecosystem or ecosystem elements from certain types of non-extractive impacts but subject to other intensive uses. 6 A voluntary or regulatory area that is subject to human uses but limits some activities without a specific aim at protecting the ecosystem. buffer zones around submarine cables

Gap classification map P r e l i m i n a r y

Existing Protection for EBSAs

Existing Protection for the Major Shelf Areas

Existing Protection on the Banks

Existing Protection for the Basins

Existing Protection for the Scotian Slope

Existing Protection for Saddle Areas

Interpretation Workshop – share information with stakeholders, refine analysis with new information Generate discussion on interpretation and implications of gaps –Most significant –Most urgent –Identify options for addressing gaps

Detailing Class 4 P r e l i m i n a r y