0. Offshore Pacific Area of Interest
Groundfish Integrated Advisory Board (GIAB)
May 26, 2017
Nanaimo, B.C.

1. Meeting Objectives
Provide an understanding of the coast-wide strategy for marine conservation in the Region.
Describe the Offshore Pacific area of interest (AOI) and the associated engagement process and timelines towards marine protected area designation.
Introduce plans for 2017 conservation measures in the AOI and gather input to inform any closure(s).

2. Ridgeia clump, credit: Verena Tunnicliffe
Presentation Outline
Coast-Wide Strategy
Where We Are
Where We Are Going
Offshore Pacific Area of
Interest (AOI)
Ecosystem Approach
Engagement Process
Measures for 2017
Process and Timelines
Groundfish Activity in the AOI
Questions
Ridgeia clump, credit: Verena Tunnicliffe

3. Coast-Wide Strategy: Where We Are
DFO works with other federal departments, provincial agencies, Aboriginal peoples, and stakeholders on oceans-related issues in the Pacific Region.
Three federal departments involved with marine conservation: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Parks Canada Agency (PC) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
Three key pieces of legislation provide the policy direction for DFO:
Fisheries Act (1868)
Canada’s Oceans Act (1997)
Species at Risk Act (2002)
Our mandate is to implement Canada’s Oceans Act, developed in accordance with integrated oceans management (Canada’s Oceans Strategy (2002), Policy and Operational Framework for Integrated Management of Estuarine, Coastal and Marine Environments in Canada (2002)) and marine conservation tools (ie: fisheries closures and critical habitat).

4. Coast-Wide Strategy: Where We Are
Three guiding principles from Canada’s Oceans Strategy:
Sustainable development and use of Canada’s marine resources to support economic growth and prosperity while ensuring a viable future.
Integrated management by bringing ocean users together to manage and conserve Canada’s marine resources.
A precautionary approach by to protect resources and preserve the marine environment. 4

5. Coast-Wide Strategy: Where We Are
Canada’s Oceans Act (1997) states:
“conservation, based on an ecosystem approach, is of fundamental importance to maintaining biological diversity and productivity in the marine environment”.
provides the legislative framework for an integrated ecosystem approach to management in Canada’s oceans, particularly in areas considered ecologically or biologically significant.
DFO developed guidance for the identification of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) (DFO 2004, 2011), and has endorsed the scientific criteria used by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for identifying EBSAs.
EBSAs have been confirmed in Canadian Pacific waters from the coast to the EEZ through peer reviewed science. The identification of EBSAs in the offshore bioregion is an important first step in scoping an Area of Interest.
Conservation of EBSAs provides the foundation of our efforts.

6. Coast-Wide Strategy: Where We Are
Policy linkages
Integrated Oceans Management Processes
LOMA
Regional Management Boards
Integrated Fisheries Management Planning
Stakeholder Engagement
Inter-agency Cooperation
Policies
(Examples)
Federal Marine Conservation Measures
Fisheries Act Closures (DFO)
National Marine Conservation Areas (PC)
Marine Protected Areas (DFO)
Marine National Wildlife Areas (EC)
International Agreements
Canada’s Oceans Strategy
Policy and Operational Framework for Integrated Management
Federal MPA Strategy
Can-BC MPA Network Strategy
Sustainable Fisheries Framework
Pacific Coldwater Coral and Sponge Conservation Strategy
Species At Risk Critical Habitat

7. Coast-Wide Strategy: Where We Are Going
Established and potential areas of marine conservation in the Pacific Region

8. Coast-Wide Strategy: Where We Are Going
Contacts for Information on Oceans Initiatives:
Hecate MPA:
MPA Network:
Large Offshore:
Other Measures:
Rockfish Conservation Areas:
Sensitive Benthic Areas:
Marine Conservation Targets (MCT) for 2017 and 2020
Minister’s mandate letter committed DFO to work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to increase the proportion of Canada’s marine and coastal areas that are protected to 5% percent by 2017 and to 10% by 2020.
This followed Canada’s commitment to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity which stated that by 2020 “…10% of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes”.

9. Coast-Wide Strategy: Where We Are Going
Nationally, conservation targets will be reached using the following five strategies:
Advance work already underway in areas progressing towards establishment – Hecate MPA: Feb
Establish new, large Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in offshore areas.
Establish additional Oceans Act MPAs in areas under pressure from human activities.
Advance Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures.
Examine how Oceans Act changes could accelerate the designation process for MPAs, without sacrificing science, or the public’s opportunity to provide input.

10. Coast-Wide Strategy: Where We Are Going
Established and potential areas of marine conservation in the Pacific Region
“Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures”
Evaluated: 170 area-based management measures assessed against DFO’s OEABCM Criteria
Met Criteria for 2017: Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound Glass Sponge Reef Conservations Areas (29km2)
Priority for 2020:
Rockfish Conservation Area Review
Sensitive Benthic Area Policy implementation in SoG

11. Offshore Pacific AOI: An Ecosystem Approach
5 EBSA feature types were identified in the Offshore Pacific Bioregion including Hydrothermal Vents and Seamounts.
Eight identification criteria: 1) uniqueness, 2) special importance for life-history stages of a species, 3) importance for depleted species and/or habitats, 4) vulnerability, 5) productivity, 6) biodiversity, 7) naturalness and 8) aggregation
Other EBSAs may be identified in the future as new information becomes available*.
Under Canada’s Oceans Act, anything identified as an EBSA meets the criteria to be designated as a marine protected area.
These benthic EBSAs, identified as vulnerable and unique, provide the foundation for our conservation work in the offshore.

12. Offshore Pacific AOI: An Ecosystem Approach
Benthic EBSAs in the Offshore Pacific Bioregion (OPB)
Based on this information, and through discussions with DFO Science, an interim conservation objective for the Offshore Pacific AOI was established:
“To contribute to the protection and conservation of the unique seafloor features (i.e., seamounts and hydrothermal vents) and the ecosystems they support in Canada’s OPB.”
The final conservation objective(s) will be established in consultation with DFO Science, our partners and stakeholders through the MPA designation process according to established legislation. 12

13. Offshore Pacific AOI: Engagement Process
Background Science info
MPA Management Plan
We are here
EBSAs ID’ed
1. Selection of AOI 2.
Overviews & Assessments of AOI 3.
Development of Draft Regulatory Intent – Risk assessment 4.
Development of Regulation and Designation of MPA
MA Ecosyste
Manage MPA
July- Apr July Dec Oct Feb Dec 2018 – Dec 2019
Engagement process May Dec 2018
Regulatory Process Dec. 2019
Biophysical, Cultural, Socio-Economic & Resource Overviews Assessments
Drafting Instructions RIAS Regulatory Comms Plan
Triage Questionnaire

14. Offshore Pacific AOI: Engagement Process
An Advisory Committee will be struck to provide a forum for engagement for the Offshore Pacific AOI and provide feedback on the proposed design of the potential MPA and the associated management approach.
Proposed Engagement Timeline
AOI Advisory Committee: Proposed Engagement Discussion
June-July 2017
Meeting 1: Advisory Committee Inaugural Meeting
Identify members (Industry, ENGOs, Academia, Fed Agencies, others)
Review Terms of Reference
Review process and gather input
Oct–Dec 2017
Meeting 2
Review: Overview Assessments (Biophysical, Socio-Economic)
Initial Conservation Objectives discussion – gather input
Jan-Mar 2018
Meeting 3
Conservation objectives discussion, review Resource Assessment, NRCan presentation, initial Risk Assessment discussion – gather input
July-Oct 2018
Meeting 4
Review Risk Assessment – gather input, Discuss management measures – gather input, draft regulatory documents – gather input
Dec 2018
Meeting 5
Review draft Regulatory Intent

15. Measures for 2017: Process and Timelines
DFO is seeking to implement fisheries closures to bottom contact fishing gear in the Offshore Pacific Area of Interest to contribute to the protection and conservation of the unique seafloor features (i.e., seamounts and hydrothermal vents) and the ecosystems they support in Canada’s Offshore Pacific Bioregion.”
One of the strategies to meet Canada’s MCTs is to “Protect Pristine Areas” (i.e., areas that are relatively high in naturalness or untouched by anthropogenic activities). Hydrothermal vents and seamounts ranked ‘high’ and ‘medium’ for naturalness. Both areas ranked ‘high’ for diversity, and have an abundance of sensitive benthic species and habitat, including corals and sponges.
The Mandate Letter to Minister LeBlanc emphasizes using the precautionary principle when making ecosystem management decisions.
The Precautionary Principle recognizes that a lack of certainty regarding the threat of environmental harm should not be used as an excuse for not taking action to avert that threat.
Bottom contact fishing gear has been shown to have a high impact on benthic ecosystems. High impact is defined as gear that is known to interact with the benthic environment.

16. Measures for 2017: Process and Timelines
In advance of potential MPA designation, fishery closures within the offshore Pacific AOI will be put in place in 2017.
These closures will focus on bottom-contact fisheries in respect of the interim conservation objective for the AOI (i.e. not likely to impact Tuna trolling).
Discussion today will inform what closures are selected, followed by an announcement in the summer and the issuance of the variation order in the fall of 2017.
Process for 2017 Fishery Closures in the Offshore AOI
Timeframe
Phase
Late May
Phase 1:
share data and analysis of fisheries in the area, seek input and gather feedback on the best options for fishery closures.
July - August
Phase 2:
A decision will be made and communicated on fishery closure area(s).
Nov - Dec
Phase 3:
Implement closure(s) and inform marine users on variation order issuance.

17. Measures for 2017: Groundfish Activity in the AOI
The Source of DFO’s Estimate of Fishing Activity:
Spatial analysis of logbook data,
Fishing events with lat/lon coordinates that intersect the AOI and associated EBSAs.
Apportion catch based on amount of overlap
To protect confidentiality of individual vessels’ data, some landings are aggregated, and cannot be shown for every EBSA.
Annual Average Landed Value: Groundfish (L,K,T,ZN,LC) : $104K
Sablefish: $42K
Combo trips: $16.5K
Halibut/Lingcod/Rockfish: $32K
Midwater Trawl: $13K

18. Measures for 2017: Groundfish Activity in the AOI
Landed Quantity and Landed Value by EBSA
53 vessels fished in the AOI between 2006 and 2015
81 fishing trips over same time period
80% of vessels fished AOI in just 1 of 10 years

19. Measures for 2017: Groundfish Activity in the AOI
Questions
Do you have any questions/comments on how fishing activity is represented in the AOIs?
Are there certain areas of the AOI where access is more important?
What is the importance of the AOI to your fishery?
Are there certain areas of the AOI where access is less important?

20. Thank you. Questions? For more information:
Development of a Framework and Principles for the Biogeographic Classification of Canadian Marine Areas:
Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in Canada’s Offshore Pacific Bioregion: DocRech/2016/2016_034-eng.pdf
Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the Offshore Pacific Bioregion: