Advancing objectives-based, integrated ocean management through marine spatial planning: current and future directions on the Scotian Shelf off Nova Scotia, Canada

Abstract

The national legislative and policy context for integrated ocean management in Canada is provided by the Oceans Act (1996) and the supporting policy statement, Canada's Oceans Strategy. Under the Oceans Act, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is the lead federal authority for ocean affairs and is charged with leading and facilitating the development and implementation of integrated management plans for all marine waters. Integrated management efforts in Canada are being undertaken through an area-based approach that enables marine planning, management and decision making to occur at appropriate spatial scales, from regional to site-specific. This article focuses on the Eastern Scotian Shelf Integrated Management (ESSIM) process, an offshore-focused effort to develop an integrated ocean management plan for a large portion of the Scotian Shelf, off Nova Scotia. The resulting Eastern Scotian Shelf Integrated Ocean Management Plan (the ESSIM plan) has been developed through a collaborative process involving all interested and affected government departments and ocean stakeholders, and provides an objectives-based approach to ocean management. The ESSIM plan contains a set of long-term, overarching goals for collaborative governance and integrated management, sustainable human use, and healthy ecosystems. These goals are supported by more specific objectives that express desired outcomes and conditions for the marine region. The objectives-based approach seeks to ensure that interrelationships among ecosystem and human use objectives are recognized and reflected in the identification of management strategies and supporting actions. This article considers the role of marine spatial planning within the context of the integrated ocean management process underway for the Scotian Shelf. The policy and management context for integrated ocean management in Canada is briefly described and a summary of the ESSIM plan is provided. The current and potential role for marine spatial planning in implementing the objectives and strategies of the ESSIM plan is highlighted using examples related to multiple ocean use and marine conservation and protected area planning. The article concludes by drawing out key lessons learned to date through the ESSIM process for marine spatial planning and looks to the future in terms of the development of tools and approaches for this integral aspect of integrated ocean management.

Revisiting Integrated Coastal and Marine Management in Canada: Opportunities in the Bay of Fundy

“…Participants called for lessons to balance top-down and bottomup interactions between authorities and local actor groups. Insights into these combined arrangements have been provided by scholars, practitioners and program evaluators for Canada (Office of the Auditor General, 2005; Hall et al, 2011;Flannery and Cinnéide, 2012). Participants acknowledged that the current model of 'business as usual' is not working and that decisionmakers have not sufficiently prioritized nor provided sufficient resources to aid progress with ICM.…”

“…As an example, more appropriate engagement could be achieved through the creation of a provincial policy or engagement strategy (in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) to recognize a spectrum of options through guidance and tools such as scenario planning or development (Glaser and Glaeser, 2014). Furthermore, stakeholder mapping and analysis can help understand the capacity and influence of actor groups and ensure participation mechanisms are appropriate for the scale, context and actor group (Hall et al, 2011;Cvitanovic et al, 2016;Smith et al, 2017). Local actors play a role in determining how they should be involved (Buanes et al, 2005;Flannery and Cinnéide, 2012).…”

Contribution of Marine Spatial Planning in Mexico to Marine and Coastal Management

“…El ordenamiento ecológico en el marco de la planeación espacial marina tiene sustento en los principios de planeación participativa y desarrollo sostenible (DOF, 2021;Plasman, 2008;Shaefer & Barale 2011;Ko & Chang, 2012). La planeación espacial marina busca distribuir las actividades sectoriales en el tiempo y el espacio marino de manera óptima (Ardron et al, 2008;Maes, 2008;Ehler et al, 2009;Hall et al, 2011;Shaefer & Barale, 2011;White et al, 2012). Idealmente, constituye una síntesis neutral y objetiva de los intereses y necesidades sectoriales para conciliar conflictos ambientales (Douvere et al, 2007;Gutiérrez-Mariscal et al, 2008;Kenchington & Day, 2011;Boyes et al, 2007).…”

Implementation of the Ramsar strategic plan in coastal wetlands of the Península de Yucatán: regulations and normativity

“…En este sentido, se debe enfatizar que el aspecto de conservar la conectividad, manifestado en los criterios de regulación analizados, sea en realidad operativo. De tal forma, se esperaría que las recomendaciones de mayor escala espacial favorecerán la conectividad (Hall et al, 2011) entre ANP regionales, resaltarán la conservación de los servicios ambientales de estos sistemas costeros y, si bien darán mayor importancia a las especies nativas regionales, no excluirán a las migratorias, independientemente de si están o no enlistadas en alguna categoría de riesgo. Estas condiciones no se cumplen actualmente en los ordenamientos analizados y ante ello, es necesario mejorarlos.…”