Examining Best Practices in Coastal Zone Planning:
Lessons and Applications for BC’s Central Coast
The Eastern Scotian Shelf Integrated
Management (ESSIM) Initiative
Carol Ann Rose
A/Regional Director
Oceans & Environment Branch
Fisheries & Oceans Canada
Maritimes Region
April 2-4, 2003
Outline
• Oceans Act and Canada’s Oceans Strategy
• The ESSIM Initiative
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Background to the LOMA
Toward an integrated management plan
Developing a collaborative planning process
Benefits and next steps
• The Bras d’Or Lakes Initiative
– Background to the CMA
– Working with First Nations
– Next steps
Canada’s Oceans Act
• Set up legal framework – Canada’s Oceans Act
enacted in 1997:
– legal basis for modern oceans management
– based on principles of sustainable development,
integrated management and precautionary
approach
– requires a national oceans management strategy
– creates oceans programs
Canada’s Oceans Strategy
• Developed policy framework – Canada’s Oceans
Strategy released July 2002:
– sets federal policy framework for modern oceans
management
– promotes ecosystem-based management
philosophy
– based on principles of sustainable development,
integrated management and precautionary
approach
What is the ESSIM Initiative?
• Announced in December 1998 on recommendation of
1997 Sable Gully Conservation Strategy
• Among the first integrated management pilots under the
Oceans Act
• Applying the National IM Framework at LOMA and
CMA scales
• Addressing multiple ocean uses and jurisdictions,
increasing space competition, conservation issues, and
need for an ecosystem approach to management
The ESSIM Vision
An effective, collaborative process that provides
integrated and adaptive management plans, strategies
and actions for environmental, social, cultural, economic
and institutional sustainability in the Eastern Scotian
Shelf Large Ocean Management Area
Environmental
Institutional
Economic
Social/Cultural
The ESSIM Area
Comprises a Large Ocean
Management Area
(LOMA)
Based on mix of
ecological, political and
ocean use parameters
Can be adapted to address
management requirements
in adjacent areas
The ESSIM Process
Understanding the area
- nature of ocean use and sector activities (Use Audit)
- ecosystem understanding and science (Ecosystem Overview)
- existing jurisdictional, management and regulatory regimes
and processes (Regulatory Overview)
Engaging communities of
interest
Identifying
management issues,
needs and priorities
- multiple ocean use
- government and sector dialogue
- ecosystem management
- proposed ESSIM Forum
- management jurisdictions
- annual ESSIM Forum Workshops
- etc.
Multiple Use on the Eastern Scotian Shelf
Oil & gas
Fisheries
Submarine
cables
Shipping etc…..
Toward an Integrated Management Plan
The future Eastern Scotian Shelf Ocean Management
Plan is proposed as:
A multi-year strategic plan for the integrated
management of all policies, programs, plans, measures
and activities in or affecting the Eastern Scotian Shelf
Large Ocean Management Area
A Strategic Planning Framework for the Eastern Scotian
Shelf Ocean Management Plan (2003 Discussion Paper)
Strategic Planning Framework
• The 2003 discussion paper describes the key
elements of the future Plan
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Definition and legislative basis
Vision and guiding principles
Area of application
Management objectives
Ecosystem-based management framework
Spatial planning approaches
Collaborative planning framework
Activities for plan development and implementation
Ecosystem-Based Management Framework
• The future Plan needs to provide a comprehensive
framework for multiple ocean use planning in the
context of ecosystem-based management
• Ecosystem-based management will be applied at three
main geographic scales:
– Large Ocean Management Area (LOMA)
– Ocean Management Areas (OMA)
– Sub-OMAs/Coastal Management Areas (estuarine/inshore)
Bras d’Or Lakes
Designing a Collaborative Process
• The basic elements of the proposed “ESSIM Forum”
include:
– a “multi-stakeholder” mechanism to provide ongoing
communications, information sharing and advice/direction
to the planning process
– government engagement for operational support and
program coordination, and executive-level policy
coordination
– dedicated administrative and operational support through
a Forum Secretariat
Plan Development and Implementation
• A range of planning requirements have been identified,
including:
– identification of issues, priorities and timelines for action
– development of operational objectives and indicators
– further defining the LOMA-OMA-CMA scales
– development of collaborative planning process
– identification of ecosystem protection approaches, including
MPA planning
– developing a spatial ocean planning framework, including
approaches for balancing use and management objectives
Challenges Involved
• Linking and working effectively with such a broad and
diverse range of interests involves some key challenges:
– government coordination (vertical and horizontal)
– large number of people involved
– time to build relationships and foster trust among (and
within) communities of interest
– capacity of communities of interest to engage in the broader
planning process
– willingness of various interests to get involved and accept
change
– different management scales involved (international through to
local)
– tendency (and need) to focus on issues and conflict
Key Benefits (to date)
• The ESSIM process is providing positive results now:
– as a vehicle for government coordination and commitment
– as a forum for awareness-raising, communications, and
issue identification
– by developing a collaborative process for multi-stakeholder
input, advice and planning
– by providing a regional catalyst for ecosystem approaches
to oceans management (research & science; improved EA
process)
Bras d’Or Lakes
• 3600 km2 watershed -- 2500 km2 is land and
1100 km2 is water
• Lakes play major environmental, economic,
and social/cultural roles, including traditional
roles for First Nations
• Industries: forestry, mining, aquaculture,
fishing, agriculture, tourism and recreation
(boating, cottage development)
• Traditionally considered an inland sea with a
mixture of fresh and saltwater
• Low flushing times and fresh/saltwater mix
create a unique and sensitive aquatic
environment
First Nations
• 30% of population surrounding the
Lakes is First Nations
• Five First Nations communities
around the Lakes
• The Unama’ki Institute of Natural
Resources (UINR)
• New research and management
facility at Eskasoni
• UINR to develop capacity to
undertake planning and management
DFO’s Activities in the Bras d’Or Lakes
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Fisheries Management: several lake fisheries & IFMPs
Science: SIMBOL Program and MOUs with UINR
Policy and Economics: NS Sustainable Communities Initiative
Oceans and Environment: Community-based habitat restoration
and support to projects through various committees
• Hydrographic Service: Support to SIMBOL and multibeam data
collection
• Aquaculture Office: Coordinate site reviews, licences live fish
transfers, oyster management committee, & MSX working group
• Coast Guard: Support to SCI Projects
Planning Efforts
• Efforts to plan and manage the Bras d’Or Lakes date
to the early 1970s
• 1999 Bras d’Or Lakes Ecosystem Workshop
• Institutional arrangements will assist in establishing
an overall planning process
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Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources
Pitupaq
Sustainable Communities Initiative
Bras d’Or Partnership Committee
• Oceans Act and IM Policy Framework
• General agreement to pursue Integrated Management
Plan for the Bras d’Or Lakes
Next Steps for the Bras d’Or
• Agreement needed among the many players on a
governance framework in the Bras d’Or Lakes
• DFO, INAC and EC supporting UINR to hire a
coordinator to organize a June 2003 workshop on
establishing a governance framework among various
groups and interests involved
• Coordinator has been hired, a diverse planning team
established, the scope of the workshop detailed, and
workshop planning is underway
• Existing work of DFO within the Bras d’Or will
continue