Integrated Management

Integrated management is a modern approach to managing Canada’s ocean resources. It is a collaborative way of making decisions on how Canada’s marine resources can best be developed and protected.

Integrated management means new approaches to collaboration across and between governments, new ways of doing business for oceans users, and the active engagement of Canadian communities, Aboriginal people, organizations, and citizens.

As a central principle of Canada’s Oceans Strategy, Integrated Oceans Management is a commitment to planning and managing human activities while considering all measures necessary for the conservation, protection and sustainable use of ocean resources and the shared use of ocean areas.

Integrated Oceans Management helps to:

• Balance socio-economic, cultural, and ecological objectives for oceans.
• Forecast and address future economic developments and needs.
• Improve coordination of new and existing management practices.
• Address conflicts between different ocean uses.
• Create greater certainty and sustainability in oceans management.
• Help account for the cumulative effects of many activities happening in marine ecosystems.
• Strengthen relationships with all partners and ocean users

An integrated management plan will reflect a balanced approach to oceans management, with objectives for respecting economic, social and ecological health of the region.

The Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA)

The Government of Canada has established five Large Ocean Management Areas (LOMAs) where integrated oceans management plans are being developed for the management of each of these ocean areas. These are identified in Canada's Oceans Action Plan. The Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA) is the first LOMA to be established on the west coast of Canada.

The PNCIMA initiative is a collaborative planning process that will develop an integrated ocean management plan for the Pacific central and north coast. The goal of the initiative is to ensure sustainable human use and conserve ecological diversity of the marine area.

The planning process will bring together all interested parties: commercial and recreational users, ENGOs, First Nations, government agencies, and coastal communities.

Planning Status

The PNCIMA planning process was formally launched at a multi-stakeholder PNCIMA Forum in March 2009, which was attended by over 300 people. The Forum represented the beginning of creating an integrated management planning process for the Pacific North Coast as well as an opportunity to learn and provide input into what that process might become.

Important progress has been made with input from the Integrated Oceans Advisory Committee and hundreds of attendees at sub regional advisory forums throughout the PNCIMA region.

A Revised Process for PNCIMA Planning

In September, 2011, Fisheries and Oceans Canada decided to revise the planning process for the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area to ensure that the process is completed on schedule by December 2012 and that it results in an integrated management plan that is sustainable and effective. The resulting plan will be focused on establishing a strategic, ecosystem-based plan. This plan will:

• establish goals and objectives that provide common guidance to management in the area;
• identify priorities for oceans management in the area;
• respond to stakeholder interests in the integration of planning processes; and
• inform other marine planning initiatives.

The plan will include the following key elements:

1. Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) principles, goals, & objectives
2. Identification of features or components of the area that are of particular significance or value (economic, socio-cultural, ecological)
3. Risk-based approach to identifying priorities for further management attention
4. Strategy is to coordinate and integrate marine planning processes, including advancement of marine protected area network planning
5. Provisions for implementation and adaptive management that will outline next steps and how to adjust based on what we learn

Further details on the revised
approach to planning for PNCIMA

In light of this new approach, Fisheries and Oceans Canada withdrew from the Project Support Memorandum of Understanding Tides Canada regarding the Pacific North Coast Integrated Oceans Management Area planning process.

A final draft integrated management plan is scheduled to be ready for submission by December 2012.

Visit pncima.org for further information, including a library of PNCIMA publications and reports.

West Coast Aquatic (WCA)

DFO is collaborating with other government and non-government interests on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia to work together to develop and implement strategies that address aquatic issues while moving towards a longer term vision and objectives.

For more information, please see www.westcoastaquatic.ca.