|
|
Oceans and Habitat
The Regional Oceans and Habitat Branch (ROHB) comprises
two areas of activities, the Fish Habitat Management Branch and the Oceans
Management Branch.
These two broad orientations ensure fish habitat protection, both in
inland waters and in the marine environment, and contribute to the
sustainable management of all human activities in coastal areas.
In its mandate, the Regional Oceans and Habitat Branch is responsible, on
the one hand, for implementation of Canada’s Oceans Strategy, which
includes an integrated management program, the establishment of marine
protected areas and the development of quality criteria for
the marine environment in order to ensure sound management of the marine
environment and maintain the biological diversity, health and productivity
of ecosystems. On the other hand, it is responsible for fish habitat management
in inland waters and the marine environment, with an emphasis on
conservation and the protection of aquatic habitats. It performs the
environmental review of major projects as hydroelectric development or
offshore oil & gas exploration and production projects. The Branch is
charged with enforcing the fish habitat protection provisions of the
Fisheries Act. It can grant authorization, under certain conditions, for
projects that run the risk of harming, destroying or disturbing fish
habitat.
The Regional Oceans and Habitat Branch enforces, in particular, the
provisions of the Fisheries Act, the Oceans Act, and the Canadian
Environmental Assessment Act. These legislative tools are intended to
maintain biological production capacity in support of fisheries, to
conserve the marine environment through new management tools, and to
evaluate the environmental impacts of projects affecting fish habitat.
|