Oceans & Habitat, Maritimes Region

The Oceans & Habitat Branch delivers regional programs and services in support of DFO's national mandate for Fish Habitat Management and Oceans Management. The national mandate for the Oceans Management Program and the Fish Habitat Management Program can be found at www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/canwaters-eauxcan/aboutus-anotresujet/index_e.asp. In addition, the Branch shares responsibilities with other regional organizations for departmental obligations mandated by the Canadian Environment Assessment Act, the Species at Risk Act and the department's Sustainable Aquaculture Strategy.

The 1997 Oceans Act is the authority for the regional program for Oceans Management. Specific program direction and focus has been developed to align with Canada 's Oceans Strategy and the new Oceans Action Plan. The region will be focusing its attention on two of the four pillars of the new Oceans Action Plan. The first, Health of the Oceans, will guide regional work in areas of Marine Protected Areas, Species at Risk responsibilities and Marine Environment Quality guidelines and the second, Integrated Oceans Management for Sustainable Development, will be the foundation for programs such as the Eastern Scotian Shelf Integrated Management Project.

In 2004, the Fish Habitat Management Program announced a new Environmental Process Modernization Plan. Regional program delivery will be consistent with the objectives of this plan and will include new guidelines to streamline low risk projects which will permit more staff resources to be dedicated to major projects having the greatest potential for significant environmental impacts. In addition, the Branch will continue to seek opportunities to work in collaboration with other levels of government and community groups to develop habitat compensation plans to offset unavoidable fish habitat damage and to promote stewardship activities.