Oceans Management Program

The 1997 Oceans Act assigned DFO the lead role in the integrated planning and management of oceans activities. The Branch is responsible for the development of processes, policies and tools to implement the Act . The objectives of the Act have been defined in greater detail in Canada 's Oceans Strategy. The Act and Strategy define the three complementary programs areas as integrated management, marine environmental quality and marine protected areas. In 2004, the Strategy was operationalized by the announcement of the Oceans Action Plan, a plan which involves a number of government departments and agencies. While the Plan sets our four pillars including Leadership, Sovereignty and Security, and Oceans Science and Technology, for its part, the Branch will focus its attention on the two pillars most closely linked to the existing Strategy, Health of the Oceans and Integrated Oceans Management for Sustainable Development.

Work will continue on the identification and designation of Marine Protected Areas. To date the Gully has been designated and the Musquash Marsh is in the final stages of review prior to designation. Other activities under the “Health of the Oceans” pillar include working with departmental scientists to establish benchmarks and criteria for Marine Environmental Quality guidelines and undertaking recovery strategies for species at risk. The Branch will also focus on activities identified under the second pillar “Integrated Oceans Management for Sustainable Development.” An integrated management plan is a process and approach to bring together and collaborate with interested stakeholders to develop coordinated policies and plan for all activities in coastal and marine waters. The Branch will continue its work on the Integrated Management Planning for the Eastern Scotian Shelf (ESSIM). The Branch is also developing collaborative planning frameworks for the Bras d'Or Lakes and the southwest New Brunswick portion of the Bay of Fundy .

Through formal and informal arrangements, the Branch is working with stakeholders including community groups, industry sectors e.g. Energy, Forestry, Aquaculture, First Nations, other levels of government and the Government of the United States to set a course for integrated planning and management of all oceans activities.