Ecosystem-Based Risk Management- ecological risk analysis and how to incorporate risk in MSP -

Oceans Centre of Expertise on Coastal Management

Marc OuelletteMarc Ouellette (Coordinator)(Coordinator) and and Roland CormierRoland Cormier (Director) (Director) Gulf Fisheries Centre, Moncton, NBGulf Fisheries Centre, Moncton, NB

MSP workshop, HalifaxJune 01-02, 2011

land spatial planning(agriculture, forestry...)

Coastal Zone - bridging the land-water divide

“Ecosystem basis for management”“Ecosystem basis for management”

land

water

air

“A chain is as strong as its weakest link!”

marine spatial planning(fisheries & aquaculture, navigation...)

integrated spatial planning

Ecoregions - driven by natural characteristics

“Ecosystem basis for management”“Ecosystem basis for management”

Newfoundland

Management Areas - driven by human issues

SocioSocio--economic & cultural economic & cultural (ecosystem goods & services)(ecosystem goods & services)

Atlantic Ocean

Maine(US)

Saint-Pierre et Miquelon(France)

IM (QU)

Gaspésie (QU)

Prince Edward Island

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Newfoundland

Québec

Gulf Region

Québec Region

Newfoundland & Labrador Region

Maritimes Region

GOSLIMGOSLIM

ESSIMESSIM

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Ecoregions vs. Management Areas““Ecosystem basis for managementEcosystem basis for management””

“Ecoregions are trans-boundary!”

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Replacement Class Screening (CEAA)

““CoastalCoastal Spatial Plan” Spatial Plan” –– east coast of NBeast coast of NB• bathymetry

• smell fishery

• eel fishery

• navigation channel

• sanitary sites

• shellfish closures areas

• aquaculture zones (proposed)

• aquaculture sites

• shellfish enhancement

• soft-shell clam survey

• gaspereau fishery

• CWS areas

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• shellfish closures areas

• 100m buffer zone (proposed)

• 300m buffer zone (proposed)

IM management measures (mitigation):

• 10% of the area of the estuary for sites allocations– EC: Carrying capacity (precautionary approach)

• 10 meters spacing between lines– EC: Benthic areas (shading and snuffing)

• 30 meters spacing between leases– EC: Hydrology and currents (fish passage)– SEC: Commercial navigation– SEC: Public access to beaches and parks

Replacement Class Screening (CEAA)

““Water Column Oyster Aquaculture in NBWater Column Oyster Aquaculture in NB””

– SEC: Public access to beaches and parks– SEC: Recreational fisheries and boating

• 100 meters buffer zone (shoreline)– SEC: Recreational and boating activities– SEC: Clam fishery

• 300 meters buffer zone around dunes and barrier islands– EC: Nesting and migratory resting areas (birds)

• Lease Area Zoning (management plan)– SEC: Aboriginal access to aquatic resources &

burial grounds– SEC: Commercial fisheries activities & Tourism and

resorts– SEC: Historic and archeological sites

• Code of practice– SEC: Esthetics

Pacific Atlantic

Zone of influence - Richibucto watershed

“Cumulative Environmental Effects”“Cumulative Environmental Effects”

Coastal Spatial Planning

Coastal activities:• forestry

• agriculture

• peat moss

• mining

• energy production

Coastal Zone - context

“state of ecosystems = result of “state of ecosystems = result of ∑∑ environmental effects (multiple drivers & pressures)”environmental effects (multiple drivers & pressures)”

• municipality waste

• land transportation

• marine transportation

• fishery

• fish plants

• aquaculture

• residential / leisure

- marina

- golf courses

- coastal landscaping

Coastal Management in Canada“governance fragmentation? division of jurisdictions and authorities”“governance fragmentation? division of jurisdictions and authorities”

Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas and Species of Aquatic Ecosystems

Federal Legislative

Profile

Oceans Act

Habitat Provisions of the Fisheries Act

Species at Risk Act

Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

Canadian Environmental Protection Act

National Marine Conservation ActNational Parks Act

Navigable Waters Protection Act

Canadian Wildlife Act

Fishing and Recreational Harbours Act

Aquatic

Ecosystem Unit

30 Federal Departments and Agencies

with Oceans-related activities!

- involves 62 key federal statutes (legislation) related to Oceans

+ Provincial / Territorial jurisdictional

organisations

+ Aboriginal rights

River Esturary Coast Oceans

Land Portion of the Watershed

Community Planning Act

New Brunswick

Legislative Profile

Clean Environment Act (Water of the Province)

Clean Water Act (Water of the Province)

Municipal Planning District Commissions

Aquaculture Act

Livestock Operations Act

Health Act

Crown Lands and Forest Act

Quarriable Lands Act

Mining Act

Endangered Species Act

Ecological Reserves Act

Trespass Act

Risk Analysis - ecosystem-based framework

“Risk of causing “Risk of causing adverse environmental effectsadverse environmental effects””

Risk Analysis - principles

Risk management

Risk communication We have to work together to make it work!

What are the management options?

How do we implement them? (targets)

“Risk of causing “Risk of causing adverse environmental effectsadverse environmental effects””

Risk assessment

Risk identification(problem formulation)

How do we implement them? (targets)

How likely is it to go wrong?

What would be the consequences?

Is it happening? How bad is it?

What are the thresholds?

What can we do about it?

What could go wrong?

- identification of ecological & SEC components,

hazards and vulnerabilities -

CEE State 1 CEE State 2...

Environmental Effects - DPSIR approach

Aquatic

ecosystemsgain

lost

1) Stewardship

2) Best Management Practices

3) Policies

4) Standard Operating Procedures

Responses (mitigation measures)

Drivers(Human activities) Pressures physical,

‘natural’ State

temperature regime

hydrological regime

salinity regime

Impacts(+/-)

neutral

EcosystemGoods

&Services

conflicting

5) Guidelines

6) Operational Statements

7) Regulations

8) Legislations

(Human activities)

type & intensity

Pressureschemical

& biological

characteristics

nutrientregime

regime

sedimentregime

habitats

biota...

residual effects

Policy Gap AnalysisPolicy Gap Analysis

(review, compliance & effectiveness)

DPSIR Conceptual ModelPathways of EffectsPathways of Effects

Algal

BOD Anoxia

Nutrient Regime

Alteration

Hypoxia

Agriculture

Algal

Growth

ManureFertilizer

Hydrological Hydrological featuresfeatures

Climate featuresClimate features(rainfall, tidal surge...)(rainfall, tidal surge...)

Valued Ecosystem ComponentsValued Ecosystem Components(ecosystem services)(ecosystem services)

ecologicalecological

“Vulnerability to “Vulnerability to adverse environmental effectsadverse environmental effects””

Risk Identification - drivers, susceptibilities,

vulnerabilities & good and services

Drivers: human activitiesDrivers: human activities(type & intensity)(type & intensity)

Landscape featuresLandscape features(topography, geology...)(topography, geology...)

Hydrological Hydrological featuresfeatures(flow & exchange rates...)(flow & exchange rates...)

Georeferenced DataGeoreferenced Data

US EPA:

ecologicalecologicalsusceptibilitiessusceptibilities

Drivers - PressuresPopulation Density & AgriculturePopulation Density & Agriculture

Significant Ecosystem Goods and ServicesAquaculture: shellfishAquaculture: shellfish

Significant Ecosystem Goods and ServicesSocial (recreational) and CulturalSocial (recreational) and Cultural

Ecologically Significant SpeciesEel Grass (Zostera marinus)Eel Grass (Zostera marinus)

DFO, 2009a

Ecologically and Biologically Significant AreasGulf of St LawrenceGulf of St Lawrence

DFO, 2007

Regional Vulnerability Profile (atlas)(Agriculture) (Agriculture) -- soil exposition, fertilizers & pesticidessoil exposition, fertilizers & pesticides

Drivers (agriculture)

• potato cultivation

• blueberry cultivation ...

Pressures

• soil exposition, fertilizers & pesticides

VECs (ecosystem goods & services)

• (ecological) eelgrass (ESS)landscape susceptibility

(slopes >3%)• (economical) shellfish aquaculture

• (social) aesthetic (visual & smell)

Concerns

• likely watersheds where mitigation

measures (e.g. buffer zones) are

at risk of failing in severe conditions

Actions

• priority watershed for both conformity

and compliance monitoring

(slopes >3%)

Risk Assessment - likelihood, impacts & thresholds

Nutrient Regime AlterationNutrient Regime Alteration

Severity alteration

disruption

destruction

habitatpopulationindividual

Magnitude

“Nutrient Enrichment Criteria & Thresholds?”

Risk Management - measures & targets

Drivers:

- type & intensity - ?

Responses:

- mitigation measures enhancements - ?

vs.vs.

Ecosystem Goods & Services:

- state forecasting - ?

Impacts: (remediation)

- feasibility - ?

Conclusion

• Integrated Coastal and Oceans Management (ICOM)– Risk analysis (key tool)

• provides a systematic approach in gathering, evaluating,recording and disseminating information for decision-making.

– Ecosystem-based risk management framework• focus management strategies and resources to priorities of

highest ecosystem, socio-economic and corporate risks.

• Environmental management’s ‘6 tenets’(Elliott 2002)

– Our actions have to be:• environmentally sustainable;

• technologically feasible;

• economically viable;

• socially desirable;

• legally permissible; and,

• administratively achievable.

multidisciplinary

+

multi-dimensional

+

multi-jurisdictional

=

excellence in orchestration!excellence in orchestration!(communication, planning, direction, execution...)(communication, planning, direction, execution...)

Acknowledgement... to all contributors!Remerciement... à tous les collaborateurs et collaboratrices!

Thank youMerci

Questions / Comments / Suggestions...

Questions / Commentaires / Suggestions...

roland.cormier@dfo-mpo.gc.ca(506) 851-3338

marc.ouellette@dfo-mpo.gc.ca(506) 851-2416