challenges and opportunities in meeting canada’s 2012 commitment on a national network of mpas...
Post on 15-Jan-2016
215 views
TRANSCRIPT
Challenges and Opportunities in Meeting Challenges and Opportunities in Meeting Canada’s 2012 Commitment on a Canada’s 2012 Commitment on a
National Network of MPAsNational Network of MPAsInitial FindingsInitial Findings
Sabine JessenSabine Jessen, CPAWS, CPAWSJulie GardnerJulie Gardner, Dovetail Consulting, Dovetail Consulting
Sandra BicegoSandra Bicego, PacificaBlue , PacificaBlue ConsultingConsulting
OutlineOutline
Information sourcesInformation sources Overall diagnosisOverall diagnosis Network issuesNetwork issues Designation process issuesDesignation process issues Roles of key players: Challenges and Roles of key players: Challenges and
opportunitiesopportunities Federal government roleFederal government role Provinces and territoriesProvinces and territories Non governmental actorsNon governmental actors
Key challenges and some suggestionsKey challenges and some suggestions
Information sourcesInformation sources
52 Interviews 52 Interviews 14 Atlantic, 12 Pacific, 3 North, 3 QC, 5 Ont, 14 Atlantic, 12 Pacific, 3 North, 3 QC, 5 Ont,
14 National Capital Region14 National Capital Region34 Federal: 16 DFO,12 PCA, 6 EC34 Federal: 16 DFO,12 PCA, 6 EC8 Provincial: 5 Atlantic provinces, 2 BC, 1 NWT8 Provincial: 5 Atlantic provinces, 2 BC, 1 NWT10 ENGO: WWF, CPAWS, 3 other, 1 academic10 ENGO: WWF, CPAWS, 3 other, 1 academic
Documents – web and literatureDocuments – web and literature
Overall DiagnosisOverall Diagnosis
Canada made commitment many times to Canada made commitment many times to 2012 completion of national network but did 2012 completion of national network but did not put adequate system and resources in not put adequate system and resources in place to achieve the targetplace to achieve the target
Canada’s progress on a national system of Canada’s progress on a national system of MPAs is too slowMPAs is too slow
Canada’s federal agencies “planning to fail”Canada’s federal agencies “planning to fail” Array of challenges identifiedArray of challenges identified Sweeping changes neededSweeping changes needed
Network issuesNetwork issues
Lack of a Shared Network VisionLack of a Shared Network Vision
Lack of agreement among federal agencies on: Lack of agreement among federal agencies on: RepresentationRepresentation Percentage protectedPercentage protected Significant areasSignificant areas
What ‘counts’?What ‘counts’? Which designations? (fisheries closures,Which designations? (fisheries closures,
anchorages …)anchorages …) Different systems for different coasts?Different systems for different coasts?
What does “complete” look like?What does “complete” look like? Clarifying the shared vision – Guidelines for the Clarifying the shared vision – Guidelines for the
Establishment of a Federal Marine Protected Areas Establishment of a Federal Marine Protected Areas Network??Network??
Challenges with Integrated Challenges with Integrated Management approachManagement approach
Uncertainty regarding extent to which IM Uncertainty regarding extent to which IM and LOMA approach will work for all and LOMA approach will work for all agencies in establishing MPAsagencies in establishing MPAs
Risks identified:Risks identified:Slow progress on IM stalling progress on Slow progress on IM stalling progress on
MPAsMPAsWill not complete IM processes for all of Will not complete IM processes for all of
Canada’s oceans by 2012Canada’s oceans by 2012 Inconsistent and inadequate funding for IMInconsistent and inadequate funding for IM
Addressing the IM issuesAddressing the IM issues
Establish MPAs in key places that are Establish MPAs in key places that are obvious and then fill gaps through IMobvious and then fill gaps through IM
Provide interim protection to sites right Provide interim protection to sites right away, while IM underwayaway, while IM underway
Support coast-wide network initiativesSupport coast-wide network initiatives
Designation process issuesDesignation process issues
Slow pace of designation processSlow pace of designation process
It takes at least 4-5 years to establish an It takes at least 4-5 years to establish an MPA, and can easily take 10 yearsMPA, and can easily take 10 years
ChallengesChallenges Loss of momentum, interest, community supportLoss of momentum, interest, community support Increase in frustration, spread of misinformationIncrease in frustration, spread of misinformation Changes in government personnel and participants Changes in government personnel and participants
leads to discontinuityleads to discontinuity Breakdown of agreement/consensusBreakdown of agreement/consensus Loss of biodiversityLoss of biodiversity
Opportunities to increase the paceOpportunities to increase the paceSet milestones and timelines and stick to Set milestones and timelines and stick to
themthemFast track/streamline designation processFast track/streamline designation processAim for realistic level of stakeholder and Aim for realistic level of stakeholder and
community supportcommunity supportFollow Australian approach: Designate Follow Australian approach: Designate
first; negotiate details laterfirst; negotiate details laterMulti-track processMulti-track processBe ready to move forward when Be ready to move forward when
opportunities ariseopportunities arise
Roles of key playersRoles of key players
Challenges and opportunitiesChallenges and opportunities
Federal political challengesFederal political challenges
Lack of strong political supportLack of strong political supportLack of sustained political pressure to Lack of sustained political pressure to
deliver MPAsdeliver MPAsLack of champions in CabinetLack of champions in CabinetPolitical agendas can work against MPAs Political agendas can work against MPAs Results in:Results in:
insufficient federal fundinginsufficient federal fundingslow decisions (e.g. sign-off)slow decisions (e.g. sign-off)
Federal leadership challengesFederal leadership challenges
Three federal agencies with MPA Three federal agencies with MPA responsibilities not showing strong responsibilities not showing strong leadership to speed progressleadership to speed progress
Lack of champions in agencies; no Lack of champions in agencies; no Directors responsible for MPAsDirectors responsible for MPAs
Competing responsibilities within agencies Competing responsibilities within agencies – i.e., fisheries and aquaculture, terrestrial – i.e., fisheries and aquaculture, terrestrial conservation, existing PAsconservation, existing PAs
Federal Organizational ChallengesFederal Organizational Challenges
Bureaucratic inertia – lack of urgencyBureaucratic inertia – lack of urgencyRegion-headquarters dynamicsRegion-headquarters dynamicsHigh staff turnoverHigh staff turnover Inter-agency challenges: priorities, goals Inter-agency challenges: priorities, goals
and mandates difficult to harmonize; and mandates difficult to harmonize; unilateral traditional approaches (silo)unilateral traditional approaches (silo)
Suggestions later …Suggestions later …
Provinces and Territories - Provinces and Territories - ChallengesChallenges
Levels of support and interest in MPAs varies Levels of support and interest in MPAs varies Provinces have a strong economic development Provinces have a strong economic development
mandatemandate Jurisdictional challenges, e.g. seabed ownershipJurisdictional challenges, e.g. seabed ownership Intergovernmental conflicts at political level can Intergovernmental conflicts at political level can
influence cooperationinfluence cooperation Reaching agreements for cooperation can take Reaching agreements for cooperation can take
yearsyears
Opportunities re. Opportunities re. Provinces/TerritoriesProvinces/Territories
Engage with regions/provinces in coast-Engage with regions/provinces in coast-wide or sub-regional MPA network wide or sub-regional MPA network planningplanning
Clarify the role of provincial MPA Clarify the role of provincial MPA designations in a national networkdesignations in a national network
Resolve areas of shared/disputed Resolve areas of shared/disputed jurisdictionjurisdiction
First NationsFirst Nations
Treaties in progress, unsettled claims Treaties in progress, unsettled claims produce an environment of uncertainty produce an environment of uncertainty
Rights and title are pivotal Rights and title are pivotal Consultation processes are complexConsultation processes are complexLack of support does not indicate lack of Lack of support does not indicate lack of
interest in marine conservation interest in marine conservation Benefits need to be clearBenefits need to be clearEngage with First Nations on their termsEngage with First Nations on their terms
Non-Governmental Actors Non-Governmental Actors – key challenges– key challenges
Includes general public, local communities, Includes general public, local communities, fishing industry, ENGOs, scientistsfishing industry, ENGOs, scientists
Hold significant power to determine success or Hold significant power to determine success or failurefailure
Inadequate public pressure for MPAsInadequate public pressure for MPAs Not enough public champions for MPAsNot enough public champions for MPAs Fear of unknown regarding implications of MPA Fear of unknown regarding implications of MPA
proposals (lack of understanding)proposals (lack of understanding) Fishing industry is powerful political lobby that is Fishing industry is powerful political lobby that is
often against MPAsoften against MPAs
Non governmental actors - Non governmental actors - opportunitiesopportunities
Local champions can be influential and pivotal to Local champions can be influential and pivotal to political supportpolitical support
Increasing support from fishing industry creating Increasing support from fishing industry creating future potential cooperative opportunitiesfuture potential cooperative opportunities
ENGOs complement government efforts and ENGOs complement government efforts and offer partnership opportunitiesoffer partnership opportunities
Science community can help make compelling Science community can help make compelling scientific case for MPAs and contribute scientific case for MPAs and contribute knowledge and expertiseknowledge and expertise
Over-arching suggestionsOver-arching suggestions
Make MPAs a national priorityMake MPAs a national priority
Challenge:Challenge: Lack of political support, leadership at the federal Lack of political support, leadership at the federal
levellevel Lack of public awareness of importance of MPAsLack of public awareness of importance of MPAs
Solution:Solution: Government, ENGOs and science community Government, ENGOs and science community
collaborate on public educationcollaborate on public education Put MPA champions in leadership positionsPut MPA champions in leadership positions Unveil and hold regional discussions on the Unveil and hold regional discussions on the
Guidelines for the Establishment of a Federal Marine Guidelines for the Establishment of a Federal Marine Protected Areas NetworkProtected Areas Network
Build federal governance arrangements Build federal governance arrangements that reflect the importance of MPAsthat reflect the importance of MPAs
Challenge:Challenge: Too difficult to change organizational structure, Too difficult to change organizational structure,
intellectual orientation and culture of DFO to properly intellectual orientation and culture of DFO to properly address MPAs and oceans issues broadlyaddress MPAs and oceans issues broadly
Too difficult to get cooperation among three federal Too difficult to get cooperation among three federal MPA agencies that will actually result in real progress MPA agencies that will actually result in real progress in the waterin the water
Solution:Solution: Make the Oceans agenda a government-wide priority, Make the Oceans agenda a government-wide priority,
not just for DFOnot just for DFO Establish new federal agency to deliver on all MPAs Establish new federal agency to deliver on all MPAs
with dedicated resources … or?with dedicated resources … or?
Empower regional effortsEmpower regional efforts
Challenge:Challenge:Progress on a national network requires Progress on a national network requires
collaboration and approaches that are tailored collaboration and approaches that are tailored to regional circumstances on Canada’s three to regional circumstances on Canada’s three ocean coastsocean coasts
Solution:Solution:Give the regions more autonomyGive the regions more autonomyCreate regional MPA authorities – Pacific, Create regional MPA authorities – Pacific,
Arctic, Atlantic… or?Arctic, Atlantic… or?
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
For their useful and thoughtful information and For their useful and thoughtful information and insights, we would like to thank everyone who insights, we would like to thank everyone who agreed to be interviewed for this studyagreed to be interviewed for this study
For funding and other support we would like to For funding and other support we would like to thank the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundationthank the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
For logistical and other support on this project, For logistical and other support on this project, we thank Megan Baker from CPAWS-BCwe thank Megan Baker from CPAWS-BC