GOM Symposium’09

Overview and Synthesis for GoMC (10 Dec/09)

Rob Stephenson and John Annala – Co-convenors

Gulf of Maine Symposium – Advancing Ecosystem Research for the Future of the Gulf St. Andrews, N.B. October 4-9, 2009

Landscape of management is changing Considerable advance in understanding Need to update, evaluate capacity to manage, establish priorities

RARGOM 2009 GOM Symposium

• 240 participants • 141 presentations • Combination of concurrent technical sessions, oral plenary sessions and posters • Council WG meeting • Wide array of sponsors and partners

Changes since RARGOM Symposium in 1996

• International context for EBM (and IM) • Legislative changes in both USA and Canada • Major realizations regarding climate change and the need for management and stewardship in the face of change • Public interest leading to marketplace pressure • Rapid developments in ocean energy

Broad goals of the 2009 Symposium

1. Inform

participants about current objectives, constraints, and future influences on management of marine resources,

2. Share

new developments in the state of scientific knowledge in the Gulf of Maine, and

3. Identify

scientific requirements and directions to meet future needs from an ecosystem-based approach.

Challenge of this Symposium…

• review the developments re EBM (esp of the past decade) • evaluate how well we are placed to manage using EBM • make recommendations that will help shape the direction of research regarding EBM for the next few years.

Opening Perspectives

• Rob Stephenson – Context of EBM – Need for Objectives, Tradeoffs, Cumulative Effects • Sally McGee – Can we get there? YES – Call for Joint Canada / US EBM • Jean-Guy D’Entremont – Fishermen without Borders – Pragmatic EBM Plans focused on Specific Stocks / Issues • Bonnie McCay – Where are the People?

– Incorporate People into EBM • Pete Jumars – Stalked – Eye View – How is GOM different? Light – Depth interactions • Mike Fogarty – Options for EBM – Placed – based EBM & Multispecies MSYs

Program

• Theme Sessions – Tools for Integrated Management – Ecosystem Structure & Function – Anthropogenic & External Influences – Monitoring & Observation • Technical Workshops – Ecosystem services – Biodiversity – Seafloor Mapping – Life Histories – Assessment • 141 presentations / sessions / posters covering wide range of EBM – related issues – Impressive knowledge growth on Gulf of Maine ecosystem & impacts

Results vs Objectives of Symposium

1. Review developments towards Ecosystem – Based Management 2. Evaluate how well placed we are to undertake EBM 3. Recommend research to move towards EBM

1) Recent Developments

• Increased knowledge in many areas e.g. high resolution seafloor mapping, ocean modelling, and development of approaches to characterize habitat • Recognition that EAM includes ecological and social/economic considerations and that it demands an interdisciplinary approach • Better understanding of the lessons of past management and long-term effects of exploitation

1) Recent Developments

• Legislation (in both Canada and USA) to address more holistic approaches and multiple uses • Development/evolution of tools for marine spatial planning and state of the environment reporting • Evolution of concepts and framework for essential habitat and for ecosystem-based approach

2) How well placed to implement EBM?

• There is a range of approaches to the ecosystem approach at present…from evolutionary to revolutionary • There is a challenge in implementing the ecosystem approach in the GoM because of the complexity in jurisdiction and increasingly litigious environment • There remains the problem of ecosystem complexity

2) How well placed to implement EBM?

• There is an issue of need for enhanced monitoring and information to support evolving management landscape • Need for institutional (governance) to support cross disciplinary and inter-jurisdictional considerations • There is a way to go…the time for action is now

3) Priorities for EBM

Two categories: 3a) Appropriate governance structures and improved institutional capacity for implementation of an ecosystem approach 3b) Increased basic understanding related to environmental and governance change

3a) Priorities re governance structure

• A common vision of goals and objectives • Interdisciplinary participation, • Legislative basis and development of appropriate governance structures • Consistency among jurisdictions • Participatory structures (engagement of users) • More comprehensive approach to ocean use planning • Enhanced collaboration in evaluations and assessments

3b) Increased basic understanding

• Evaluation of models of climate and flow (are flows changing?) • Enhanced understanding of coastal processes and life histories in relation to environmental change • Knowledge of benthic, and especially microbial processes • Strengthened science and monitoring of aspects of relevance to EBM decisions in management • Strong link among those with science, management, social and legal expertise

3b) Increased basic understanding

• Institutional ‘bridges’ to link information and research to management • Requirement for greater general ocean literacy • Clarification of terminology, and consistency of use • Enhanced understanding of cumulative impacts • Metrics of progress and of success (how will we know when we are there?) • Continued mapping for marine spatial planning

Three statement(s) of need:

• ‘Development of an operating framework for managing the Gulf of Maine using an ecosystem-based approach and in the face of ecosystem change’ • ‘Development of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, approach to management and a framework for the evaluation of management (management strategy evaluation)’ • ‘Development of an organized approach to adaptation throughout the region (perhaps through GoM Council)’

How Well Placed to Undertake EBM?

Elements of Management System

Operational Module Control Module

Ecosystem Monitoring Assessment Implementation Decision Making Control Rules From McAllister et. al. 1999

O’Boyle’s Musings on Research

• Decision Support

Needs

– Ecosystem – level modeling that allows exploration of alternative management strategies & tradeoffs – Institutions of complementary US / Canada management • Ecosystem Structure & Function – Productivity – habitat link – Biodiversity & resilience • Assessment – Cumulative impacts

Stephenson’s slide of context: Ecoregion/planning area (umbrella plan)

Ecosystem Assessment

Nested plans for Managed activities Fisheries Aquaculture Energy Transport Conservation - Productivity

Methods for evaluation of cumulative impacts

- Biodiversity - Habitat Economic Social/cultural

Next Steps

• Symposium proceedings: – Technical report (near completion) – Volume of peer reviewed papers (to be published by AFS) • RARGOM plans for continued leadership and meetings: – Series of smaller workshops (each year) – Future Symposia – Request GoMC input