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Canada's Oceans Action Plan

In 2004 the Canadian government committed… “ to move forward on its Oceans Action Plan by maximizing the use and development of oceans technology, establishing a network of marine protected areas, implementing integrated management plans, and enhancing the enforcement of rules governing oceans and fisheries, including rules governing straddling stocks.”

Canada’s Oceans Action Plan responds to that commitment – it articulates a government-wide approach to seize opportunities for sustainable development. The Oceans Action Plan rests on four inter-connected pillars:

• International Leadership, Sovereignty and Security;
• Integrated Oceans Management for Sustainable Development;
• Health of the Oceans; and
• Ocean Science and Technology.

The Oceans Action Plan serves as the overarching umbrella for coordinating and implementing oceans activities, and provides a framework to sustainably develop and manage our oceans. But this will take time, and we must start with the foundation pieces needed to achieve sustained, long-term change.

The most fundamental of these are new oceans governance arrangements (“integrated management” under the Oceans Act), and ecosystem science to improve the management of the marine environment.

The Oceans Action Plan takes a phased approach to address key priorities. Phase I includes a series of initiatives that will be completed within 24 months, that build on progress made to date, and set the foundation for achieving the long-term objectives of the Oceans Act and Canada’s Oceans Strategy.

Subsequent phases of the Oceans Action Plan will broaden the geographic scope of oceans management, deepen action across Government and take advantage of lessons learned in Phase I.

Media

Backgrounder - Oceans Action Plan - Phase 1 (May 27, 2005)

Public Document

Table of Contents

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2005

Cat. No. Fs23-472/2005-1E-HTML
ISBN 0-662-41420-9

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