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Proceedings 2018/009

Proceedings of the regional peer review for the identification of ecologically significant species, and community properties for the Western Arctic Biogeographic Region; November 8-9, 2016

Chairperson: Eva Enders

Editor: Kathleen Martin

Summary

Canada’s Oceans Act authorizes Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to take an ecosystem approach to the integrated management of human activities in the sea. A component of this is to provide enhanced protection to species and community properties that are particularly significant to maintaining ecosystem structure and function. Species and community properties can be ecologically “significant” because of the functions that they serve in the ecosystem and/or because of features that they provide for other parts of the ecosystem to use.

Under the National Conservation Plan, DFO Oceans Program has been tasked with leading the development of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network in the Western Arctic Biogeographic Region. To inform ecological conservation priorities for this MPA Network, the Oceans Program has requested Science to identify Ecologically Significant Species and Community Properties (ESSCP) for this region. A regional science peer-review was held November 8-9, 2016 in Winnipeg, Manitoba to provide advice on ESSCP. The meeting included participants from DFO Science and Oceans Program, Fisheries Joint Management Committee, the Canadian Museum of Nature, and the Universities of Manitoba and Waterloo.

This proceedings report summarizes the relevant discussions from the peer-review meeting and presents revisions to be made to the associated research document. The Proceedings, Science Advisory Report, and the supporting Research Document resulting from this advisory meeting are published on the DFO Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat Website.

Accessibility Notice

This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.

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