2005 September Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Encourage the application, by 2010, of the ecosystem approach to the management of oceans.

The Department is developing an ecosystem approach, which is a key component of its integrated management planning. It is testing some aspects of the approach.

Establish marine protected areas consistent with international law and based on science, including representative networks by 2012.

The Department has designated 2 marine protected areas under the Oceans Act, and has identified 11 areas of interest as potential marine protected areas. But, we are concerned that Canada is in danger of not meeting the commitment to establish representative networks of marine protected areas by 2012 for the following reasons:

• delays in developing a federal marine protected areas strategy,
• no plan for how the commitment will be met, and
• uncertainties about funding.

Promote integrated, multidisciplinary and multisectoral coastal and oceans management at the national level.

The Oceans Act, Canada's Oceans Strategy, and Canada's Oceans Action Plan promote an integrated management approach. However, moving from a definition of integrated management to implementing it has been difficult. The Department is leading integrated management planning initiatives in five large ocean areas.

Implement the work programme arising from the Jakarta Mandate on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Oceans Act, Canada's Oceans Strategy, and Canada's Oceans Action Plan are consistent with the Jakarta Mandate. Key elements, including integrated management, ecosystem approach, and marine protected areas have been reported in the previous three commitments.