ARCHIVED - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Name of Horizontal Initiative: Health of the Oceans (HOTO)

Name of lead department(s): Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Lead department program activity: Oceans Management

Start date of the Horizontal Initiative: April 1, 2007

End date of the Horizontal Initiative: March 31, 2012

Total federal funding allocation (start to end date): $61.5 million

Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement):

This initiative provides funds, as part of the National Water Strategy, over a five year period to support 22 initiatives across five departments and agencies. The goal of the initiative is to achieve progress on the health of the oceans through establishing new marine protected areas, increasing the capacity of government to enforce pollution prevention rules and to respond to environmental emergencies; and through strengthening collaborative oceans arrangements with our partners in the Arctic and in the Gulf of Maine.

Shared outcome(s):

The initiative is targeted to achieve three shared outcomes, as defined by the RMAF, namely:

• Marine Protected Areas establishment;
• Pollution Control; and
• Collaborative Oceans Management.

Governance structure(s):

This initiative is subject to interdepartmental government through the Assistant Deputy Ministers Interdepartmental Committee on Oceans, supported by a shadow Director General Committee. This Governance structure reviews the initiatives on a regular basis including review and approval of annual reports to Ministers on the progress of this initiative.

($ thousands)

Federal Partners	Federal Partner Program Activity (PA)	Names of Programs for Federal Partners	Total Allocation (from Start to End Date)	Planned Spending for 2009-10	Expected Results for 2009-10
Fisheries and Oceans	Oceans Management	Federal Marine Protected Areas Strategy Implementation in DFO	1,250.0	250.0	Advance the creation by 2012 of a Federal Network of Marine Protected Areas that contributes to the health of Canada's oceans, established and managed within an integrated oceans management frame-work.
		Development of a Federal-Provincial-Territorial MPA Network	2,500.0	725.0	Significant progress in planning and advancement of a National (federal-provincial-territorial) Marine Protected Area Network in Canada's three oceans.
		Arctic Council - Ecosystem Projects	1,000.0	275.0	A State of the Arctic Basin Report and use of common eco-system monitoring strategies in shared and boundary waters by 2012; Canada's participation in expert workshops and major conferences on ecosystem approach for advancing EBM concepts and approaches, promoting Canada's leadership in EBM applied to the Arctic, and sharing information and practices with other circumpolar countries, including US; Article on EBM in Canada's Arctic published in expert journals or workshop proceedings; A suite of indicators for monitoring and assessing ecosystem status and trends, socio-economic aspects and governance structures in place in Arctic; and; The Arctic Council's Report on Best Practices in Ecosystem-based Oceans management in the Arctic (key product of the 2009 Ministerial Meeting)
		Oceans Centres of Expertise (Coastal, Corals, Data Integration, TEK)	3,000.0	700.0	Establishment of four centres of excellence. Development and implementation of common tools and approaches in the five LOMAs to protect deep sea corals and sponge reefs, incorporate traditional knowledge, develop information management and exchange standards and accelerate progress in addressing coastal management issues.
		Collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF)	213.0	42.6	Greater contribution by environmental non-governmental organizations to the Health of the Oceans
		Gulf of Maine (at DFO)	750.0	147.5	This initiative builds on the existing successful trans-boundary collaboration and management of Groundfish stocks through the CA-US Steering Committee, and the excellent cooperation between states and provinces through the Gulf of Maine Council. Based on DFO's national stan-dard, a literature review and project work plan for a joint CA-US Bay of Fundy/Gulf of Maine Ecosystem Overview and Assessment Report was developed as part of the 2005 Oceans Action Plan.
		Marine Protected Areas Establishment	5,250.0	1,500.0	Six new MPAs will be designated by 2012 and a national monitoring and reporting sys-tem will be implemented for all Oceans Act MPAs.
	Habitat Management	Integrated Management and Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Assessment Tools Linkages	1,450.0	425.0	Processes and tools developed to support integrated oceans management and promote Health of the Oceans bridged with Canadian Environmental Assessment Act project-specific environmental assessment and strategic environmental assessment to address ecosystem-level cumulative impacts.
	Science for Healthy and Productive Aquatic Ecosystems	Ecosystem Science Support and Advice on Health of the Oceans	5,500.0	1,100.0	Science advice on Marine Protected Areas and on priority sector-specific impacts and mitigation.
	Canadian Coast Guard	Spill Capacity and Emergency Response Strategy	2,260.0	750.0	Canada's spill response capacity in the Arctic assessed, and equipment and systems to respond to the unique risks prepared.
Environment Canada	Biodiversity and Corporate services	Federal Marine Protected Areas Strategy - Implementation in EC	1,250.0	250.0	Advance the creation by 2012 of a Federal Network of Marine Protected Areas that contributes to the health of Canada's oceans, established and managed within an integrated oceans management framework.
		Marine Wildlife Areas Establishment	2,000.0	507.0	Both the National Wildlife Area at Sable Island and Marine Wildlife Area at Scott Islands will be ready for designation by 2012, and a contribution will have been made to the Federal Marine Protected Area Network building process.
	Improved knowledge and information on weather and environmental conditions influence decision making and Corporate services	Sable Island Weather Station	4,000.0	800.0	The risk of loss of life or property due to weather events is reduced for mariners, Canadian citizens and the international community, by producing more accurate weather forecasts and warnings using data from the Sable Island Weather Station. The understanding of upper atmospheric conditions and the flow of airborne pollutants and greenhouse gases is improved, by enabling scientific research through the continued existence of the Sable Island weather Station infra-structure. The unique and fragile eco-system of Sable Island is conserved by protecting it from human degradation.
	Canadians adopt approaches that ensure the sustainable use and management of natural capital and working landscapes and Corporate services	Gulf of Maine (at EC)	751.0	148.0	Increased support for the Gulf of Maine Council and implementation of the joint Canada-US five-year action plan that includes implementation of regional strategies for adaptation to climate change, indicators development, education and engagement and joint monitoring for toxic contaminants in the trans-boundary ecosystem.
Parks Canada Agency	Heritage Places Establishment	Federal Marine Protected Area Strategy Implementation in Parks Canada	1,250.0	361.0	Advance the creation by 2012 of a Federal Network of Marine Protected Areas that contributes to the health of Canada's oceans, established and managed within an integrated oceans management frame-work.
		National Marine Conservation Area in Lancaster Sound	5,000.0	1,250.0	By 2012, achieve a full understanding of the feasibility of establishing a National Marine Conservation Area in Lancaster Sound with the support of Inuit, Nunavut and key sectoral stakeholders, leading to the conservation of a significant representative component of Canada's marine environment and a clear demonstration of Arctic sovereignty in the Northwest Passage.
Transport Canada	Transportation Safety and Security and Internal Services	Enforcement of Ballast Water Regulations	4,500.0	966.5	Enforcement of regulations that minimize the risk of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens from being introduced through ship ballast water to waters under Canadian jurisdiction.
		Pollution Prevention - Surveillance	13,000.0	3,181.6	Enforcement of Canada's pollution prevention regulations in the Pacific, Arctic, East Coast Waters, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence Estuary.
		Pollution Prevention - Dash 7 Outfitting	5,000.0	100.0	Enforcement of Canada's pollution prevention regulations in the Pacific, Arctic, East Coast Waters, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence Estuary. Modernization of the current Dash 7 surveillance aircraft to a standard equal to the Dash 8 surveillance aircraft dedicated for use on the East and West Coast.
		Arctic International Marine Shipping Assessment	550.0	50.0	An assessment of projected shipping activities and the associated environmental, social and economic impacts and risks as reduced sea ice may lead to increased marine transport in the Arctic
		Pollution Prevention - Ship Waste Reduction Strategy	800.0	200.0	Adequate reception facilities for wastes; appropriate legislation and standards
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada	Northern land Resources	Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment/Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment from land-based sources of pollution	175.0	0.0	An expanded arctic regional program of action on land-based sources of pollution; a greater understanding of Aboriginal Arctic marine resource use; and a greater understanding of the social, economic and environmental impacts from changing shipping patterns on northern and aboriginal communities
Total			61,449.0	12,480.5

Contact information:

W. Moore

Fisheries and Oceans Canada