Marine environmental management resources
The following resources can provide valuable assistance when reviewing the opportunities and challenges involved in maintaining a sustainable marine environment.
The BC Seafood Alliance is committed to the conservation and sustainable use of seafood resources in British Columbia. This site includes Archipelago’s report on “traceability in the BC seafood sector.”
The Canadian Groundfish Research and Conservation Society (CGRCS) is committed to the conservation and sustainable management of Canadian Groundfish off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. The CGRCS works cooperatively and in partnership with Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientists and managers on research activities and operational programs in support of a healthy and well-managed fishery.
The Electronic Monitoring Information website hosted by the National EM Workshop Steering Committee. This site publishes resources and discussions on electronic monitoring and electronic reporting, including sessions of the 2014 National EM Workshop held in Seattle, Washington.
The Underwater Harvesters Association’s site devoted to the geoduck clam and the management of the geoduck fishery.
The Pacific Halibut Management Association (PHMA) is a BC fishermen’s association representing over 80% of commercial halibut licence holders in British Columbia. PHMA members continue to reap benefits from years of sustainable management practices, and the PHMA website reflects the Association’s commitment to advancing co-management in the commercial fishery and ensuring that halibut resources continue to be conserved and protected.
MarineTraffic.com displays global AIS transponder information to monitor and identify vessels anywhere in the world.
Visit the Oceans and Marine Fisheries Branch Reports and Publications page to view reports on traceability within the BC seafood sector.
The Government of Canada and the BC seafood industry implemented an integrated groundfish management program in 2006 to ensure that groundfish are harvested in a sustainable manner. See the BC Fishery information sheet for more.
The BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer provides authoritative conservation information on approximately 6000 plants and animals, and over 600 ecological communities (ecosystems) in British Columbia.
The Pacific Scientific Advice Review Committee (PSARC) issues science advisory reports that summarize the status and trends of different stocks of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals in Canada as well as ecosystem, environmental, species at risk, and management issues.
The Coastal Resource Information System (CRIMS) displays a diverse range of coastal and marine biophysical and resource information including shoreline video, climate stations, and fisheries.
The CMN helps communities throughout British Columbia and across Canada to map sensitive habitats and species distributions in aid of planning for sustainable communities. The CMN uses customized data entry and digitizing tools integrated with links to local and remote data sets, as well as web map service (WMS) sources, geo-referenced videos, and sensitive habitat inventory and mapping (SHIM) projects.
As the fifth largest exporter of fish and fish products in the world, Denmark is a leading advocate of sustainable fishing alternatives. The Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries is committed to using optimal fishing methods, conserving catch, and limiting discards to help ensure the sustainable development of this sector.
The Pacific Region includes over 27 000 kilometres of coastline along British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, and 560 000 square kilometres of ocean. The Fisheries and Ocean Canada “Pacific Region” web site provides a range of resources and reference material on all aspects of the Pacific Region’s commercial, recreational and Aboriginal fisheries.
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries manages two policy areas: integrated maritime policy and common fisheries policy (CFP). Visit this site to learn more about current events such the European Commission’s latest reforms to the common fisheries policy.
Integrated Fisheries Monitoring (IFM) refers to the collection and analysis of a wide range of data from the fisheries. IFM encompasses monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS), as well as other aspects of monitoring carried out on or by fishing vessels. Visit FAO’s “Integrated Fisheries Monitoring” page to learn more.
The GIS Maps & Data page offers an interactive mapping utility that includes various layers, such as catch and effort data provided by Archipelago and BC fisheries.
The HabitatWizard is a map-based tool created for government, industry, and environmental users to spatially access detailed fish and fish habitat information, including fish observations, fish ranges, obstacles, stream and lake physical information, aerial photography, the watershed atlas, fish stocking records, and bathymetric mapping for over 2500 lakes.
As part of its National Bycatch Strategy, NOAA’s Fisheries Service is committed to implementing conservation and management measures for living marine resources that will minimize, to the extent practicable, bycatch and the mortality of bycatch that cannot be avoided. Visit NOAA’s “Bycatch” page to learn more.
Around the world, catch shares help to eliminate overfishing and achieve annual catch limits, produce more fish at lower costs, improve fishermen’s safety and profits, and reduce the negative biological and economic effects of regulated fisheries that don’t use catch share programs. Visit NOAA’s “Catch Shares” page to learn more.
The Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA) initiative aims to ensure a healthy, safe, and prosperous ocean area by engaging all interested parties in the collaborative development and implementation of an integrated management plan for PNCIMA.
This report builds on the interim report published by Marine Scotland in September 2010 and is intended to focus on the scientific, economic and compliance aspects of Catch Quota Management using Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM).
A valuable resource for coastal managers, ShoreZone provides coastal aerial video surveys with biophysical classification, all geo-referenced and available to the public through this site.
Use this site to quickly access marine investigation reports, recommendations and assessments of responses, and statistics.
This site lists the latest papers, reports, meetings etc., on using EM for fisheries.
The British Columbia Integrated Groundfish Program is one of the most comprehensive catch share programs in the world. Visit the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) site to learn more.
The Danish Pelagic and Demersal Individual Transferable Quota Programs (ITQ Programs) involve promoting economic growth in the fisheries sector by balancing the capacity of the fishing fleet with the available resource. Visit the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) site to learn more.
Tools and resources for planning, design, and construction professionals who want to minimize the environmental impacts of their projects in a cost effective manner.
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) employs science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health.
MSC’s theory of change describes how the MSC eco-labelling and certification program contributes to achieving its vision of safeguarding the worlds’ oceans, and preserving seafood supplies for this, and future generations.
WWF’s Global Marine Programme creates, promotes, and implements solutions to protect marine ecosystems and use marine resources sustainably.
The British Columbia Marine Conservation Analysis (BCMCA) is a collaborative project designed to provide information about marine biodiversity and human activity in BC’s marine waters.
FishBase is a searchable database developed by the University of British Columbia that provides a range of fish information, including life history, photos, distribution, etc.
The Fisheries Science and Management Research Group helps to improve the understanding and management of fish populations through research on marine and freshwater systems, including fish, marine mammals, invertebrates, and their habitats.
The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) was established in 1923 by a Convention between the governments of Canada and the United States of America to provide research and management of the stocks of Pacific halibut. This site is a good resource for industry reports and summaries, event information, research, etc.
The Fisheries Centre works with maritime communities, government, and NGOs to help restore fisheries, conserve aquatic life, and rebuild ecosystems.