Lecture 4: MPA network design (Jan 26)

Question 1

What are the 2 principles for an Ecological Network Design?

Answer 1

1. Include the full range of biodiversity in Pacific Canada

2. Ensure EBSAs are incorporated (uniqueness, foraging/breeding grounds, source populations, etc.)

Question 2

What are the 2 principles for Network Planning? (not ecological)

Answer 2

1. Ensure ecological linkages (connectivity)

2. Ensure maximum contribution of individual MPAs (size, spacing, shape)

Question 3

What are some sound protected area design principles?

Answer 3

• naturalness
• aggregation
• uniqueness
• fitness consequences
• vulnerability/resilience
• size (variety)
• Shape
• seperation/replication (variety of distances)
• connectivity (replication, linkages to life history)

Question 4

What % of Canada’s Pacific is under some form of PA status

- fed or prov %??

Answer 4

2. 75 %
   - fed 2.19
   - prov 0.56

Question 5

In term of Canada’s Pacific MPA design, how is the ecosection representation?
- where are the gaps?

Answer 5

Ecosection representation varies greatly and is not even

• most obvious gaps are offshore, Juan de fuca, Queen Charlotte Strait, and Dixon entrance.

Question 6

In term of Canada’s Pacific MPA design how is the intertidal zone represented?

Answer 6

• well represented 1/3 is under PA status.

Question 7

In term of Canada’s Pacific MPA design on average how large are our MPAs? - percentage of large/small? median?

• how are they distributed?
• when were the majority of MPAs designated?

Answer 7

MPAs on average are small - 77% are under 10km - median is 1.78km

• they are not uniformly distributed.
• designated within the last 15 - 20 years.

Question 8

What is the BCMCA?

- what is its purpose?

Answer 8

British Columbia Marine Conservation Analysis
- a collaborative project with many partners
- provides products which include:
1 - Marine atlas & data library
2- Analyses that Identify:
a) Marine areas of high conservation value
b) marine areas important to human use.

• Purpose is to provide these products to help inform all interest groups and marine planning processes.
• NOT to advocate outcome or replace planning processes.

Question 9

Who is BCMCA? 4

- what do they do?

Answer 9

Project Team - provides overarching direction and decision making

Human Use Working Group - provides guidance on human use data, atlas pages, analyses.

Project Staff - implement the project under the projects team’s direction

Contributors
- expert workshop participants, data custodians, many reveiws and advisors

Question 10

In regards to BCMCA why are Project Team Organisations collaborating?
What value do they recognize? 2

Answer 10

• all recognize the value of:
• best-available, comprehensive data
• compiled collaboratively and reviewed transparently

….for marine planning.

Question 11

What are BCMCAs 2 methods?

Answer 11

Collating Biophysical data

• 5 expert workshops
• physical features proposed in report
• 2 years to obtain, assemble, prepare datasets

Collating Human use data

• assemble known data
• 100 datasets reviewed by appropriate sector for accuracy, completeness
• some datasets improved updated

Question 12

What is a Marxan analysis?

Answer 12

Globally recognised decision support tool for area-based planning

Question 13

What is Marxan used to identify? 2?

Answer 13

Used to identify:
- areas of high conservation value.

• areas important to human use.

Question 14

Conservation Risk Assessment (CRA)

• its a tool to identify what? 3
• what PA concepts is it based on? 3

Answer 14

• conservation values
• risk values
• threats

Based on protected area concepts of:

• representation and special features
• species and phenomena rarity and richness
• size shape and replication

Question 15

What are the uses of CRA?

Answer 15

Inform managers and rangers of values, risks and threats within PAs

• Inform annual management planning
• Integrate recreation and conservation into ecosystem - based management
• Assess options in PA site and system design.