[Sust-mar] Opportunity to get involved in marine conservation

[Jennifer Smith]

All Canadians have a stake in keeping our oceans healthy. Help guide conservation and sustainable development on the Scotian Shelf.
 

The Eastern Scotian Shelf Integrated Management (ESSIM) Initiative is a collaborative ocean management and planning process being led and facilitated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) under Canada's Oceans Act. The Initiative has already achieved its first aim: to develop and implement an Integrated Ocean Management Plan for this large marine region. This multi-year, strategic level plan provides long-term direction and a common basis for integrated, ecosystem-based and adaptive ocean management. Now comes the hard work of implementing the Plan. Stakeholders will be working together in the coming years to address important conservation challenges such as the shift toward ecosystem-based fisheries management and the creation of new marine protected areas.

 
 
The ESSIM ENGO Caucus was formed to facilitate participation of environmental non-governmental organisations in the ESSIM Initiative. This spring we hope to broaden and rejuvenate participation and to renew our Caucus membership as well as our representation on the ESSIM Stakeholder Advisory Council. If you think you might be interested in getting involved, please join us at 12:30 on April 13 at WWF-Canada's Atlantic Office in Halifax. If interest warrants, we will begin with a casual "coffee-talk" and an introduction to ESSIM. To RSVP, or to find out more, contact Jennifer Smith at jsmith at wwfcanada.org. Learn about the ESSIM initiative at http://www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/e/essim/essim-intro-e.html