The environmental crisis of marine and coastal ecosystems has been pointed out for several decades. The decline of fishing, the rapid extinction of marine species, and plastic islands in open marine waters are evidence of the magnitude of the problem. Over the years, various alternatives have emerged to contribute to solving this severe crisis. Some alternatives have focused on environmental conservation, such as creating marine protected areas; others on solving specific problems, for example, integrated coastal zone management (ICZM); and some, like marine spatial planning (MSP), have adopted a spatial planning approach.
Canada stands out as a pioneering country in this search for solutions. It adopted relatively early integrated coastal and marine management (ICM), which is the national umbrella term to consider the breadth of ways integrated coastal and marine management has been referenced. The first initiatives adopted the ICZM framework. However, this approach did not generate the expected results, partly because of the provincial and federal governments’ lack of interest. Another effort was the Large Ocean Management Areas plans (LOMAS), which started in 1998 and finished in 2015. In 2005, the Ocean’s Action Plan (second version in 2007) identified the lack of resources in Canadian ocean governance to deal with modern-day challenges. In 2018, the evaluation of the Ocean Management Program highlighted the need for a management focus on oceans (Eger et al., 2021). Finally, since 2019, integrated coastal and marine management focal point has been marine spatial planning.
Today, Canada sees in MSP a reinvigorated opportunity to implement ICM. MSP is being fostered through a regional approach in five priority marine areas on the west and east coast (McAteer et al., 2022). One of the first initiatives is the Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast (MaPP). This initiative is not part of the national strategy; instead, it is a provincial effort of the Government of British Columbia and 17 First Nations. Another example is the Marine Planning Atlas for the Atlantic and Gulf of St. Lawrence. The atlas is being developed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), and it is expected to be finished in 2023. This tool will provide marine spatial information that can contribute to strengthening decision-making concerning the use of maritime space.
MSP implementation in Canada faces various challenges. One of them is local stakeholder inclusion. MSP is widely criticized because it is a process dominated by a top-down approach which marginalizes local stakeholders. It is essential to pay attention to this critique in Canada since recent marine management efforts of the country reveal a lack of consideration of the needs and interests of local communities in decision-making processes. Therefore, Canada should work on promoting a locally adapted MSP with the capacity to put at the core of the planning process the needs of the coastal communities and provide the basis to engage local stakeholders meaningfully.
Another challenge for Canada is strengthening the development of practical experience concerning MSP. DFO has committed to having four first-generation marine spatial plans by 2024. Although this is an ambitious time frame, it is more important that Canada gains experience in MSP implementation in its territory. The practical experience will allow us to understand the contextual factors that play an essential role in the planning process. Moreover, emphasizing practice will facilitate gaining valuable experience which cannot be obtained in other way, strengthening the future MSP processes in the country.
MSP is, by definition, a public process open to any interested stakeholder. However, for stakeholders to decide whether to participate or not, they must be informed about where, how, and when the process will happen. Therefore, it is essential to make an appropriate dissemination of the initiative. Although MSP is relatively new in Canada, work has already begun towards laying the foundations for the process. However, the evidence suggests that it is necessary to show MSP as a strategic planning process, especially for industry and economic development agencies and municipal government. It is also required to generate communication spaces at the local level. These spaces should allow for informing local stakeholders clearly and transparently, as sometimes stakeholders are interested in participating but do not know how to do it.
Finally, it is essential to develop MSP capacities at the local level. That includes municipal governments, NGOs, local agencies and organizations, and community members at large. For stakeholders engagement to be meaningful in MSP, participants should have the theoretical knowledge and practical capabilities that allow them to highlight their ideas in the decision-making process. A potential alternative is to undertake training campaigns in the stages before the MSP process or simultaneously during the process. Moreover, once the municipal governments acquirees the necessary capacities, it is recommended to involve them as co-leaders and co-responsible actors in the process.
MSP implementation in Canada implies dealing with various challenges. A long way to go is expected, so errors cannot be ruled out. However, MSP can also bring significant benefits. Effective adoption of MSP will promote the sustainable development of coastal and oceans. This is strategic for Canadian development since the country has the most extensive coastline in the world. Moreover, it will also strengthen the discourse of environmental protection, which is highlighted as a priority policy for the country.
Image: Ali Kazal via Unsplash
