Integrated Management in the Beaufort Sea is a collaborative management and planning process led by the Oceans Programs Division of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO Central and Arctic Region). The 1997 Oceans Act and its supporting policy, Canada’s Oceans Strategy, affirm DFO’s mandate as the lead federal authority for oceans and provide the national context for the Initiative.
The principles and approaches of the Initiative are rooted in developing international ocean governance processes and Canada’s ocean-related international legal commitments. DFO’s national Integrated Management Policy and Operational Framework provides further guidance on the development of integrated management plans and processes under the Oceans Act. Of particular importance is the commitment to establish Large Ocean Management Areas (LOMAs) for all of Canada’s marine regions.
LOMAs extend from the coastline to the limits of jurisdiction under international law and will address large-scale ecosystem and economic development issues through the development and implementation of integrated ocean management plans by incorporating ecosystem, socio-economic, cultural and institutional management objectives and indicators.
