Thank you very much.
My name is Kevin Stringer. I'm the assistant deputy minister for Ecosystems and Fisheries Management, Fisheries and Oceans.
Thank you very much for the invitation today.
You've heard from my Environment and Climate Change colleague on the broader approach to protection, as well as on the work that department is doing. My focus will be on the marine environment and the work that DFO is doing with colleagues here, but also with provinces, territories, etc.
For today, we would like to outline the government's efforts to meet its marine conservation objectives and enhance the federal network of marine protected areas.
We will also discuss our important partnerships with other federal departments, provinces, territories, indigenous groups and NGOs.
I have a few comments about why we believe this work is so important. It's a bit repetitive, but it really is not just about meeting the targets, it's about the importance of this work.
Marine ecosystems are essential to climate regulation through absorption of heat and greenhouse gases. They provide nutritious food and the foundation for managing sustainable fisheries and aquaculture; support the seafood industries and many other economic maritime sectors; provide habitat needed to support species population growth and recovery, including for species at risk; and provide shelter for species from predators and stresses caused by fisheries gear.
Many species provide vital ecosystem services, for example sponges filter nutrients from water, which is needed for coral reef abundance. Plankton produce much of the world's oxygen, another ecosystem service. Protecting coastal areas helps to buffer coastal lands from storm surges and floods, as well as prevent erosion and stabilize shorelines. I've got more, but there all of those things, and much more. Our oceans need protection, and we're committed to do it.
As you know, my minister has in his mandate to work with his colleagues here at the table and others to achieve 5% protection by 2017 and 10% by 2020. This is a fairly exciting target for our department and for all of us, as was said. So far, after 20 years with the Oceans Act, we've achieved almost, but not quite, 1%. we aim to be at 5% by next year and 10% by 2020.
We do have a number of tools. We have Oceans Act MPAs, where the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans may establish MPAs, marine protected areas, through regulations created under the Oceans Act. They have specific purposes to protect and conserve fisheries resources and their habitats, including marine mammals, endangered or threatened marine species, unique habitats, and marine areas of high biodiversity or biological productivity, etc. There are eight in place today.
Then there are NMCAs. Parks Canada can establish national marine conservation areas to protect and conserve a representative sampling of Canada's natural and cultural marine heritage and provide opportunities for public education and enjoyment.
There are also the NWAs. Environment and Climate Change Canada may establish marine national wildlife areas, which really speak mostly to migratory birds and endangered species for protection.
So different purposes, different tools, but the same overall objective in terms of protection.
Provinces also have responsibilities. They protect areas as well, as do indigenous groups.
Working on this really is an all-in effort. We have worked with many, but in addition to all of those tools we also have what are called other effective area-based conservation measures, fisheries closures, and other elements as well, and I'd be happy to talk about that later.
We have all, across our departments, enacted individual MPAs and various protections, and we will continue to do so. We will do them bigger, faster, and more substantive. At the same time, our focus more and more is on networks, on integrating the protection. An MPA network, which we're seeking to establish in the 13 bioregions across the oceans, including the Great Lakes, is a collection of individual MPAs and other conservation measures designed to work together to meet conservation objectives more effectively and comprehensively than just individual sites could achieve independently, and to use a range of tools, including all those that are effective, integrated, and complementary.
Moving forward on this will take an all-in process, both in meeting our targets and moving forward on networks. We can't get to our targets without active partnerships with federal government departments, with provinces, territories, indigenous groups, and working with environmental groups that have been passionate, driving us, and been very effective partners, particularly with our new mandate.
We're pleased to see that your study may include examination of the potential for indigenous conservation initiatives. It's an important measure for us, working with indigenous groups, respecting aboriginal rights, and having indigenous people as partners. With respect to provinces and territories, we have re-established our oceans task group, working with us on the targets and on the network work.
Finally, I do want to say we were very pleased to see that the oceans program and our 5% and 10% objectives received financial support in the budget, $81.3 million over five years starting in 2016 and 2017. This will help us as we move forward.
It will be an all-in effort, with all players at the table. It is a unique challenge, but a wonderful opportunity to try to meet those targets, to build the networks, and to contribute to the objectives that I outlined earlier.
Thanks very much.