Policy and Operational Framework for Integrated Management of Estuarine, Coastal, and Marine Environments in Canada

The purpose of this paper is to explain how Fisheries & Oceans Canada is addressing its responsibilities for integrated management under the Oceans Act and Canada's Oceans Strategy. It is intended to foster discussion about integrated management approaches by setting out policy in the legislative context, along with concepts & principles of integrated management. The paper also proposes an operational framework with a governance model, an approach to management by areas, a design for management bodies, and description of the six stages of the integrated management planning process.