Pacific North Coast Marine Ecological Risk Assessment Pilot

A 2026 pilot project by Fisheries and Oceans Canada applies an Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (ERAF) to the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA). It evaluates the feasibility of the ERAF for assessing cumulative risks from multiple activities to marine ecosystem components, focusing on a subset of Significant Ecological Components (SECs). The dataset supports transparent, science-based advice for ecosystem-based and marine protected area management.

Use Cases

• Evaluate the feasibility of the ERAF methodology for assessing cumulative risk to Significant Ecological Components (SECs) in the PNCIMA.
• Analyze pilot results for specific SECs and stressors to identify data gaps and methodological suitability for ecosystem-based management.
• Benchmark the ERAF's approach against single-activity or single-component risk assessments documented in the project framework.

Strengths

• Developed by a national government agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, ensuring authoritative scientific grounding.
• Implements a comprehensive risk assessment framework designed for ecosystem-based management, moving beyond single-activity analyses.
• Focuses on the specific, defined geographic area of the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA).

Limitations

• The assessment is based on a subset of Significant Ecological Components (SECs) and stressors, not a complete ecosystem evaluation.
• Resulting risk scores have not been vetted by experts and are explicitly not recommended for policy or management decisions.
• Key quantitative details like row count, column count, and specific data variables are not provided in the input.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Application of the Pacific Region Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (ERAF) as a pilot project.

Freshness

Last updated in March 2026, indicating recent maintenance.

Geography

Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA), Canada