Announcing FFHPP Framework for Identifying, Establishing and Managing Ecologically Significant Areas (ESAs)

Thank you for your participation and feedback through DFO’s Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program’s (FFHPP) Wave 2 engagement. We are pleased to announce we have published the Framework for Identifying, Establishing and Managing Ecologically Significant Areas (ESAs).

The Framework can be found online on DFO Waves.

The ESA provisions of the Fisheries Act (Section 35.2) aim to protect sensitive, highly productive, rare or unique fish habitat. The Framework includes:

• A detailed description of ESAs and their ecological criteria;
• How to determine Conservation and Protection Objectives;
• A step-by-step approach for ESA implementation;
• Guiding principles for ESA implementation; and,
• Comparison of ESAs to other conservation tools.

The Framework reflects input from Indigenous Peoples, partners, and stakeholders received from winter 2022 to winter 2023.

DFO Regions will use the Framework to guide ESA implementation. We intend for ESAs to be as collaborative as possible, including early engagement with Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories, and other interested stakeholders.

DFO Regions are currently advancing ESA case studies as we work toward establishing ESAs in Canada.

Thank you again for your continued interest in FFHPP’s multi-year engagement plan.