CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Circumpolar Marine Biodiversity Monitoring

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Circumpolar Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Plan Arctic Science Summit Week Pacific Arctic Group 15 April 2010 Gillian Lichota & Dr. Kathy Crane NOAA Arctic Research Program © Carsten Egevang

The Circumpolar Arctic… CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM ü ü ü ü 3 X size of Europe (14. 8 M km 2 land, 13 M km 2 ocean) Largely undeveloped vast wilderness areas, with some of the worlds largest PA’s (7/10) that play key roles in physical, chemical, & biological processes on Earth § NE Greenland National Park (largest in the world) § Nahanni National Park Reserve (Canada) § Vaigach Island PA (Russia) Remote & extreme – home to uniquely adapted biodiversity High proportion of migratory species Multiple jurisdictions Together with Antarctic, Arctic contains largest FW resources on Earth Home to indigenous cultures who depend on & maintain strong ties to the land & sea Limited monitoring capacity CAFF Designated Area

Arctic Under Increasing Pressure… CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Arctic biodiversity is under pressure from a range of stressors, including: ü Environmental contamination (i. e. , long range transport of contaminants) ü Invasive species (non-native) ü Increasing ship & air traffic ü Oil & gas exploration ü Climate change… . . . the most pervasive threat! US Fish and Wildlife Service

Minimum Sea Ice Extent: 1979 -2009 By 2100, the Arctic is expected to warm 3 -5°C over land & 7°C over the oceans, contributing to dramatic changes in its ecosystems CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Much of the recent observed change is ahead of what the climate models have predicted suggesting that these models are conservative in their estimates HELP! Predicted impacts include more than 50 % decline in the extent of summer sea-ice & the displacement of existing Arctic species & ecosystems as southern species & ecosystems expand northward Julienne Stroeve, NSIDC

Migration of Marine Life Northward CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Beaufort Sea Survey Six Species Have Extended Range from the Bering or Chukchi Seas to the Beaufort Sea Marbled eelpout Pacific cod Bigeye sculpin Bering flounder Walleye pollock Salmon snailfish Logerwell, L. 2008. Cruise Report for the 2008 Beaufort Sea Survey. http: //www. afsc. noaa. gov/REFM/Stocks/fit/PDFS/Beaufort_sea_cruise_report. pdf August 2008

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Long-term Biodiversity Monitoring in the Arctic Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP): ü Created as a response to Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA): “expand & enhance long-term Arctic biodiversity monitoring” ü Provides an international network, improving detection, understanding & reporting of Arctic biodiversity trends ü Is a focal point for current & credible Arctic biodiversity information ü Bridges the science-policy gap ü Is the Cornerstone program of CAFF Enhances our current monitoring efforts through integration so that we can detect, understand, report on & respond to trends observed in the Arctic

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Coordination of our existing monitoring networks is urgently needed to help improve: ü our ability to detect important trends on a timely basis, ü link these trends to their underlying causes, & ü provide this information to decision makers to facilitate effective & timely responses.

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Arctic Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy ü CBMP coordinates & integrates monitoring of Marine, Coastal, Freshwater, & Terrestrial EMGs ü Uses an integrated, ecosystem-based approach (network of networks) ü Provides a forum for scientists, community experts & managers ü Facilitates more powerful & cost-effective monitoring ü Enables the development of pan-Arctic, multi-disciplinary, integrated monitoring plans… US Fish and Wildlife Service

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Integrated Monitoring Plans (IMPs)… ü Respond to user needs ü Small set of circumpolar, plus regionally specific parameters ü Linked to relevant & multiple drivers ü Simple, based on existing capacity & information ü Establish baselines & assessments ü Use both community-based & scientific approaches ü Information is current & accurate ü Made accessible to decision-makers & the public Carsten Egevang ©

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Developing a Marine IMP: Overall Process & Timeline ü MEMG activated (Aug’ 08) ü MEMG Steering Group Members: Norway & U. S. (Co-leads), Canada, Russia, Greenland/Denmark, Iceland, Aleut International Association (AIA), Arctic Monitoring & Assessment Program (AMAP), & Protection of Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) ü Background paper (Dec’ 08) ü 1 st MEMG Workshop - Tromsø, Norway (Jan’ 09) ü 2 nd MEMG Workshop - Coral Gables, U. S. (Nov’ 09) ü Marine IMP 1 st Draft for review (Jan’ 10) ü Marine IMP 2 nd Draft for review (June’ 10) ü Arctic Council Endorsement & Implementation (2010 -2011)

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Marine EMG: Why Now? üArctic in the global spotlight üLimited monitoring capacity üRapid climate change Catalysts & Mandates: v. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Reports v. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 2010 Target v. International Polar Year (IPY) v. Arctic Council Declarations v. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Arctic Resolution US Fish and Wildlife Service Paul Nicklen © Calls on member states of the Arctic Council to implement marine ecosystem-based management approaches in the Arctic

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Circumpolar Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Plan Sustaining Arctic Observing Network (SAON) The SAON vision is that users should have access to free, open & high quality data that will realize pan-Arctic & global value-added services & provide societal benefits. To attain that vision, SAON's goal is to enhance Arctic-wide observing activities by facilitating partnerships & synergies among existing 'building blocks', & promoting sharing & synthesis of data & information. The CBMP MEMG directly supports the SAON vision & goal using the Circumpolar Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Plan as a tool to achieve this

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM 1 st Workshop in Tromsø, Norway January 17 -18, 2009: MEMG developed an integrated monitoring framework for Arctic marine biodiversity: ü What to monitor (discipline groups & indicators/parameters) ü When to monitor (over what time period & how often) ü Where to monitor (geographic locations within the already defined Focal Marine Area (FMA)) Focused on identifying what kind of monitoring is required within the defined FMAs

Criteria for Selecting FMAs: CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM (ordered by decreasing significance, with none being mutually exclusive) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Long-term & high-quality data sets &/or ongoing activities covering all trophic levels, as well as key supporting biogeochemical data Biological hotspots (polynyas, marginal ice zones) Margins, boundaries, & fronts (physically dynamic areas – traditionally important food sources for Arctic people, & significant habitat for marine species) Oceanic gateways (import/export biogeochemical properties, including biota & invasive species) Locations suitable for incorporating &/or developing community-based monitoring elements Potential to conduct both sections (spatial coverage) & moorings (temporal, especially seasonal, coverage) Low-productivity systems (may change profoundly as a consequence of anthropogenic impact, especially climate change) Blocking structures (i. e. , sills - affect migration of biota)

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Map is a Work in Progress

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM CBMP MEMG Sea Ice US* Marine Mammal Canada* Polar Bear SG Russia* Greenland MEMG CAFF Seabird Fish Iceland Example: Walrus Ringed Seal Bowhead Whale Community Based Plankton Norway Benthos Steering Group Members * Denotes PAG Member Nation Discipline Groups Indicators/ Parameters

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM 1 st Workshop in Tromsø, Norway January 17 -18, 2009: (continued…) MEMG adopted an Adaptive Environmental Assessment & Management (AEAM) approach: ü A systematic scoping approach method ü Method identifies a limited number of issues to be addressed in the monitoring program (scoping) ü Issues include: § § § Focal Ecosystem Components (FECs) (i. e. , seabirds), Drivers/impact factors (i. e. , disturbance, pollution, etc. ), & Indicators/Parameters (proxies for change) (i. e. , reproduction, migration, mortality, etc. )

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM EXAMPLE: Adaptive Environmental Assessment Management Approach Drivers: Impact Hypothesis: Parameters:

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM 2 nd Workshop in Coral Gables, US November 4 -6, 2009: MEMG addressed six topics with the aim of developing an implementation plan: 1. Identified Pan Arctic & regional indicators of biodiversity change 2. Identified optimal sampling scenarios including spacing & frequency 3. 4. 5. 6. leading to implementation suggestions Addressed the need for links between & within the national monitoring & ocean observing programs Identified opportunities for standardization &/or aggregate data collection required for successful monitoring & data sharing Identified monitoring requirements in International Arctic waters Addressed the requirement to develop an Arctic biodiversity-relevant interactive database, leading to recommendations for the Arctic Council

Marine Mammal Discipline Group CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Map is a Work in Progress

Polar Bear Discipline Group CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Map is a Work in Progress

Fish Discipline Group CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Map is a Work in Progress

Plankton Discipline Group CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Map is a Work in Progress

Benthic Discipline Group CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Map is a Work in Progress

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Circumpolar Marine Biodiversity Monitoring: A Phased Approach to Planning & Implementation Phase 1 (2008 -2011): ü Arctic Nations – Russia*, USA*, Canada*, Greenland/Denmark, Iceland, & Norway Phase 2 (2015 - TBD): ü Integration of Observer Countries into Phase 2 IMP (PAG Member Nations: Japan*, China*, & Korea*)

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM PAG Nations: Plankton Sampling Arctic Ocean Chukchi Sea Beaufort Sea Bering Sea Chukchi Sea CHINA JAPAN Observer nations have valuable date to contribute to the Arctic marine

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM Future Opportunity for PAG Participation: Suggested Stations

CIRCUMPOLAR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAM