Recommendations

The most urgent priorities for the future are to

(i) improve our knowledge of population distributions to better inform our definitions of discrete flyway populations;

(ii) implement effective mechanisms to at least periodically measure abundance for all northern hemisphere goose populations to assess trends over time;

(iii) initiate research to identify factors responsible for declining trends in populations of concern, and

(iv) evaluate potential negative effects of overabundant goose populations on habitat and sympatric species.

Advance the protection of large areas of ecologically important marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats, taking into account ecological resilience in a changing climate.

a. Build upon existing and on-going domestic and international processes to complete the identification of ecologically and biologically important marine areas and implement appropriate measures for their conservation.

b. Build upon existing networks of terrestrial protected areas, filling geographic gaps, including under represented areas, rare or unique habitats, particularly productive areas such as large river deltas, biodiversity hotspots, and areas with large aggregations of animals such as bird breeding colonies, seal whelping areas and caribou calving grounds.

5.1. Provide input and assist with international processes underway to complete the identification of ecologically and biologically important Arctic areas and promote measures for their conservation as appropriate.

5.2. Develop and follow-up on a framework for a Pan-Arctic Network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that sets out a common vision for regional cooperation in MPA network development and management.

5.3. Analyse existing Arctic protected areas data to identify gaps and priorities, including identification of the most climate-change resilient Arctic areas, connectivity gaps, and missing buffer zones, making use of new information and new analytical tools.

c. Promote the active involvement of indigenous peoples in the management and sustainable use ofprotected areas.

5.4. Develop guidelines for including Arctic indigenous and community values into protected areas planning and management, including exploring how best to promote and facilitate multiple values.

5.5. Analyse the results of ICC’s review of global protected areas schemes that promoteindigenous management practices, strong co-management schemes and supportindigenous food security for consideration by CAFF.

Implementation plan for ABA recommendations (Actions for Arctic Biodiversity).

a. Prepare, track, and update biennially the plan.

b. Review and update actions in plan by all Working Groups and Task Forces related to ABA recommendations.

c. Evaluate progress on implementing the ABA recommendations and produce recommendations for follow-up work.

d. Encourage states to develop national implementation plans consistent with this implementation plan for the ABA recommendations as an essential adaptation measure.

Recognize the value of traditional ecological knowledge and work to further integrate it into the assessment, planning and management of Arctic biodiversity. This includes involving Arctic peoples and their knowledge in the survey, monitoring and analysis of Arctic biodiversity.

14.1. Develop recommendations for the integration of traditional and local knowledge intothe work of the Arctic Council.

14.2. Complete traditional knowledge component of the ABA by preparing a report on traditional knowledge on biodiversity change in the North American Arctic.

14.3. Prepare a report on lessons learned on the inclusion of traditional knowledge in CAFF.

14.4. Improve understanding of biodiversity change.

a. Explore the potential of developing a case study centred on walrus to demonstrate the use of an Inuit food security lens and ecosystem approach. The project would focus on walrus and bring together representatives of AMAP, SDWG, CAFF and Traditional Knowledge holders to look at indicators that cross over social and natural systems, paints a holistic picture and brings together discussion on biotic and abiotic systems.

b. Explore the development of the Salmon Peoples project.

14.5. Develop the community observation network for adaptation and security (CONAS) to increase the contribution of community-based monitoring and knowledge from Arctic peoples to existing knowledge.

14.6. Work to develop methods and techniques to survey the use of the Arctic marine ecosystem by Indigenous peoples to better assess the impact of shipping (Survey of Arctic Indigenous Marine Use AMSA IIA).

14.7. Seek ways to enhance the integration of traditional and local knowledge, including follow-up to the recommendations from the Iqaluit Declaration (Action 14.1), and encourage co-production of knowledge methodologies.

Develop and implement mechanisms that best safeguard Arctic biodiversity under changing environmental conditions, such as loss of sea ice, glaciers and permafrost.

a. Safeguard areas in the northern parts of the Arctic where high Arctic species have a relatively greater chance to survive for climatic or geographical reasons, such as certain islands and mountainous areas, which can act as a refuge for unique biodiversity.

b. Maintain functional connectivity within and between protected areas in order to protect ecosystem resilience and facilitate adaptation to climate change.

Continue to improve and make available information and data.

a. Review, evaluate, and update the CBMP and its monitoring plans, including the parameters and attributes, sampling methods, data management, and reporting in accordance with the CBMP Strategy. External review every 10 years, starting in 2020.

b. Continue implementation the CBMP and its ecosystem-based biodiversity monitoring plans.

c. Establish, develop and maintain the ABDS as the supporting framework to facilitate long-term data sharing and as a source of data for modelling and ecosystem-based management.

d. Develop and apply standards of the Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) and further develop use of remote sensing.