The development of marine indicators for coastal zone management

An indicator is essentially a statistic based upon a time trend data set which is relevant to a particular issue of concern. The “added value” of an indicator over a raw data set is that the indicator is presented in a way which represents the broader significance or implications of the data. Indicators tell a story. Indicators could be a useful tool within coastal zone management for purposes of communication and decision making. The National Marine Indicators Working Group has been tasked with developing indicators of marine ecosystem health and sustainable resource use in Canada. The methods, criteria and categories used by the Working Group as a part of Canada’s national set of environmental indicators are presented. A list of marine indicators is outlined along with an example (Pacific herring fishery).