Implementing integrated oceans management: Australia's south east regional marine plan (SERMP) and Canada's eastern Scotian shelf integrated management (ESSIM) initiative

Integrated oceans management (IOM) is emerging in the international arena as a tool in meeting requirements for sustainable use of ocean space and marine resources. Australia and Canada are at the forefront of these developments and, being without set precedents, each state has adopted quite different strategies to implement IOM—Australia adopting a policy-driven approach delivered through Regional Marine Plans and Canada developing legislation that provided a framework for policy implementation delivered through an Integrated Management Framework. Despite these significant differences, examination of initiatives in both states indicates that there are also significant commonalities and shared experiences, providing important lessons for implementing IOM.