WGNARS works to develop guidance on how to develop more effective linkages between scientific knowledge and management through the IEA process. This includes scoping to identify the goals of ecosystem management, developing indicators and thresholds, analysing risk from human activities and natural processes, assessing ecosystem status, and management strategy evaluation. This guidance is informed by discussions with US and Can adian scientists and resource managers in multiple sectors, as well as incorporation of ICES best practices.
The group's spatial scope covers the Northwest Atlantic continental shelf, with inshore and offshore areas also potentially considered. The group's work has been organized into four theme areas: climate, biodiversity, habitat, and socio-economic considerations. Highlights of the first three years have included developing a comprehensive list of indicators that represent drivers reflecting major ecosystem features and processes, developing a statement of principles for IEA indicators, and working on developing thresholds for indicators and on models for evaluating trade-offs among different objectives.