Research Document 2017/038

A framework to assess vulnerability of biological components to ship-source oil spills in the marine environment

By Thornborough, K., Hannah, L., St. Germain, C., and O, M.

Abstract

A structured, adaptable framework to assess the vulnerability of species groups to ship-source oil spills in the marine environment within the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO’s) mandate has been developed. The framework is needed to identify vulnerable biological components to inform oil spill response plans and contribute towards DFO’s commitment to ensuring sustainable aquatic ecosystems. Vulnerability is assessed using a suite of criteria that are designed to be consistent enough to be applicable in different Canadian aquatic environments. There are two key phases:

1. Grouping of biological components based upon shared characteristics related to oil vulnerability; and
2. Scoring of biological groups against vulnerability criteria (exposure, sensitivity, and recovery) to identify those most vulnerable to oil.

Knowledge gaps are identified at each stage in the framework in order to highlight areas for prioritized research activities. While this framework was developed for marine environments, it did not consider areas with sea ice, but could be adapted to assess vulnerability of biological components in ice-edge areas and in the Arctic. It could also be adapted to consider freshwater biological components. The framework also has the potential to be adapted to assess other species outside of DFO’s mandate. For validation purposes, this framework should be applied to various marine areas including Arctic sea ice conditions, and subsequently to a variety of aquatic environments across Canada.

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