Science Advisory Report 2010/059

Monitoring indicators for the Tarium Niryutait Marine Protected Area (TNMPA)

Summary

• Selecting monitoring indicators for the TNMPA was challenging because ecosystem structure and function in the region are complicated and not fully understand, and environmental conditions can be highly variable within and among years.
• The broad scope of the TNMPA CO resulted in an ecosystem-based approach to the development of monitoring indicators, excluding species for which DFO does not have jurisdictional responsibilities (e.g., waterfowl and seabirds).
• Some higher-trophic level species that use the TNMPA, especially belugas, have a large distribution and spend limited time within the MPA each year, thus some indicators that can be used to monitor at a spatial scale larger than the TNMPA are recommended.
• A suite of indicators, rather than one or two, is recommended for monitoring, to provide a better understanding of ecological processes within the TNMPA and how, when and why key species, especially belugas, use the area.
• Indicators related to threats that cannot be controlled (e.g., climate change) are recommended, as well as those that can be controlled (e.g., noise resulting from anthropogenic disturbance), to provide a more complete picture of how local and global stressors impact or drive ecosystem processes both in- and outside the TNMPA.
• Eighty-two monitoring indicators were identified within six categories: ecosystem structure, ecosystem function, population structure of key species, heath of key species, physical and chemical environment, and noise and other physical stressors.
• Indicators considered to be highest priority for the TNMPA are those related to the ongoing Hendrickson Island Beluga Study, a proposed community-based fish sampling program, the physical and chemical environment and anthropogenic noise.
• High priority indicators for key species in the TNMPA should also be measured and monitored for key species on the Beaufort Sea Shelf outside of the TNMPA, and all monitoring activities within TNMPA must be integrated with similar activities in the Beaufort Sea Large Ocean Management Area (LOMA) and the Mackenzie River, in order to place findings from the TNMPA in proper context.
• Further consideration should be given to the identification of indicators that would monitor conditions in the TNMPA during the winter (ice-covered) season as those processes may feed into the summer (ice-free) ecosystem structure and health.  

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