Science Response 2012/036

Review of Strategic Environmental Assessment Reports for the Eastern Scotian Bank and Slope Regions of the Scotian Shelf

Context

In August 2012, the Ecosystem Management Branch, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in the Maritimes Region requested that DFO Maritimes Science undertake a review of two Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) draft Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) reports: one for the Eastern Scotian Shelf region (Middle and Sable Island Banks) and one for the Eastern Scotian Slope (Sable Slope) region (Stantec 2012a, Stantec 2012b). Ecosystem Management requested DFO Science advice on the reports related to the following question:

1. Do the CNSOPB SEA reports of the Eastern Scotian Shelf (SEA 1A) and Eastern Scotian  Slope (SEA 1B) regions accurately identify ecosystem attributes and anticipated ecosystem-offshore petroleum interactions in context of what is known about the marine ecosystem of these shelf and slope areas?

This information will be provided to the CNSOPB in order to inform their review of the draft SEA reports (all DFO comments on the SEA reports, and the CNSOPB’s response to DFO’s comments, will be posted to the CNSOPB public registry). The SEA reports will be used by the CNSOPB to make decisions regarding Call for Bids and, similarly, to inform potential bidders of the environmental context of the various proposed offshore petroleum parcels. It was requested that a response be provided by DFO Science on September 14, 2012. Given the short timeframe for review, DFO’s Science Special Response Process was used.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Special Response Process of September 11, 2012, on the Review of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Reports for the Eastern Scotian Shelf and Slope Regions of the Scotian Shelf. 

Complete document (PDF, 61 KB)

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