Science Response 2018/029

Review of the Dominion Diamond Ekati ULC Jay Project Offsetting Plan, January 2018

Context

Dominion Diamond Ekati ULC (Dominion or the Proponent) is expected to submit an application for a Fisheries Act authorization for the construction of a dyke within, and dewatering a portion of Lac du Sauvage, and diverting a portion of two streams around the pipe area to develop the Jay pipe mining operation (Jay Project). The Proponent has estimated the fish biomass (productivity) that will be lost during the life of the mine operation. To offset this loss, in consultation with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fisheries Protection Program (FPP) and local communities, the Proponent has proposed to conduct an egg stocking program for Inconnu (Stenodus leucichthys) in the Yellowknife River, NT. Dominion has described their proposed offsetting plan in the document “Jay Project Final Offsetting Plan, January 2018”. Within this report they present the rationale and describe the proposed offsetting project.

On August 18, 2017, DFO Fisheries Management, in consultation with FPP and DFO Science, declined a License to Fish for Scientific Purposes (LFSP) application for an Inconnu stocking pilot program. It was during this process that FPP became aware of the ongoing DFO research projects in Great Slave Lake (GSL), more specifically on mixed-stock genetic fishery analysis of the Great Slave Lake Inconnu populations. The application was rejected for two reasons: (1) further information was required to determine if the pilot study and offsetting plan would interfere with current studies in the lake; and (2) the Slave River (Rapids of the Drowned in Fort Smith) is the proposed source location for eggs, however the Fort Smith Métis Council was not on the list of community engagement sessions in the LFSP.

FPP requested that DFO Science conduct a review of the proposed offsetting plan. The objectives of this review were to evaluate the Proponent’s predicted biomass gains (i.e., fish production model), habitat suitability models and other models proposed by the Proponent, to determine whether the proposed offsetting plan will generate self-sustaining benefits over the long-term, and lastly identify if the proposed offsetting plan will impact the sustainable management of the fisheries of GSL (including DFO GSL research). The information from this review will be used by FPP to advise the Proponent on their eventual Fisheries Act authorization application. Science advice will also be used to advise FPP on whether or not the proposed offsetting plan will benefit fisheries productivity.

This Science Response Report resulted from the Science Response Process of March 28, 2018 on the Review of the Dominion Diamond Ekati ULC Jay Project Final Offsetting Plan.

Complete document (PDF, 1,002 KB)

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