Terms of Reference

A comprehensive framework for assessing changes in productive capacity resulting from large hydroelectric projects: a proposal by Hydro-Québec

National Peer Review Meeting

February 28, 2005
Montreal, Quebec

Chairpersons: Jake Rice, Sylvain Paradis

Background

Under the Fisheries Act, DFO is charged with preventing the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction (HADD) of fish habitat. The Policy for the Management of Fish Habitat (1986) further guides the department by setting the guiding principle of “No net loss of the productive capacity of habitats”. Operationally, this means that staff of the Habitat Management Program review proposals for works or undertakings that could impact on fish or fish habitat, with an aim to avoiding a loss of productive capacity through the application of mitigative measures. The difficulty of quantifying and predicting changes in productive capacity has lead to the defacto policy of protecting all fish habitat on a ‘square metre’ basis.

Other approaches have been suggested, including looking at the functional role of various habitats in the life cycles of fish. One such alternative approach has been proposed by Hydro-Québec, for use in assessing large-scale hydro-electric developments. Thus far, there has been resistance from some Habitat Managers to consider such approaches, due to concerns over a variety of issues, including the scientific validity of these alternatives. The purpose of this national meeting is to examine the scientific validity of the proposed Hydro-Québec methodology.

Objectives

The scientists at the meeting will examine the proposed Hydro-Québec methodology, with the intention of testing the scientific validity of the approach. The outcome of the meeting will be scientific advice to Habitat Management on the acceptability of the proposed methodology.

The specific questions to be answered are:

• Is the proposed methodology a scientifically sound way of assessing potential changes in fish habitat?
• Are the underlying assumptions implicit in the model valid?
• What improvements can be suggested?
• What are the most critical research needs that must be addressed to improve the model?

Output of the meeting

The minutes of the meeting will be documented via a CSAS Proceeding report. The key conclusions (scientific information/advice) will be documented in point form from the meeting and could be included in the Proceeding report or could serve as a basis for the relevant sections of other CSAS publications.

Participants

The participants will include scientists from Hydro-Québec, DFO, Faune Québec and academia, as well as representatives from DFO (Science HQ, Habitat HQ and Habitat Québec Region.), Hydro-Québec, Environment Québec and Faune Québec.

The number of participants will not exceed 30.