Terms of Reference

Review of the findings from the aquaculture Drifters programme on the south coast of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador Workshop

November 30, 2010
St. John’s, NL

Chairperson: Dr. Jack Lawson

Context

The continuing expansion of aquaculture operations on the south Coast of Newfoundland has presented a challenge to departments and agencies responsible for regulating the environmental effects of this industry, to develop management strategies, and to ensure sustainable development of the coastal marine environment. Over recent years, oceanographic and ecological modeling have been recognized as important tools for predictions of disease transmission as well as the nature and scale of effect, from proposed and existing farm sites on the proximal benthic environment.

DFO Science, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, has acknowledged the importance of development and implementation of scientifically-validated environmental and disease management policies in support of regulatory decisions and procedures associated with site licensing, production planning, and sustainable management of the rapid expansion of the industry on the south coast.

Through the Program for Aquaculture Regulatory Research (PARR) program, the Aquaculture Section, NL Region has started a program to collect oceanographic information from areas on the south coast of Newfoundland to be used in modeling efforts to provide the foundation for knowledge concerning the transport and dispersal of fish farm wastes and pathogens.  The work is comparable with efforts being conducted in other areas of the country as part of DFO’s regulatory Science renewal efforts.

This initiative directly contributes to addressing the Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Healthy and Productive Aquatic Ecosystem strategic outcomes of DFO. It also contributes to the Sustainability of Aquaculture component of the DFO Five Year Research Strategic Plan.

Objectives

The overall objective of the meeting is to present results from the surface drifter studies on the south coast of Newfoundland and an analysis of the environmental factors forcing the surface circulation as they pertain to potential use for the development of aquaculture management strategies. Therefore, it is expected that the following information pertaining to the study will be addressed:

1. Description of the drifter deployments in the study area.
2. Description of the environmental factors during deployments in the study area.
3. Analysis of the effects of the various environmental factors on the drifters’ velocity and directional movement.
4. Description of sources of uncertainty of the information provided and the identification of knowledge gaps as they pertain to the current understanding of the surface water circulation in the study area.

Expected Publications

The workshop will generate a proceedings report summarizing the deliberations of the participants.  This will be published in the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Proceedings Series on the CSAS website.  A CSAS Research Document is expected from the working paper submitted for review.

Participation

DFO Science, DFO Oceans, Habitat and Species at Risk, DFO Ecosystem and Fisheries Management, provincial government, academia, industry, aboriginal groups and stakeholders.