Terms of Reference

Review of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Reports for the Eastern Scotian Shelf and Slope Regions of the Scotian Shelf

Regional Science Special Response Process – Maritimes Region

September 11, 2012
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Chairperson: Trevor Floyd

Context

On April 30, 2012, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) announced a Call for Bids (NS12-1) for 11 offshore petroleum parcels located on the west Scotian Slope, Eastern Scotian Shelf, and Eastern Scotian Slope regions of the Scotian Shelf. The Call for Bids closes on November 7, 2012. To inform this Call for Bids, two draft Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) reports of the Eastern Scotian Bank (SEA 1A) and Eastern Scotian Slope (SEA 1B) regions were produced to identify potential environment-offshore petroleum interactions that would need to be considered in exploration and development activities proposed for these regions. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Maritimes Region, has been asked to provide comments on these draft reports. The two SEA reports complement a CNSOPB SEA completed for the west Scotian Slope in 2011 (including its Addendum, which was completed in 2012). For more information regarding the SEAs and Call for Bids (NS12-1) refer to the CNSOPB website at: www.cnsopb.ns.ca.

Objectives

The objective of the Science Special Response Process is to provide science advice on the following question:

• 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?

Expected Publications

• Science Response
• Participation
• DFO Science Branch

Participation

• DFO Science Branch