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Assessment of the effects of dredging activities on St. Lawrence beluga and their habitat

Regional Science Response Process – Quebec Region

May 2016
Mont-Joli, QC

Chairperson: Charley Cyr

Context

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans' Fisheries Protection Program (FPP) regularly receives requests to review maintenance dredging and at-sea disposal of dredged sediment for wharves located in the Beluga Whale's range in the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE).

The Science Branch prepared a scientific advice in 2002: Wharf Repairs and Ten-Year Dredging Program (2010-2019), Rivière-du-Loup – Issues related to impacts on the SLE Beluga Whale. Given that knowledge of the Beluga has evolved since 2002 and that the scientific advice was prepared before the Species at Risk Act came into effect, and taking into account the Critical Habitat Identification of the Beluga in its recovery strategy and the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada's change of the Beluga's status from "threatened" to "endangered," FPP would like to know whether the 2002 scientific advice is still valid. If not, it asks that it be updated.

Objectives

  1. Determine whether the scientific advice the Science Branch prepared in 2002 is still valid for wharf repairs and dredging in Rivière-du-Loup, particularly as it relates to the identified impacts and mitigation measures proposed:

    Dredging should not be permitted in April, May or June. Work should begin in early July and continue intensively (night and day, 7 days a week) to ensure that it is completed before the end of July or by mid-August at the latest.

    1. Update knowledge on the potential effects of dredging (including at-sea disposal of dredged sediment) on the Beluga.
    2. Determine whether new mitigation measures are recommended at the site of the dredging and at-sea disposal of dredged sediment in Rivière-du-Loup.
    3. If the work is being performed outside peak food resource periods (April – June), determine whether it would be preferable to advise that work be carried out as soon as possible or during a period of low noise (e.g., work stoppage at night for eight consecutive hours) to provide a rest from the noise, promote physiological recovery and increase the effectiveness of communication, among other things.

  2. Determine whether the scientific advice could apply to all dredging and sediment disposal projects carried out in the Beluga's range.
    1. Determine whether different measures should apply for dredging work carried out in the range than for that carried out in the critical habitat.
    2. Determine whether different measures should apply for dredging work carried out in the range (outside the critical habitat) during periods in which the Estuary is highly frequented (June to October) than for similar projects carried out outside th is period (November to May).

Expected publication

Participation

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