Terms of Reference

Review of Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) model input parameters and model results for priority and common fish species in the Athabasca oil sands region

Regional Science Response Process – Central and Arctic Region

October 2016
Winnipeg, MB

Chairperson: Kathleen Martin

Context

Habitat models that are based on Habitat Suitability Indices (HSIs) are commonly used to quantify and qualify habitat of freshwater fish species. HSIs are developed for different abiotic habitat variables (e.g., water depth, velocity, substrate, water temperature, dissolved oxygen), and are species and life-stage dependent. Values of HSIs range from 0 (not suitable at all) to 1 (perfectly suitable), and are typically presented as the dependent variable plotted against a range of the relevant habitat variable.  Fish habitat models are used to quantify and budget habitat losses and gains from development projects. The reliability of habitat modelling is, in part, dependent on assigning well-defined and accurate HSIs to each species and life-stage included in the modelling.

The Fisheries Sustainable Habitat (FiSH) Committee, a task group of the Oil Sands Developers Group (OSDG) Environment Committee, includes representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), and oil companies operating in the Athabasca oil sands region of northeastern Alberta.

To improve efficiency and effectiveness, and to facilitate compliance with existing Fisheries Act  authorizations, the FiSH Committee has undertaken a validation of the existing fish HSI models developed for the Alberta Oil Sands Region (Golder 2008) as a standard/common model for discussing fish habitat, impacts and offsets.

In 2013, Phase 1 was completed. It included creation of a database of existing fish and habitat data collected between 2006-2011 from Oil Sands operators, identifying gaps and compatible data as inputs to the process of refining and validating HSI models.

Phase 2 included the design and implementation of a three-year study (2013-2015) to collect habitat and fish data for key riverine species (six priority and eight common species) to facilitate validation and refinement of the HSI models. These refinements are detailed in a draft technical report (Hatfield Consultants in prep.) entitled, Refinement of Fish Habitat Pre-Disturbance Models Draft Technical Report – Phase 2.

Fisheries Protection Program (FPP) has requested Science evaluate the model validation approach, methods, data, analyses, results and proposed revisions to the regional HSIs in the Hatfield Consultants Draft Technical Report – Phase 2 to ensure that they are scientifically sound.

Objectives

The objectives of the peer review are to evaluate whether the approaches and methods used and the refined HSIs developed in the report for the Athabasca oil sands region of northeastern Alberta are scientifically valid and defensible when used to calculate fish habitat loss and gain for projects. The review is to include recommendations and discussion of uncertainties. It should also consider whether these HSIs are applicable to other areas within Central and Arctic Region.

Expected Publication

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science, and Ecosystems and Fisheries Management sectors)

Reference

Golder Associates Ltd. 2008. Fish species habitat suitability index models for the Alberta oil sands region.