Terms of Reference

Review of the Marine Harvest Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Siting Baseline Assessments

Regional Peer Review Process - Newfoundland & Labrador Region

May 28-31, 2019
St. John's, NL

Chairperson: Dounia Hamoutene and Robert Gregory

Context

Marine Harvest Atlantic Canada (MHAC) has applied for 13 aquaculture licenses at various sites located on the south coast of Newfoundland. The Proponent's site applications were submitted to the Province and referred to DFO for siting advice. In accordance with the Aquaculture Activities Regulations (AARs), the Proponent has submitted a Baseline Assessment Report for each site which includes modelling of the dispersal of waste from site operations, including the predicted contours of biological oxygen demand (BOD) at peak biomass.
The Regional Aquaculture Management Office has requested Science to review the Baseline Assessment Reports and provide advice based on the following questions:

1. Based on the available data for the site and scientific information, what is the expected exposure zone from the use of approved fish health treatment products in the marine environment, and the predicted consequences to susceptible species?
2. The Proponent has used a depositional model to predict the benthic effects (ie: deposition of biochemical oxygen demanding (BOD) matter) of the proposed aquaculture sites. Are the predicted benthic effects, as demonstrated by the output of the model used by the proponent, consistent with the scientific knowledge of the potential impact of this operation?
3. What are the consequences to the species and habitats that exist within the proposed site's exposure zones, and where applicable, in the broader vicinity, focusing on species at risk, key commercial, recreational, and aboriginal (CRA) species and species vulnerable to aquaculture impacts?Are there predicted consequences to any critical or valuable habitats for species at risk, key CRA species?

Objective

To respond to the above questions, the process will consider following objectives:

1. Estimate the predicted exposure zones (PEZ) associated with: a) the deposit of the majority of uneaten food and faeces; b) use of regulated drugs; c) use of regulated pesticides, and; d) pests and pathogens.
2. Identify the species and habitats within each PEZ that would be susceptible to interactions/impacts associated with each exposure/pathway type. For example: a) effect of smothering from the deposit of excess feed and faeces; b) toxicity of approved drugs used in aquaculture; c) toxicity of approved pesticides, and; d) disease associated with pests and pathogens (farm-to-farm; farm-to-wild).
3. Assess the consequences of these exposures, including: a) spatial/temporal extent of site-specific impacts; b) importance of the exposure area to life processes of susceptible fish species (key SARA, CRA etc.); c) relative to population-level impacts, considering status (SARA status, relative to reference points) and management regime.
4. Beyond the PEZ, identify other possible interactions of interest to DFO, associated with the site, specifically: a) entanglement and displacement of wild species (e.g. marine mammals, turtles, sharks, tuna, etc.); b) smothering of habitat or species associated with placement of infrastructure; c) attraction of wild species to the site (e.g. sharks, marine mammals), and; d) for conspecific species, genetic interactions (e.g. salmon, lumpfish, cunner).

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings

Expected Participation

• DFO Science, Newfoundland and Labrador, Maritimes and NCR Regions
• DFO Ecosystems Management, Newfoundland and Labrador and Maritimes Region
• DFO Aquaculture Management Directorate, NCR
• Provincial Department of Fisheries and Land Resources
• Indigenous Communities/ Groups
• Aquaculture Industry
• Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union
• Academia