Proceedings 2015/033
Proceedings of the National Peer Review of Mitigation and Monitoring Measures for Seismic Survey Activities in and near the Habitat of Cetacean Species at Risk
Chairperson: Don Bowen
Editors: Christine Abraham and Hilary Moors-Murphy
Summary
Since the establishment of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in 2002, there has been growing interest in oil and gas development in Canadian waters by the Offshore Petroleum Industry and the number of Exploration Licenses issued and seismic surveys conducted in land parcels off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland has been increasing. The 2014 Call for Bids for land parcels off Nova Scotia included areas identified as critical habitat of cetacean species listed as endangered under the SARA. Underwater noise, particularly loud sounds, can negatively impact cetaceans through a number of mechanisms and is considered a potential threat to individuals and populations. Concerns have thus been raised about the potential impacts of oil and gas exploration and mapping activities on SARA-listed cetaceans, particularly noise produced by seismic airgun arrays during seismic surveys.
Since 2008, the Statement of Canadian Practice with respect to the Mitigation of Seismic Sound in the Marine Environment (SOCP) has been used to guide minimum mitigation measures required for seismic operations in all non-ice covered marine waters in Canada (DFO 2008). However, it has been questioned if the generic requirements of the SOCP are adequate to avoid SARA-prohibited impacts on cetacean species at risk and their critical habitat. The SOCP itself states that additional or modified mitigation measures may be required for species for which there is concern (DFO 2008) and member companies of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and their seismic contractors have often put into place additional mitigation measures identified during the Environmental Assessment process to further reduce the impacts of seismic survey activities on vulnerable species and sensitive marine areas. There is currently little guidance though on what additional mitigation measures should be considered to ensure that SARA-prohibited impacts on SARA-listed cetaceans are avoided.
The increased interest in oil and gas exploration and mapping activities in areas with geophysical potential that overlap areas frequented by SARA-listed cetaceans (including identified critical habitat), has led to a need to evaluate the ability of the SOCP to avoid SARA-prohibited impacts, and to determine if additional or modified mitigation measures are needed. DFO Science Sector was thus requested to:
- Identify sound exposure metrics and thresholds for seismic survey activities that could be used to avoid SARA-prohibited impacts on SARA-listed cetaceans.
- Provide advice on whether the application of the current mitigation measures outlined in the SOCP would avoid SARA-prohibited impacts on SARA-listed cetaceans.
- Identify potential modifications to the current SOCP or additional mitigation and monitoring measures that could be used to meet SARA requirements.
The intent of this CSAS process is to develop science advice to address these needs that is applicable at the national level to be used to provide additional measures to mitigate the impacts of seismic survey activities on cetaceans in general, and on at-risk species in particular. The information and recommendations from this meeting are intended to supplement, but not replace, the current SOCP. Note that this peer review was focused on the Maritimes Region as a case study. Publications resulting from the meeting will include a Science Advisory Report (DFO 2015), two Research Documents (Moors-Murphy and Theriault unpublishedFootnote 1, Theriault and Moors-Murphy unpublishedFootnote 2), and these Proceedings.
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