Research Document - 2000/105

Cumulative Effects Assessments: an evaluation of DFO Science research options.

By Jamieson, G.S., Chew, L.

Abstract

Resource managers are increasingly becoming concerned about the cumulative effects arising from different environmental impacts, and how such effects should be considered in a regulatory manner. Here, we present a literature review of the subject in general, discuss the complexities of adequately assessing cumulative effects issues, and review how cumulative effect review processes relating to the aquatic and marine environments have been addressed. A still generic problem is that, although guidelines imposed by agencies often now specify that an assessor must consider the cumulative effects of potential impacts, there are no widely accepted methodologies outlined on how to do so quantitatively with respect to aquatic and marine environments. In fact, the difficulties in conducting assessments over the spatial and temporal scales involved suggest that developing such methodologies will be years away.

Over a decade ago, it was recognised that social and economic factors are the driving force behind management activities that can cause cumulative effects. In the long term, changing social values and perspectives with regard to the environment will likely be the most effective way to increase public awareness of cumulative effects issues and to minimise their consequences. Therefore, given both that quantitative evaluations of cumulative effects will not readily be achievable in the near future and the limited resources that are available with DFO for cumulative effects studies, we suggest that the most cost-effective short term approach is to model discrete systems in a manner that will show managers and the interested public some of the consequences of accepted minor impacts that are cumulatively expressed. The simple act of constructing such models should also advance our understanding of what research priorities might be for the longer-term development of credible, quantitative cumulative effects evaluation methodologies for aquatic and marine systems. We conclude by providing suggestions and recommendations on how such models can best be developed at this time.

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