Terms of Reference

Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA) in the coastal zone of the estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Zonal Science Peer Review – Quebec and Gulf Regions

December 16-17, 2014
Mont-Joli, Quebec

Chairperson: Charley Cyr (DFO Quebec Region) and Gérald Chaput (DFO Gulf Region)

Context

The Oceans Act also confers to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on behalf of the Government of Canada, the responsibility to lead and coordinate the establishment of a network of marine protected areas. This departmental objective is delivered in large part by the identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA). In 2006, DFO completed a peer review to identify Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas in the estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Ten EBSAs were identified, all located in the offshore areas (DFO 2007). There was no consensus during the peer review meeting of 2006 on the approach to take to assess EBSAs in the estuarine and coastal areas of the gulf. The major impediment was associated with applying assessment criteria specific to large scale characteristics or oceanographic processes to the estuary and coastal areas (DFO 2006). As a result, the coastal zone, an area extending over several thousand kilometers, was excluded during the EBSA assessment of 2006. The identification of EBSAs in the coastal zone is required to complete the ecological profile for the planning of the network of marine protected areas of the estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence and to support research on vulnerabilities of this ecosystem.

Under the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act and the Environmental Assessment Act, DFO must evaluate the effects and impacts of development projects or infrastructure protection projects on coastal habitats (saltmarshes, existing and potential spawning beaches for capelin, seagrass meadows, and estuaries of rivers). DFO must develop an overall strategy and establish priorities for the protection of habitats in coastal areas. To do so, it is important to identify areas of ecological importance which can be used to guide decisions on the type of interventions (for example, rebuilding of beaches rather than coastal hardening) and to propose those interventions appropriate for specific prevention or restoration objectives.

Objectives

The objectives of the peer review meeting are as follows:

• Determine if the coastal zone meets the criteria for defining ecologically and biologically significant areas (DFO 2004),
• If the coastal zone meets the criteria for EBSAs, identify which areas, characteristics or habitats in the coastal zone could be designated as EBSAs relative to the criteria.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research Document(s)

Participation

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

References

DFO. 2004. Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Ecosystem Status Rep. 2004/006.

DFO, 2006. Proceedings of the Zonal Workshop on the Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA) within the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Estuary. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Proceed. Ser. 2006/011.

DFO. 2007. St. Lawrence: identification and characterization of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA) in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec., Sci. Adv. Rep. 2007/016.

DFO. 2011. Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas – Lessons Learned. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2011/049.