Terms of Reference

An Application of the Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (ERAF) for Arctic Ecosystem Based Oceans Management: a Case Study for the Risk Assessment of Shipping in Lancaster Sound

Regional Peer Review - Central and Arctic Region

May 5-7, 2015
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Chairperson: Kathleen Martin

Context

Canada's Oceans Act and Oceans Strategy commit Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to leading the development and implementation of a sustainable, precautionary and integrated ecosystem approach to oceans management. The Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (ERAF), developed by DFO Pacific Region, is a systematic and transparent process for gathering, evaluating and recording information related to the selection of significant ecosystem components (e.g., species) and provides the methods for calculating risk of harm to an ecosystem from both single and multiple stressors.

Lancaster Sound, the eastern section of the Northwest Passage, is an important Arctic shipping route. It is considered to be Ecologically and Biologically Significant and has been proposed as a Park's Canada National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA). DFO Oceans program, the Central and Arctic Region, has requested that the ERAF methods be assessed for use in the Arctic using Lancaster Sound as a case study.

Objectives

The objective of this regional peer review is to assess whether the risk-based framework, outlined in O et al. (2015) for the Pacific Region, is an effective approach to evaluating the risk of shipping-associated stressors on significant Arctic ecosystem components. If so, the results of the risk assessment will inform the development of conservation objectives, strategies and actions for application in the Canadian Arctic. The ecological and potential economic importance of Lancaster Sound makes it an ideal case study for investigating risk from shipping activity in an ecosystem context. This will be addressed through a quantitative (Level 2) risk assessment (O et al. 2015).

Specific objectives of this review are to:

1. identify significant ecosystem components in Lancaster Sound using the screening criteria found in O et al. (2015);
2. review stressors associated with shipping that have the potential to effect significant ecosystem components using a Pathways of Effects diagram and an interaction matrix;
3. review exposure, resilience and recovery factor scoring for significant ecosystem components based on the identified stressors, including uncertainty, for Lancaster Sound;
4. identify information gaps that increase uncertainty in the risk assessment for Arctic waters and potential approaches to address these gaps, where appropriate; and
5. evaluate the performance of the risk assessment for shipping in an Arctic ecosystem and its potential use for other activities and associated stressors.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research Documents

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, and Ecosystems and Fisheries Management sectors, Canadian Coast Guard and Canadian Hydrographic Service)
• Parks Canada Agency
• Transport Canada
• Government of Nunavut
• Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
• Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
• Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board
• Industry (shipping industry)
• Academia
• Other invited experts

References

O, M., Martone, R., Hannah, L., Greig, L., Boutillier, J., and Patton, S. 2015. An Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (ERAF) for Ecosystem-based Oceans Management in the Pacific Region. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2014/072. vii + 59 p.