Proceedings 2024/043

Proceedings of the Regional Peer Review on the Application of the National Vulnerability Framework in the Maritimes Region; November 22-24, 2021

Chairperson: Tana Worcester

Editor: Rabindra Singh

Summary

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is committed to ensuring sustainable aquatic ecosystems. A national framework for assessing vulnerability of aquatic ecosystems to ship-source oil spills was developed in 2017. A structured approach was used in the framework to identify ecological components most affected by a ship-source oil spill utilizing a suite of three criteria categories to assess vulnerability. The three categories were exposure, sensitivity, and recovery, each encompassing a number of criteria that were envisaged to be consistent and broad enough to be usable in multiple aquatic environments. In support of this, the framework has been adapted and applied in the Maritimes Region, to be used to identify the potential impacts of ship-source oil spills on aquatic ecosystems, as well as provide advice on the ability of ecosystems to recover from such impacts. The overall objectives of this Regional Advisory Process was to assess whether the proposed framework identifies scientifically defensible vulnerabilities in Maritimes Region aquatic ecosystems to ship-source oil spills. Participants in this meeting included, DFO Science, DFO Ecosystem Management, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB), Province of Nova Scotia, Aboriginal communities / organizations, offshore petroleum industry, non-government organizations, the fishing industry, and academics (see Appendix B for list of participants). This virtual meeting was held on the afternoons of November 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, 2021, using Microsoft Teams (MS Teams).

Proceedings 2024/043 (PDF, 396 KB)

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