Science Advisory Report 2020/057

Identification of Ecological Significance, Potential Conservation Objectives, Knowledge Gaps and Vulnerabilities for the Southampton Island Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area

Summary

• The evaluation of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA) is based solely on defining the ecological and biological properties of potential areas and does not consider threats and/or risks. The marine water surrounding Southampton Island has been identified as one of the Arctic EBSAs (DFO 2011) and the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Oceans Program has identified this EBSA as a potential Area of Interest (AOI) for marine protection.
• An ecological and biological overview report (EOR), a requirement for Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation, was prepared to provide the basis for identifying ecological significance, knowledge gaps, and vulnerabilities in the SI EBSA.
• There were a number of cases where an ecological or biological feature extends outside the Southampton Island EBSA into the broader Hudson Bay Complex biogeographic region or another EBSA. In these cases, information from adjacent areas were described where relevant, however, the Frozen Strait and Repulse Bay, and Western Hudson Bay Coastline EBSAs were not assessed in this review. In addition, the primary focus was aquatic marine species for which DFO has responsibility; still seabirds, sea ducks and Polar Bears were also considered.
• Seven ecologically significant components (i.e., conservation priorities) were identified in the SI EBSA:
1. Intersection of several water masses;
2. Winter habitat in Roes Welcome Sound polynya;
3. Migration corridor for Beluga, Bowhead, and Narwhal;
4. Marine mammal (Beluga, Narwhal, Bowhead) seasonal residence (feeding) and calving areas;
5. Year-round resident marine mammals (Walrus, Bearded Seal, Ringed Seal and Polar Bear) and their prey species;
6. Anadromous Arctic Char and other subsistence food;
7. Seabirds and their prey species.
• Three areas within the EBSA were identified as key priority areas: East Bay extending into Foxe Channel, Evans and Fisher straits (between Southampton and Coats islands, including to the low-water line along the coasts of Walrus Island, Coats Island and Southampton Island), and Roes Welcome Sound polynya. A number of ecologically significant components exist within one or more of these three priority areas and may benefit from protection.
• To develop baseline knowledge and assess risk in the future, several key data and knowledge gaps were identified as research and monitoring priorities. In addition, a preliminary list of stressors and vulnerabilities were identified for future consideration in risk assessment.
• Six conservation objectives were suggested for the Southampton Island AOI based on the features within the three key priority areas:
1. To maintain the ecosystem structure (e.g., biodiversity) and function of the Southampton Island EBSA; in particular, these key priority areas: East Bay, Evans and Fisher straits (between Southampton and Coats islands), and Roes Welcome Sound; and the nearshore coastal marine environment;
2. To mitigate the adverse effects of anthropogenic activities (e.g., vessel traffic and tourism) within the Southampton Island EBSA generally, and particularly in the three key priority areas;
3. To ensure the sustainability and health of key species (e.g., Atlantic Walrus, Arctic Char, seabirds, Polar Bear, Beluga, Ringed and Bearded Seals) within the Southampton Island EBSA;
4. To maintain the presence (quantity, quality and productivity) of key prey species and other ecologically significant species (e.g., benthic invertebrates, small pelagic fishes, kelp, Ringed Seal) within the Southampton Island EBSA, and to allow for higher trophic level feeding;
5. To understand the connectivity between the oceanographic drivers, open-water features (i.e., polynya), and sea ice environments (e.g., landfast ice), and how these influence change in regional productivity; and
6. To maintain current structure and function of the nearshore coastal marine environment (e.g., sediment loading, species distribution changes).

This Science Advisory Report is from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, regional advisory meeting of December 5-6, 2018 on the Biophysical and Ecological Overview of the Southampton Island Proposed Area of Interest (AOI). Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

Science Advisory Report 2020/057 (PDF, 809 KB)

Inuktitut (PDF, 737 KB)

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