Science Response 2018/045

Review Of The Environmental Impact Statement For The Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project

Context

The Proponent, Grieg NL Nurseries Ltd. and Grieg NL Seafarms Ltd. (referred to as Grieg NL), proposes to build and operate a land-based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Hatchery for Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) in Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), and marine-based farms (11 sea cage sites) located in the northern portion of Placentia Bay, NL. A phased approach will be used to ramp-up production of salmon.

Grieg NL is required through the provincial environmental assessment process to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project. The EIS documents, including the Component Studies, were prepared pursuant to the NL Environmental Protection Act to comply with the EIS Guidelines prepared by representatives from Provincial and Federal government departments, including Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The purpose of the EIS is to identify and assess the significance of biophysical and socio-economic effects of the Project taking into consideration mitigation measures.

On May 30, 2018, the Fisheries Protection Program of the Ecosystems Management Branch in the NL Region of DFO requested that Science undertake a review of specific sections of the EIS for the proposed Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project. DFO Science undertook a Science Response Process for this review. The information from this scientific review will be provided to Ecosystems Management to help form part of the Department’s response to the overall adequacy of the EIS documents.

The objective of this review was to evaluate:

• The sufficiency of baseline data and appropriateness of methodologies to predict effects;
• The mitigation measures proposed by the Proponent;
• The level of certainty in the conclusions reached by the Proponent on the effects;
• The manner in which significance of the environmental effects, as they pertain to DFO’s mandate, have been determined (i.e. the scientific merit of the information presented and the validity of the Proponent’s methodologies and conclusions);
• The follow-up program proposed by the Proponent; and
• Whether additional information is required from the Proponent to complete the technical review.

The information required for this review can be found in a number of sections throughout the EIS report, and associated Component Studies and Appendices. The EIS documents are available on the Government of NL’s Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment website.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of June 25, 2018 on the Review of the Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project.