Terms of Reference

Adaptive Management Zones for Hecate Strait/Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs Marine Protected Areas

Regional Science Response Process – Pacific Region

November 20, 2020
Virtual meeting

Chairperson: Guoqi Han

Context

Under Canada’s Oceans Act, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are established for the conservation of marine species, habitats, and ecosystems. In 2017, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) established the Hecate Strait/Queen Charlotte Sound (HS/QCS) MPAs to protect glass sponge habitats within three spatially-distinct reef complexes—the Northern Reef, the Central Reefs, and the Southern Reef (DFO, 2017). Each reef complex is made up of three management zone types: the core protection zone (CPZ), adaptive management zone (AMZ) and vertical adaptive management zone (VMZ). The MPAs have the regulatory conservation objective of maintaining the biological diversity, structural habitat, and ecosystem function of the glass sponge reefs. While all harmful human activities are prohibited in the CPZs, the MPA Regulations allow for some limited fishing activities in the AMZs and VMZs—including recreational fisheries and Indigenous fishing for Food, Social and Ceremonial purposes. Currently, all commercial bottom-contact fishing and midwater trawling in the MPA is prohibited through a mixture of the HS/QCS MPA Regulations and Fisheries Act Variation Orders.

The HS/QCS MPAs (DFO, 2017) are to protect the largest known glass sponge reefs in Canada. Glass sponges are highly efficient water filterers that constantly filter and pump in organic and inorganic particles. However, they are sensitive to water quality change and may instantly arrest their pumping activities in response to the exposure to sediments. A recent publication by Grant et al. (2019) suggests that the AMZs in the HS/QCS MPAs may require a minimum width of 2.4 km from the CPZs for the protection of glass sponge reefs from the impacts of suspended sediment caused by bottom contact fishing activities occurring outside and along the edge of the MPA.

The effectiveness of the MPA at protecting the glass sponge reefs from the impacts of suspended sediment is largely determined by the boundaries of the AMZs.  The existing AMZs within the HS/QCS MPAs range from 0.6 to 4.5 km. These AMZs do not meet the minimum distance of 2.4 km from the CPZs suggested by Grant et al. (2019). Therefore, existing AMZs are to be assessed for adequacy and new AMZs are to be estimated and recommended.

DFO Oceans has requested that Science Branch assess whether the current boundaries of the AMZs are sufficient for the protection of glass sponge reefs in the HS/QCS MPAs from suspended sedimentation impacts of mobile, bottom contact fishing gear.

The assessment, and advice arising from this Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Science Response, will be used to inform DFO Oceans on whether the AMZ boundaries need to be revised according to the new scientific information in Grant et al. (2019), and if so how the existing AMZs need to be amended in size and shape.  This advice will also inform Departmental engagement with affected stakeholders and First Nation consultation.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this Science Response are to:

1. Estimate new AMZ boundaries required to protect glass sponge reefs in the HS/QCS MPAs from suspended sedimentation impacts of mobile, bottom-contact fishing gear. Work to be based on a simple sediment transport model, using spatially variable ocean bottom currents from a circulation model (Masson and Fine, 2012) and glass sponge pumping arrest threshold data (Grant et al., 2019).
2. Assess whether the current AMZs are sufficient, and if not, recommend new AMZ boundaries.
3. Discuss uncertainties in the data and methods.

Expected Publications

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Science and Oceans Sectors)

References

DFO. 2017. Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs Marine Protected Areas Regulations SOR/2017-15. Book 151.

Grant, N., E. Matveev, A.S. Kahn, S.K. Archer, A. Durham, R.J. Banister, D. Eerkes-Medrano, S.P. Leyes (2019). Effect of suspended sediments on the pumping rates of three species of glass sponge in situ. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 615, 79-100.

Masson, D. and I. Fine (2012). Modeling seasonal to interannual ocean variability of coastal British Columbia. J. Geophysical Research - Oceans, 117, C10019, doi:10.1029/2012JC008151.