Terms of Reference

Application of a framework to assess vulnerability of biological components to diesel and gasoline; Bunker C; and diluted bitumen in the marine environment in the Pacific Region

Regional Peer Review – Pacific Region

December 12-15, 2022
Virtual meeting

Chairperson: Erin Porszt

Context

Under Canada’s World Class Tanker Safety System Initiative (WCTSS) a national framework was developed to identify marine biological organisms most vulnerable to ship-source oil (Thornborough et al. 2017) in the event of an oil spill. The Pacific regional application of this framework (Hannah et al. 2017) identified 27 highly vulnerable biological groups, with sea grasses, salt marsh grasses/succulents, Sea Otters, and baleen whales being most vulnerable. The Pacific regional application considered all oil types as one category, however it was recommended to further define impacts by assessing vulnerability for individual oil types or categories separately (DFO 2017).

Under the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) spill response program initiative, there is a need in the Pacific Region to build on the vulnerability to oil framework to better understand impacts of different products on vulnerable species. At present, the vulnerability framework is the best tool available for Government of Canada Environmental Incident Coordinators (EICs) to prioritize which species or species assemblages are most vulnerable to oil. EICs use the framework as the foundation to prioritize ‘resources at risk’ for ecological concerns and, consequently, to inform spill response planning processes, emergency response operations during spills and subsequently to inform recovery options for species impacted. The previous assessment in the Pacific Region considered all oil types as one category (Hannah et al. 2017), however, some species are expected to respond differently to different categories of oil. This work will refine assessments for species based on different oil categories to inform oil spill response relative to each oil category.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program (FFHPP), Ecosystem Management Branch, has requested that Science Branch assess which groups of species are most vulnerable to three categories of oil (gasoline and diesel; bunker C; and diluted bitumen) and whether vulnerability may change when considering the fate and behaviour of the three oil categories over time and under different environmental conditions. The assessment should focus on the acute effects of direct contact with oils. The assessment, and advice arising from this Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Regional Peer Review (RPR), will be used to inform emergency oil spill responses in the Pacific Region as well as recovery efforts and other marine spatial planning initiatives.

Objectives

The following working papers will be reviewed and provide the basis for discussion and advice on the specific objectives outlined below.

• St. Germain, C., Herborg, L.-M., Punt, M., Jeffery, S., Hannah, L., and Finney, J. Application of a framework to assess vulnerability of biological components to diesel and gasoline in the marine environment in the Pacific Region. 2022. CSAP Working Paper 2020FFHPP15a.
• St. Germain, C., Herborg, L.-M., Punt, M., Jeffery, S., Hannah, L., and Finney, J. Application of a framework to assess vulnerability of biological components to Bunker C in the marine environment in the Pacific Region. 2022. CSAP Working Paper 2020FFHPP15b.
• St. Germain, C., Herborg, L.-M., Punt, M., Jeffery, S., Hannah, L., and Finney, J. Application of a framework to assess vulnerability of biological components to diluted bitumen in the marine environment in the Pacific Region. 2022. CSAP Working Paper 2020FFHPP15c.

The specific objectives of this review are to:

1. Identify any necessary adaptations to the vulnerability criteria, species subgroups, and scoring in the Pacific Application of the National Framework that are required to determine the relative vulnerability of species subgroups in the Pacific Region to the following three categories of oil: a) gasoline and diesel; b) Bunker C; and c) diluted bitumen.
2. Identify and discuss the relative vulnerability of subgroups in the Pacific Region to the three categories of oil by applying the adapted framework.
3. Develop scenarios of fate and behaviour for each of the three categories of oil over time and under different environmental conditions relevant in the Pacific Region using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Automated Data Inquiry for Oil Spills (ADIOS) oil weathering model.
4. Discuss in general how the relative vulnerability of subgroups, as identified in objective 2, may change when considering the fate and behaviour of the three categories of oil over time and under different environmental conditions.
5. Examine and identify uncertainties in the data and methods.
6. Provide recommendations for next steps including comments on research needs to address gaps, limitations in the advice, and any issues regarding implementation.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document
• Proceedings

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science, Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program, Centre for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research, Multi-Partner Research Initiative)
• Other government jurisdictions (Province of BC, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
• Indigenous communities/organizations (Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council)
• Industry (Western Canada Marine Response Corporation)
• Other invited experts (Huntsman Marine Science Centre)

References

• DFO. 2017. Application of a framework to assess vulnerability of biological components to shipsource oil spills in the marine environment in the Pacific Region. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2017/013.
• Hannah, L., St. Germain, C., Jeffery, S., Patton, S., and O, M. 2017. Application of a framework to assess vulnerability of biological components to ship-source oil spills in the marine environment in the Pacific Region. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2017/057. ix + 145 p.
• Thornborough, K., Hannah, L., St. Germain, C., and O, M. 2017. A framework to assess vulnerability of biological components to ship-source oil spills in the marine environment. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2017/038. vi + 24 p.