Science Advisory Report  2015/049

Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas in Canada’s Eastern Arctic Biogeographic Region, 2015

Summary

• Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs), originally identified in 2011 in the Eastern Arctic Biogeographic Region, were re‑evaluated in 2015 to refine/focus the EBSAs and better describe the underlying ecological properties of each area. The re‑evaluation was based solely on ecological and biological properties of areas and did not consider threats and/or risks to them.
• The three EBSAs identified in Baffin Bay in 2011 were not re‑evaluated. In a fourth, the Hatton Basin-Labrador Sea-Davis Strait EBSA, Frobisher Bay was removed and Cumberland Sound was separated into its own EBSA. The remainder of the area was not re‑evaluated. Data are available for fishes, invertebrates, marine mammals and oceanographic conditions in the area, therefore EBSA revisions will be considered following data analysis.
• The Eastern Arctic Biogeographic Region currently contains 24 EBSAs, of which 20 resulted from this re‑evaluation based on strict consideration of the three main EBSA criteria (uniqueness, aggregation and fitness consequences). These modified EBSAs are generally smaller and have more defined boundaries than the previous EBSAs and are based on their key ecological/biological features. Information on seasonality was also included.
• The following EBSAs were identified:
• Clearwater Fiord which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for the Cumberland Sound Beluga population;
• Eastern Cumberland Sound which supports aggregations and fitness consequences for Cumberland Sound Beluga and Eastern Canada-West Greenland Bowhead Whale populations;
• Cape Searle which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for Northern Fulmar and Thick-billed Murre;
• Isabella Bay which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for the Eastern Canada-West Greenland Bowhead Whale population;
• Scott Inlet which has a unique hydrocarbon seep and chemolithic biological community;
• Eclipse Sound which supports aggregations and fitness consequences for the Eclipse Sound Narwhal summering stock (Baffin Bay Narwhal population);
• Admiralty Inlet which supports aggregations and fitness consequences for the Admiralty Inlet Narwhal summering stock (Baffin Bay Narwhal population) and Northern Fulmar;
• Prince Regent Inlet which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for the Eastern Canada-West Greenland Bowhead Whale population and Somerset Island Narwhal summering stock (Baffin Bay Narwhal population);
• Creswell Bay which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for the Eastern High Arctic–Baffin Bay Beluga population;
• Bellot Strait which is a unique migration corridor with fitness consequences for Somerset Island Narwhal summering stock (Baffin Bay Narwhal population) and the Eastern High Arctic–Baffin Bay Beluga population;
• Gulf of Boothia which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for the Eastern Canada-West Greenland Bowhead Whale population and the Somerset Island Narwhal summering stock (Baffin Bay Narwhal population);
• Peel Sound which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for the Somerset Island Narwhal summering stock (Baffin Bay Narwhal population);
• Lancaster Sound which is an aggregation area for seabirds and migrating marine mammals with fitness consequences for them, along with high productivity and biological diversity;
• Resolute Passage which is an area with fitness consequences associated with high ice algal biomass and benthic productivity;
• Cunningham Inlet which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for the Eastern High Arctic–Baffin Bay Beluga population;
• Prince Leopold Island which is a unique multi-species aggregation area with fitness consequences for seabirds;
• Penny Strait which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for Ross’s Gull and includes fitness consequences associated with increased primary and secondary production adjacent to the Dundas Island Polynya;
• The North Water Polynya which is a unique polynya with aggregation and fitness consequences for marine mammals and seabirds, and fitness consequences associated with high biological productivity, benthic diversity and production;
• Eastern Jones Sound which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for Black-legged Kittiwake, Thick-billed Murre and staging seabirds; and
• Cardigan Strait-Hell Gate which is an aggregation area with fitness consequences for the Western Jones Sound Atlantic Walrus stock (High Arctic Atlantic Walrus population).
• These EBSAs and their boundaries should be re‑evaluated as new information becomes available. Boundaries were refined from the 2011 descriptions but should still be considered approximations.
• Most of the EBSAs identified are based on aggregations of marine mammals or seabirds, the most studied marine species groups in the Arctic. As more information is gathered about fishes and invertebrates, new EBSAs may be identified.

This Science Advisory Report is from the January 27-29, 2015 re‑evaluation of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the Eastern Arctic Biogeographic Region of the Canadian Arctic. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

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