Research Document 2018/012

Ecological Risk Assessment for the Effects of Human Activities on the SGaan Kinghlas-Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area

By Rubidge, E., Thornborough, K., and O, M.

Abstract

This project applied the Level 2 Risk Assessment framework proposed by O et al. (2015) to the SGaan Kinghlas-Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area (SK-B MPA) to determine the relative risk to the SK-B MPA ecosystem from anthropogenic activities. We identified a total of 16 significant ecosystem components (SECs) for the SK-B MPA ecosystem based on the criteria and considerations identified in O et al.(2015). Only 14 SECs (10 species SECs and four habitat SECs) underwent a Level 2 Risk Assessment. Two community property SECs were identified, but there was not enough information available to comprehensively apply the Level 2 assessment to these SECs. The risk assessment determined the overlap between selected SECs and human activities using an interaction matrix and highlighted potential negative effects. Interactions that were determined to have negligible or positive effects were filtered out at this stage. All SEC-stressor combinations were scored for exposure and consequence to calculate the relative risk to SECs in the ecosystem. Prior to the risk calculations, the scores were reviewed by subject matter experts (SMEs). The results of the risk analysis indicate that stressors related to oil spills, seismic surveys, fishing, and aquatic invasive species pose the greatest risk to the SK-B MPA ecosystem. The Bamboo Coral species SEC, Isidella tentaculum, the Gorgonian Coral habitat SEC, and the Sponge habitat SEC have the highest cumulative risk score within the MPA. For the fish SECs, Rougheye Rockfish has the highest cumulative risk score. Most of the other SECs were similarly ranked on a relative scale and our results show that species and habitats that are predominantly found in Zone 1 of the SK-B MPA are at lower risk because they are protected from the stressors associated with the Sablefish trap fishery that is only permitted in Zone 2 of the MPA. Species and habitats that are predominantly found in Zone 1 include Macroalgae, Crustose Coralline Algae, and the coral species SEC, Primnoa sp. The high uncertainty surrounding certain stressors such as those related to seismic surveys, oils spills, the aquatic invasive species increase the median risk score and highlight gaps in our understanding of the exposure and consequence of these activities within the MPA boundary. This result shows the need for monitoring in order to understand and quantify the exposure of SECs to these activities within the MPA area. The relative risk scores and ranked stressors can be used for the prioritization of monitoring and management efforts in the SK-B MPA.

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