Terms of Reference
Regional Framework Discussion on Marine Safety and Area Planning Data Products
Regional Peer Review – Maritimes Region
16-17 March 2016
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Chairperson: Fred Page
Context
Canada has the world’s longest coastline at more than 243,000 km in length. Each year, millions of tonnes of products are shipped off its coasts, with the Government of Canada working in a number of ways to ensure the safety of the marine environment (Transport Canada 2016). The Government of Canada aims to promote safe and efficient marine transportation through regulatory oversight, inspections, and enforcement measures. To be well prepared for and ready to respond to marine incidents associated with vessel based oil spill events in Canadian waters, a collaborative “whole-of-government” approach has been adopted in support of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery in the event of an unlikely marine incident at sea. This multi-stakeholder regional pilot program requires information on the spatial and temporal distributions of biological resources for inclusion in the oil response plan. To support this need, the review will serve as a preliminary discussion with participating federal government agencies on the biological and human activity data products being developed in support of oil spill response planning for regional pilot initiatives in the Bay of Fundy approaches to Saint John, New Brunswick, and approaches to the Strait of Canso, Nova Scotia.
Objectives
The objectives of this science discussion are:
- Identify components of a proposed regional template concerning marine species for their relevance in support of oil-spill response planning;
- Identify factors to be considered in a regional prioritization of marine species of relevance to DFO to be mapped;
- Identify information sources available for spatial and temporal mapping of marine species of relevance to DFO;
- Identify methods to be used for spatial and temporal mapping of marine species (including level of uncertainty) of relevance to DFO; and
- Identify knowledge and data gaps and potential approaches and methods to address gaps.
Expected Publication
- Proceedings
Participation
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- Transport Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Other Invited Experts
References
Transport Canada. 2016. Tanker Safety and Spill Prevention. Transport Canada website (accessed: March 7, 2016).
- Date modified: