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Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan:
Pan-Atlantic Report

The PDF version includes complementary images to supplement the Report

Canada's Oceans Protection Plan Pan-Atlantic Report

Canada's Oceans Protection Plan Pan-Atlantic Report (PDF, 5.03 MB)

This Report was prepared for the Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Canadian Coast Guard (DFO/CCG) Oceans Protection Plan (OPP) Atlantic Ocean Results Committee. It was produced by the DFO Maritimes Region OPP Atlantic Hub in collaboration with regional OPP Coordinators and OPP project managers for the DFO/CCG sub-initiatives across Atlantic Canada and Quebec. It was designed by DFO Maritimes Region Communications.

On this page:


The Government of Canada launched the $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan (OPP) in 2016. The Plan represents the largest investment the federal government has ever made to protect our coasts and waterways. The OPP is a national, whole-of-government plan to protect our oceans and coastlines from the potential impacts of marine shipping, and to ensure the health of our oceans. It further improves marine safety and responsible shipping, protects Canada’s marine environment, and offers new possibilities for Indigenous and coastal communities. Ultimately, the OPP will help to keep Canadian waters and coasts safe and clean, for today’s use and for future generations.

The OPP involves 5 federal departments, with Transport Canada (TC) as the designated lead department. Partnership and collaboration are the foundation of the Government of Canada’s actions to protect our oceans. The OPP places a strong emphasis on collaboration with the Provinces, Indigenous organizations, marine industries, environmental organizations, coastal communities, and the public.

This Report provides an update on the status of the implementation of the OPP sub-initiatives across Atlantic Canada, including Quebec, up to March 31, 2020. It includes updates from the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Atlantic Region and CCG Central Region (with respect to regional activities in Quebec), as well as Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Maritimes Region, Gulf Region, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, and Quebec Region. The status of OPP sub-initiatives is continually evolving as the projects are being implemented.

Current as of March 31, 2020

Overview of OPP implementation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Canada has an abundance of freshwater and marine and coastal areas that are ecologically diverse and economically significant.

DFO has the mandated responsibilities of:

4 DFO Regions in the Atlantic cover the provinces of Nova Scotia (NS), New Brunswick (NB), Prince Edward Island (PEI), Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), and Quebec (QC). Together, these DFO Regions support the implementation of 10 OPP sub-initiatives in the Atlantic.

DFO Atlantic regions
Description

A map of the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec, highlighting the DFO Regions of:

Overview of OPP implementation, Canadian Coast Guard

Marine shipping has always been a part of Atlantic Canada’s identity, which explains the region’s strong history of, and commitment to, marine transportation safety.

The CCG has the mandated responsibilities of:

ccg Atlantic regions
Description

A map of Canada highlighting the provinces that make up Canadian Coast Guard Atlantic Region:

CCG Atlantic Region includes Nova Scotia (NS), New Brunswick (NB), Prince Edward Island (PEI), and Newfoundland and Labrador (NL).

On June 1, 2020, Coast Guard Central and Arctic Region was renamed Central Region, and is comprised of most of Ontario (ON) and Quebec (QC). The exact boundaries of the Region are still being determined. Programs in the Arctic are now delivered by the Arctic Region, or through service delivery agreements with the other Regions.

Under the OPP, CCG Atlantic plays a role in 30 national projects with 15 Regional Project Managers. CCG Central Region manages approximately 26 projects under the OPP, and its recent deliverables in Quebec are the focus of this update.

In addition to the activities highlighted in this Report, CCG Atlantic supports other OPP sub-initiatives led nationally, by other CCG Regions (including CCG Central), or by TC, including:

Creating a state-of-the-art marine safety system to better prevent and respond to spills from vessels

Operational Network (OpNet)

Objective: To strengthen CCG Marine Communications Traffic Services (MCTS) Centres by modernizing its aging operational network infrastructure and implementing an MCTS business continuity plan in the event of a major failure of a Centre. Investments in modernizing lines and redundant connections will provide a back-up to the existing network and will allow MCTS to continue communicating with mariners when primary lines go down. The OpNet initiative will be comprised of 3 main activities:

  1. the installation of new lines;
  2. the installation of redundant connections;
  3. the development of MCTS Centre network plans.

CCG Atlantic Region

Technical Review Process of Marine Terminal Systems and Transshipment Sites (TERMPOL)

Objective: TERMPOL is a voluntary review process that focuses on the marine transportation components of a proposed marine terminal or transshipment site. It objectively reviews and provides recommendations and findings on vessel safety, route safety, and vessel cargo transfer operations. Although TERMPOL is not a mandatory requirement nor a regulatory instrument, it plays an integral part in the federal government review process of marine terminals and transshipment sites due to the technical nature of navigation and ship safety considerations for projects that may not be covered under a proponent’s federal or provincial regulatory requirement.

CCG Atlantic Region

Strengthen the National Marine Communications Traffic Services (MCTS) radar network

Objectives: To ensure the reliability and accuracy of vessel traffic monitoring, contributing to a stronger and more robust marine safety system; to enhance marine situational awareness for CCG and other federal partners such as the Department of National Defence and Port Authorities; to address immediate gaps in radar coverage on Canada’s coasts in support of marine safety activities; to enhance CCG’s ability to identify vessels and to improve the common operating picture in the area; and to provide a back-up solution for MCTS Centres in the event of the loss of digital signals from vessels navigating in Canadian waters.

CCG Atlantic Region

Risk Analysis of Maritime Search and Rescue Delivery (RAMSARD)

Objective: CCG has implemented the RAMSARD methodology nationally to assist in proactively identifying search and rescue (SAR) areas with new or emerging marine risks, and ultimately to ensure a more systematic approach to evaluating maritime SAR delivery in Canada. This review process is intended to be the SAR program planning tool and, once fully implemented, will result in improvements to SAR planning, decision-making, and ultimately marine safety. This will allow CCG to better understand marine risks, implement mitigation measures within its control, and recommend measures to other agencies responsible for carriage requirements and prevention activities.

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Central Region

Marine Communications Traffic Services (MCTS) staffing factor

Objective: To meet its level of services, the MCTS program requires trained and certified officers. Under the OPP, CCG will update the staffing factor (i.e., the number of full-time equivalents required to staff a single position in a 24/7/365 operation) for the MCTS. The original factor of 5.5 was established in the early 1990s. It will be increased to 6 through the recruitment and training of officers.

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Central Region

24/7 Regional Operations Centre (ROC) and National Command Centre (NCC)

Objective: To re-establish 2 24/7 ROC operated by CCG personnel. The first is a Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) dedicated exclusively to coordinating the maritime SAR response to incidents occurring in the Newfoundland SAR Sub-Region, in support of Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax. Embedding this capacity within the 24/7 Atlantic Regional Operations Centre in St. John’s will improve CCG’s ability to support provincial and municipal partners when they require a marine response capability. The second is the CCG Central ROC in Montreal, QC.

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Central Region

Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC)

Objective: Through amendments to the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, to strengthen CCG’s authority as the federal lead when responding to major marine spills and provide directive powers for earlier intervention.

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Environmental Response Equipment Modernization and Mobile Incident Command Equipment

Objective: To modernize CCG Environmental Response assets. This re-investment will provide CCG with an operational response capacity that is consistent for all CCG regions relative to current industry standards. It supports and ensures CCG’s mandated response capacity is maintained through effective lifecycle management of the equipment and supporting infrastructure.

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Environmental Response Training and Exercising Program / Leverage CCG Auxiliary for Environmental Response

Objectives: To allow the CCG to strengthen its capacity to design and deliver standardized training for CCG personnel. Environmental Response exercises will be designed, planned, and executed, with a specific focus on ship-source spills. The immediate focus is on CCG participants with future exercises planned for industry and stakeholder participation. The CCG is also expanding the role of the CCG Auxiliary to include Environmental Response training, with a key target of at least 20% of CCG Auxiliary members completing the Basic Oil Spill Response course by 2022.

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Central Region

Environmental Response Student Recruitment Program

Objective: As a succession/retention planning strategy, CCG believes implementing a student recruitment initiative for the Environmental Response Program would meet CCG’s need to fill the gap for properly trained and skilled Response Officers. Targeted areas of studies include marine pollution planning, policy development, and pollution response activities. A phased approach will enable CCG to add immediate capacity to the Environmental Response Program while enhancing a culture of employee professional development.

CCG Atlantic Region

New Search and Rescue lifeboat stations / new in-shore rescue boats

Objective: To increase SAR capacity through construction of new, and refurbishment of existing, CCG buildings for SAR stations. Sites selected are Twillingate, Old Perlican, and St. Anthony, NL. These areas are based on identified gaps in CCG’s maritime SAR capacity, as well as an anticipated increase in vessel traffic.

CCG Atlantic Region

Emergency towing needs analysis / installation and operationalization of tow capacity

Objectives: To place emergency towing kits (ETK) on CCG vessels and establish gear caches across Canada, and to develop a long-term national strategy on emergency towing.

CCG National Headquarters

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Central Region

Regional Response Planning

Objective: This project is led by CCG, working with TC, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), DFO Science, and DFO Aquatic Ecosystems. It will develop a Regional Response Plan for northern British Columbia using lessons learned from the pilots completed under the World Class Tanker Safety and Area Response Planning (ARP) initiatives. Response contingency planning continues across Canada while the Regional Response Plan pilot takes place in British Columbia. In eastern Canada, this sub-initiative focuses on completing 3 existing ARP projects in the St. Lawrence River (from Montreal to Anticosti Island), the Bay of Fundy (including the Port of Saint John), and Port Hawkesbury (including Chedabucto Bay), as indicated on the map below.

[Map available in the PDF version]

CCG Atlantic Region

Quebec Region

Maritimes Region

Modern hydrography and charting in key areas

Objective: To fill gaps in hydrography and charting in areas with limited and outdated navigational information, including the Arctic, high risk coastal and near-shore areas, and 23 of Canada’s highest traffic commercial ports and waterways.

Dynamic hydrographic products and services (such as surface currents and tides and water levels, from both observational and operational ocean modeling data sources, and under-keel and overhead information) will also be delivered in key areas. For more information, see the Drift Prediction and Near-shore Modeling sub-initiative, which outlines the collaborative work underway to existing electronic navigation (e-navigation) systems to provide for dynamic capacities.

Canadian Hydrographic Service, Atlantic Region and Quebec Region

West Coast of Newfoundland

[Map available in the PDF version]

East Coast of Newfoundland

[Map available in the PDF version]

Northumberland Strait

[Maps available in the PDF version]

Quebec

[Maps available in the PDF version]

Making decisions based on scientific evidence: strengthening our understanding of how oil products behave in water

Improving drift prediction and near-shore modelling

Objective: To strengthen the Government of Canada's existing state-of-the-art ocean modelling system and broaden its operational client base by advancing its coastal ocean prediction systems to support 1) enhanced environmental protection and response applications (e.g. drift prediction for oil spills), and 2) improvements to safety for navigation and related marine activities through the development of new high-resolution port and waterway model system extensions, and new data delivery systems to provide operational dynamic e-navigation capability to mariners. All elements are expected to be in place by the end of the 5-year initiative, and will include the attachment of enhancement capability to both existing ocean prediction systems and to the newer systems under development, including those for 6 high-risk ports/waterways and their approaches (3 in the Atlantic Region, the Ports of Saint John and Canso, and the St. Lawrence Estuary).

National

Maritimes Region

Quebec Region

Gulf Region

Newfoundland and Labrador Region

Expand research on fate, behaviour and biological impact of petroleum products

Objective: To enhance preparedness and response measures by expanding our ability to predict the fate, behaviour, and biological impacts of petroleum products spilled in a range of aquatic conditions representative of Canadian environments.

Maritimes Region

Multi-Partner Research Initiative (DFO National Headquarters)

National

Objective: To provide $45.5 million over 5 years to draw on the expertise and experience of oil spill experts in Canada and abroad, leveraging collaboration to ensure Canada has the capability to provide the best scientific advice and tools to respond to oil spills in Canadian waters. This Initiative will provide funding to academic institutions across Canada, as well as foreign institutions, and a number of secondary partner institutions. It will build on the previous work of DFO’s COOGER, located in Dartmouth, NS, as well as other Government of Canada research facilities. The Initiative is led from DFO’s National Headquarters. More information can be found on the Multi-Partner Research Initiative website.

Preserving and restoring marine ecosystems that are vulnerable to marine activities

Coastal Restoration Fund

Map of 33 project locations. For details, refer to the text that follows.

Objective: To support coastal communities undertaking coastal habitat restoration projects and contribute to mitigating marine stressors. To facilitate collaboration that contributes to the development and implementation of coastal restoration plans, identify restoration priorities, implement projects, and address threats to marine species. Summaries of the approved projects are available online.

Newfoundland and Labrador Region

  1. Recipient: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada, 3.7 million
    WWF-Canada is leveraging traditional and scientific knowledge to address data deficiencies on near-shore and fresh water habitats for priority species in Newfoundland and Labrador. This knowledge will guide the strategic planning and restoration of key coastal habitats including capelin spawning beaches, as well as riverine and estuarine habitat identified as important to Atlantic salmon and Arctic char
  2. Recipient: Marine Institute, $4.7 million
    The Marine Institute is contributing to a healthy coastal ecosystem in Placentia Bay through re-establishment of eelgrass meadows in 5 locations, and deployment of reef balls to enhance habitat productivity of commercially important fish and shellfish species, such as Atlantic cod and American lobster. They are also facilitating the re-colonization of the restored eelgrass beds by mitigating freshwater migratory barriers, in respect to Atlantic salmon, southern Newfoundland population, to improve longitudinal connectivity between freshwater habitats and Placentia Bay
  3. Recipient: Mi’kmaq Alsumk Mowimsikik Koqoey Association (MAMKA), $0.4 million
    MAMKA partnered with the Miawpukek First Nation to undertake the stabilization of 620 meters of eroding and destabilized clay bank at the McDonald’s Family and Culture Area located on the shores of the Conne River estuary. The Conne River has an annual Atlantic salmon run that is important to the Miawpukek First Nation from a food, cultural, and ceremonial perspective
  4. Recipient: Humber Arm Environmental Association, $0.8 million
    Humber Arm Environmental Association is partnering with the Qalipu First Nation in the protection and restoration of the coastal habitat of Elmastukwek (Bay of Islands). This multi-faceted project involves the identification and restoration of eelgrass meadows and areas of erosion susceptibility, as well as Banded killifish and American eel presence and abundance throughout the area. All information collected, including reported areas of cultural significance to the Qalipu First Nation, will be captured in a GIS database to be used for prioritization of fish habitat restoration planning and development of Coastal Habitat Management Plans for Elmastukwek

Quebec Region

  1. Recipient: Comité ZIP de la Côte-Nord du Golfe, $0.76 million
    To improve knowledge and restoration of the capelin breeding areas on the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which are subject to ever-increasing sources of disturbance
  2. Recipient: Comité ZIP de la Côte-Nord du Golfe, $0.5 million
    To restore salmon and eel habitat connectivity in the Saint-Georges Canal at Port-Menier, Anticosti Island
  3. Recipient: Agence Mamu Innu Kaikusseht (AMIK), $1.2 million
    To restore coastal habitats that are important for the Innu communities of the North Shore. The project will contribute to the maintenance of traditional activities and increase the capacity of several stakeholders on key fish habitat restoration
  4. Recipient: Merinov, $0.715 million
    To restore coastal habitats in Gaspésie and Îles- de-la-Madeleine
  5. Recipient: Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), $0.55 million
    To restore habitats that present a coastal continuum and show degradation in the Magdalen Islands
  6. Recipient: Groupe environnemental Uni-Vert, $0.37 million
    To complete a project that will contribute to the restoration of coastal habitats in the Matane region
  7. Recipient: Comité ZIP de la Rive Nord de l’Estuaire, $0.05 million
    To collect data that will be used to develop a restoration plan for the Comeau Creek estuary salt marsh near Baie-Comeau
  8. Recipient: Comité ZIP du Sud-de-l’Estuaire, $2.4 million
    To carry out a project that will contribute to the restoration of coastal habitats in 5 sectors on the south shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary
  9. Recipient: The Mi’gmaq Maliseet Aboriginal Fisheries Management Association (MMAFMA), $0.8 million
    To restore the connectivity of habitats of the American eel in watersheds located within 3 communities
  10. Recipient: Comité ZIP Gaspésie, $0.58 million
    To restore the natural channel of 2 branch lines of the estuary of Petite Cascapedia River in New Richmond
  11. Recipient: Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government, $0.23 million
    To conduct wetlands restoration and monitoring in the Restigouche River estuary, Listuguj
  12. Recipient: Comité ZIP Saguenay-Charlevoix, $0.05 million
    To develop a restoration plan for the coastal ecosystems of the Saguenay, the shores and the intertidal marshes
  13. Recipient: Comité ZIP Sud-de-l’Estuaire, $0.4 million
    To conduct a restoration project of a dyked coastal marsh, Saint-André-de-Kamouraska, in order to mitigate the impacts of coastal “squeezing”
  14. Recipient: Fondation de la faune du Québec, $0.045 million
    To collect data that will be used to develop a fish habitat restoration plan for the Charlevoix coastal zone
  15. Recipient: Conseil de la Nation Huronne-Wendat, $1.47 million
    To restore the habitat of the American eel in several watersheds flowing into the St. Lawrence

Gulf Region (projects in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island)

  1. Recipient: Anqotum Resource Management, $1.7 million
    To install 40,000 artificial reefs in Miramichi Bay, NB, to enhance coastal habitats and increase shelter for benthic species, as well as build the technical capacity of the group
  2. Recipient: Kopit Lodge, $0.9 million
    To restore habitat connectivity and quality, and monitor population and water quality changes during the project. To rehabilitate the salmon habitat through restoration work and bring the salmon population to a sustainable level in all 4 rivers in North Kent County, namely the Richibucto, Kouchibouguacis, Kouchibouguac, and Black
  3. Recipient: Université de Moncton, $0.7 million
    To repair a breach in a coastal spit of land, restoring ecological processes in salt marsh habitat behind the spit and transforming it back to its original state in Grande-Digue, NB, on the Gulf coast
  4. Recipient: Ducks Unlimited Canada, $1.0 million
    To improve fish passage through fish ladders and tidal gates on the Tantramar and Missaquash rivers, NB
  5. Recipient: Fort Folly Habitat Recovery Program, $0.7 million
    To advance the recovery of the inner Bay of Fundy coastal ecosystem by restoring aquatic habitats for key species within Fort Folly’s traditional territory, in the Petitcodiac and Memramcook watersheds on the Gulf coast
  6. Recipient: Maliseet Nation Conservation Council, $0.4 million
    To conduct a fish passage study for the lower Wolastoq (St. John) River. The project will also include some fish habitat restoration
  7. Recipient: Passamaquoddy Recognition Group Inc., $1.6 million
    To restore fish habitat and re-establish fish passage on the Skutik, Waweig, Magaguadavic, Letang,and Lepreau rivers in New Brunswick, as well as build the technical capacity of the Peskotomuhkati people
  8. Recipient: PEI Watershed Alliance, $2.0 million
    To improve coastal and estuarine fish habitat and improve fish passage for anadromous species in 250 km2 throughout  8 watersheds in PEI

Maritimes Region (projects in Nova Scotia)

  1. Recipient: Clean Foundation, $2.4 million
    To identify, restore, and monitor 1.5 hectares of tidal wetland in various areas of the Northumberland Strait in collaboration with local Mi’kmaq and coastal communities
  2. Recipient: Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, $1.2 million
    To help restore coastal habitats through tidal barrier restoration activities in the Bay of Fundy and creation of artificial reefs in the Northumberland Strait
  3. Recipient: Maritime Aboriginal Peoples Council, $1.2 million
    To remove fish passage obstructions in river watershed systems of the Cobequid Bay, which will also contribute to the recovery strategy for the endangered inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon
  4. Recipient: Saint Mary’s University, $1.8 million
    To restore 75 hectares of tidal wetland habitat by realigning and decommissioning dyke infrastructures in the Bay of Fundy, the Minas Basin, and the Annapolis River
  5. Recipient: St. Mary's River Association, $1.2 million
    To conduct physical restoration of St. Mary's River, acid mitigation (aerial liming), and effects monitoring
  6. Recipient: Nova Scotia Salmon Association, $0.7 million
    To conduct physical restoration of West River Sheet Harbour, continued acid mitigation (lime dosers), and estuary habitat enhancement

Coastal Environmental Baseline Program

Objective: To initiate a pilot coastal environmental baseline data collection program in 6 high-use areas to record baseline ecosystem status and detect changes in the ecosystem to protect sensitive marine habitat and species. Partnerships with Indigenous and coastal communities are key to the success of this Program.

Quebec Region

8 agreements to collect baseline data for the Lower St. Lawrence Estuary, Quebec
Organization To establish/study baseline data regarding:
Explos-Nature
  • Characterization of the benthic microfauna of rocky infralittoral habitat and increased awareness of the state of the marine ecosystem in the Upper North Coastal sector of the Manicouagan
Université de Québec à Rimouski
  • Characterization of important habitats for juvenile fish in coastal habitats
  • Hyperspectral remote sensing of shallow coastal waters with the WISE (WaterSat Imaging Spectrometer Experiment) Sensor – Project WISE-Man
  • Biodiversity, richness and abundance patterns of the zooplankton in the shallow coastal zone of the Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Area (EBSMA) of the lower St. Lawrence Estuary
Comité Zone d’Intervention Prioritaire de la Rive Nord de l’Estuaire
  • Characterization of important littoral habitats of the north shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary
Centre Interdisciplinaire de Développement en Cartographie des Océans (CIDCO)
  • Characterization of the marine seafloor between Teoussac and Baie-Comeau from LIDAR readings acquired from the Canadian Hydrographic Service
Université de Québec à Chicoutimi
  • Temporal dynamics of intertidal macroalgal productivity of the St. Lawrence
Agence Mamu Innu Kaikusseht (AMIK)
  • Bivalves survey around Pessamit First Nation community; Green urchins survey at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord

Newfoundland and Labrador Region

10 agreements to collect baseline data for Placentia Bay, NL
Organization To establish/study baseline data regarding:
Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Association Incorporated
  • Seabirds in Placential Bay: abundance, distribution, phenology and mortality as indicators of status and trends in a coastal ecosystem
University of Manitoba
  • Capelin spawning sites and multi-species aggregations in Placentia Bay
Memorial University of Newfoundland
  • Distribution and relative abundance of diadromous fishes in Placentia Bay
  • Coastal habitat mapping of Placentia Bay
  • Chemical and biological baseline to inform primary productivity along the land-sea continuum of Placentia Bay
  • Temporal and spatial presence, abundance and composition of micro and macro debris across various Placentia Bay habitats
Humber Arm Environmental Association Inc.
  • Characterization of ellgrass sites in Placentia Bay
Northeast Avalon Atlantic Ocastal Action Program (ACAP) Inc.
  • Shoreline Environmental Baseline Surveys in Placentia Bay: a shoreline characterization and assessment of biochemistry, nutrients, coliforms, and hydrocarbons
Conservation Corps Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Investigating the distribution and abundance of Mytilu edulis, Belanus balanus, and Semibalanus balanus in Placentia Bay
Fish, Food and Allied Workers/Unifor
  • Improving knowledge of lobster populations and change in Placentia Bay

Maritimes Region

12 agreements to collect baseline data for the Port of Saint John, NB
Organization To establish/study baseline data regarding:
Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) Saint John Inc.
  • Community-based monitoring in Saint John Harbour
  • Characterizing Harbour seal (Phoca vituling) populations in Saint John Harbour
Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc.
  • Establishing Nekton biodiversity baseline for estuarine environments in southwestern New Brunswick
  • Establishing baselines for the sources and impacts of underwater noise at Saint John Harbour
Fundy North Fishermen’s Association
  • Mapping and ground-truthing fisherman’s knowledge of surface currents in the Bay of Fundy area
Huntsman Marine Science Centre
  • A quantitative baseline survey of the ichthyoplankton, invertebrate zooplankton and microplastics in Saint John Harbour
Maliseet Nation Conservation Council
  • Diversity and abundance of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) and linkages to feeding ecology of Wolffish in the Bay of Fundy
Nature Conservancy of Canada
  • Characterizing conserved and priority coastal and tidal wetlands in and around the Port of Saint John
New Brunswick Federation of Naturalists Inc.
  • Assessing baseline shorebird and seabird data in the Port of Saint John area
Anqotum Resource Management (ARM)
  • Characterizing invasive parasites occurrence and pathways in threatened migratory fish species in Saint John Harbour
Peskotomuhkati Nation
  • Quantifying the presence of microplastics in the digestive tract of American lobster sampled in around Saint John Harbour
Wolastogey Nation in New Brunskwick
  • Collection of baseline information on water column conditions and contaminants using caged blue mussels in Saint John Harbour

Maritimes Region

4 additional projects to collect baseline data for the Port of Saint John, NB:

New legislation / consultations and engagement / risk-based strategy to address vessels of concern

Objective: TC, CCG, and DFO to implement a comprehensive strategy that will see the Government of Canada taking a highly visible leadership role in preventing the occurrence of new vessels of concern and in cleaning up existing ones. The proposed strategy would address key gaps including: an absence of authorities to act directly on vessels that pose additional long-term economic or cumulative risks beyond navigational or pollution; lack of an inventory and risk assessment of vessels of concern in Canadian waters; inability to identify the owners of a vessel; and follow-up on at-risk vessels and support remediation.

National

CCG Central Region

CCG Atlantic Region

Small Craft Harbours’ Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program

Objective: To reduce the number of existing abandoned and/or wrecked vessels located in federally owned small craft harbours that pose a risk to the environment, the health and safety of harbour workers and users, and the efficient and effective operation of the harbour. Contribution funding of $1.325 million over 5 years will be available to harbour authorities and other eligible recipients to undertake the removal and disposal of abandoned and wrecked vessels in harbours owned by DFO.

Newfoundland and Labrador Region

Quebec Region

Maritimes Region

Establish Marine Environmental Quality regulatory and non-regulatory measures

Objective: To undertake a range of activities to increase our understanding of, and address, pressing issues affecting the quality of the marine environment. On the Science front, the initial focus is to better understand the impact of shipping-related noise on whales, specifically the endangered North Atlantic right whale, Southern Resident killer whale, and St. Lawrence Estuary beluga. This important research will help inform measures aimed at reducing noise levels. On the management side, the Marine Planning and Conservation Marine Environmental Quality (MEQ) program works with partners and stakeholders to establish non-regulatory and regulatory measures under the Oceans Act. The initial emphasis of this work is on underwater ocean noise from various human sources, such as marine vessels and seismic surveys. Specific actions will include an analysis of existing mitigation strategies, identification of potential management gaps, and the possible development of new regulatory or non-regulatory management measures (e.g. codes of practice) to address critical and/or ongoing management concerns.

Maritimes Region

DFO Aquatic Ecosystems published a literature review “Marine Environmental Contaminants in the Scotian Shelf Bioregion: Scotian Shelf, Bay of Fundy and Adjacent Coastal and Offshore Waters – 1995-present” as a DFO Technical Report. The Aquatic Ecosystems and Science Branches also co-hosted a workshop to examine the characteristics of underwater noise that may be negatively impacting North Atlantic right whales, and the metrics that should be used to describe and quantify those sounds. To help further advance other initiatives related to MEQ, Aquatic Ecosystems has established contracts and developed agreements with:

DFO’s Science Program is examining the severity and extent of the threat posed by ship noise on marine mammals, especially North Atlantic right whales, and is undertaking acoustic monitoring to improve our knowledge of the overlap between shipping and North Atlantic right whales.

Maritimes Region Science has:

Gulf Region

DFO Gulf Region's Oceans Management Program is coordinating the departmental response for nutrient management. The objective of the project is to develop an MEQ guideline by 2022 to promote efforts to reduce nutrient loading in estuaries of the Northumberland Strait.

Since 2018, the MEQ Program has supported DFO Science and collaborated with the province of Prince Edward Island to collect monitoring indicators, primarily dissolved oxygen, to support the development of an MEQ guideline. A Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) process will take place in 2021 to validate the use of dissolved oxygen to characterize the trophic status of estuaries and establish a dissolved oxygen threshold to be included as the Gulf Region’s MEQ guideline.

Gulf Region has also initiated and participated in other collaborative efforts, including:

Quebec Region

Under DFO Quebec Region's MEQ Program:

Quebec Region Science is also conducting a research project on the effect of shipping noise on the St. Lawrence Estuary beluga. Specifically:

Newfoundland and Labrador Region

The DFO NL Region Ecosystems Management MEQ Program has partnered with DFO Science and Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) academia to undertake ocean noise and marine debris studies to help understand these ecosystem stressors within the Region, and to determine if mitigation measures are required. This includes:

Reducing the threat of vessel traffic on marine mammals through detection and avoidance

Objective: To develop and test technologies for a Large Mammal Collision Prevention System in response to demands from mariners to prevent collisions and protect sensitive marine mammals.

Maritimes Region

Marine Mammal Response and Marine Protected Area Surveillance and Enforcement Program

Objective: The Conservation & Protection Program to develop a national approach and capacity, in line with international best practices, to respond to marine mammal incidents such as collisions, entanglements, and strandings. This new capacity will bring with it the added benefit of enhancing compliance, enforcement, and surveillance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

National

Since April 2017, DFO’s Conservation and Protection Branch has increased its capacity by:

Newfoundland and Labrador Region

Maritimes Region

Quebec Region

Gulf Region

Facilitating Indigenous partnerships in the marine safety system

Indigenous relations and partnerships

Objective: To build and strengthen partnerships and relationships with First Nations and Indigenous communities. CCG Indigenous Relations and Partnerships (IRP) units, in collaboration with CCG programs, support, coordinate, and facilitate external engagement sessions, training, and meetings with Indigenous partners in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. These relationships are key for the successful implementation of numerous OPP projects.

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Central Region

[Picture available in the PDF version]

Indigenous community boats north and south of 60 (incident management) / expansion of Arctic auxiliaries

Objective: The Indigenous Community Boat Pilot Program was created to provide funding in the form of contributions for the purchase of SAR capable boats and/or associated equipment to strengthen the capacity of coastal Indigenous communities to participate in maritime SAR response activities within their communities as members of the CCG Auxiliary. The Program was initially approved for implementation south of the 60th parallel. Expansion of the program to include the Arctic (north of 60, Atlantic) was approved through the OPP with 2 funding streams: communities south of 60, and northern and Arctic communities.

CCG Atlantic Region

CCG Central Region

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