bedford institute of oceanography 2001 in review - Région des ...

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTSMeeting of the North Atlantic Right Whale Implementation Team, November 2001.gear entanglements, education, and outreach. Under the auspices ofthe Implementation Team, the Ship Strike and Fishing Gear workinggroups have been established. Projects developed by the workinggroups were funded in part through Environment Canada’s HabitatStewardship Program.The Ship Strike Working Group has focused on potential changesto the shipping lanes in the Bay of Fundy and will be presenting aproposal at the 2002 International Maritime Organization meeting inthe U.K. In addition, the working group is investigating the relevanceof vessel speed as a contributing factor to right whale mortality.In collaboration with U.S. fishing interests, the Fishing GearWorking Group has been working toward “whale-friendly” modificationsto fixed fishing gear. They are also part of a whale advisory systemthat will allow the fishing industry to plan their day to day operationswith knowledge of the location of local whale populations.To augment these and other initiatives under the RecoveryStrategy, a comprehensive education and outreach program has beendeveloped with the participation of NGOs and stakeholders.MASARO has produced a North Atlantic Right Whale poster as part ofthe endangered species program and a booklet identifying commonlyfound marine mammals and sea turtles within the region.The Nova Scotia Leatherback Turtle Working Group (NSLTWG),in collaboration with MASARO, and with funding assistance throughEnvironment Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program, has continued itscommunity outreach programs. This involved visiting fishing wharvesand attending community events across Southwestern Nova Scotia,the Eastern Shore, and Cape Breton Island to raise awareness in thefishing communities about leatherback turtles. The NSLTWG alsoresponded to three leatherback turtle stranding events. In August2001, at the first international conference on Putting Fishers Knowledgeto Work held at the University of British Columbia, the NSLTWG presenteda paper describing the group’s methodology for establishing anetwork of volunteer fishers to collect scientific data.In the summer 2001, in collaboration with the Marine FishDivision of BIO, Dalhousie University’s leatherback turtle satellitetelemetry study team deployed 13 satellite tags on turtles along theScotian Shelf. Male and female animals were tagged, and for the firsttime, subadults. Data collected to date revealed foraging behavior indisparate areas, including southerly portions of the LaurentianChannel and waters off New York and New Jersey. Depth-sensitivetransmitters deployed on three turtles collected data that will contributeto enhanced understanding of leatherback diving behavior athigh latitudes. Over the past two years, a total of 18 turtles have beentagged in waters off Nova Scotia.Managing Multiple Ocean Use in the Offshore– Jason NaugWhile traditionally considered the domain of the fishing and marinetransportation sectors, Canada’s ocean space is becoming increasinglyshared among a wider range of users, with new and potential useson the horizon. These new uses may pose challenges related to use ofphysical space and have indirect effects on the quality of the marineenvironment on which other users depend. The Oceans and CoastalManagement Division (OCMD) of DFO Maritimes Region has beenworking toward the management of both ocean resource use andspace based on the principles and approaches contained in Canada’sOceans Act (1997). These include sustainable development, integratedmanagement, precaution, an ecosystem approach, and collaboration.While all the principles and approaches articulated in the Act areessential to ensure a balanced consideration of social, economic andenvironmental values, integrated management and collaboration areparticularly challenging in light of the multiple uses of our oceans. Inaddition to fishing and marine transportation, a description of someof the key offshore users follows.Offshore oil and gasExploration for oil and gas in Nova Scotia’s offshore has expandedrapidly, resulting in an industry poised to provide a significant role inNova Scotia’s economy. To date, over 300,000 km of seismic trackshave been surveyed and 173 exploratory wells have been drilled, cost-Drilling rig near Sable Island (DFO).46 / BIO-2001 IN REVIEW