Science Review of the Ecological Risk Assessment Scoring for the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area (MPA)

Abstract

Under the Oceans Act, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard is responsible for leading and coordinating the development and implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on behalf of the Government of Canada. Undertaking an ecological risk assessment to identify risks to the conservation priorities (or conservation objectives) of a MPA is a fundamental step in the MPA establishment process. In August 2019, the Tuvaijuittuq MPA (Figure 1) was established by Ministerial Order, which freezes the footprint of an area for up to five years while the Government of Canada and its partners conduct an assessment of the feasibility and desirability of long-term protection in the area. In anticipation of a decision on long-term protection, DFO is pursuing an ecological risk assessment for Tuvaijuittuq, which will be needed to inform regulatory decisions (i.e., which activities are allowed and which are prohibited) should an Oceans Act MPA be established. The ecological risk assessment is a systematic and transparent process for gathering, evaluating, and recording information on the risks posed to ecologically significant components (ESCs) within an area by human activities that are occurring or may occur, and which could reasonably be mitigated through regulation. The risk assessment for Tuvaijuittuq will be based on an Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (ERAF) developed for the Arctic, which provides a consistent approach for calculating risk of harm to Arctic ecosystems from stressors associated with human activity. The ERAF was developed by DFO Marine Planning and Conservation (MPC) Arctic Region, with input from a regional DFO risk assessment working group with membership from MPC, the Canadian Science Advice Secretariat (CSAS), Science, and Fisheries Management sectors. The risk scores produced through this CSAS process will draw on previous Science advice (DFO 2020), a summary of existing knowledge for the area (Charette et al. 2020), and a draft Pathways of Effects (PoE) report developed for Tuvaijuittuq. DFO MPC Arctic Region requires Science advice to validate ecological risk scores for Tuvaijuittuq conservation priorities developed using the Arctic Region ERAF, to ensure that findings are consistent with existing literature and knowledge of the area. These scores are necessary to produce an ecological risk assessment report and guide the establishment of an Oceans Act MPA by Governor-in-Council, should one be recommended in Tuvaijuittuq. This Science Response Report results from the regional peer review of April 21–22, and May 5, 2022 on the Review of the Ecological Risk Assessment Scoring for the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area (MPA).