GXT GrandSPAN Marine Exploration Program Environmental Assessment
4.3.2 Other Marine Activities
A number of other human activities occur within or near the marine environment in the Study Area, as described below.
4.3.2.1 Marine Traffic Management
Marine Communications and Traffic Service (MCTS) Centres are located throughout the province, including in St. John’s (microwave links, radio communications, visual surveillance networks, audio and video equipment), Argentia (radar surveillance, radio communications networks, audio and video equipment), and Port aux Basques (microwave links, radio communications and radar surveillance networks) along the shores that border the Study Area. These centres are responsible for detecting marine distress situations and ensuring assistance is available. They broadcast safety information, direct and provide advice to marine traffic, ensure ports and traffic movements are efficient and optimized and assist in the operations of pilots (CCG 2013). Vessel traffic separation zones are maintained in Placentia Bay, around St. John’s harbour and Port aux Basques (Figure 4.104).
4.3.2.2 Small Craft Harbours
In Newfoundland and Labrador, a total of 264 harbours are operated by 214 Harbour Authorities, a large number of which are located in areas of Eastern and Southern Newfoundland that border the Study Area. This includes “Core fishing harbours” which are managed by local Harbour Authorities and are central to the fishing and aquaculture industries, as well as non-core harbours (Figure 4.105) (Boutilier, D. pers. comm. 2014). These harbours are also often used for recreational boating and marine tourism activities.
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Figure 4.104 Marine Shipping and Transportation
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Figure 4.105 Small Craft Harbours
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4.3.2.3 Ferry Services
The provincial ferry system in Newfoundland and Labrador is administered by the Department of Transportation and Works operates, and transports passengers and freight to remote coastal communities (NLDTW 2013). Several ferry services operate within or near the Study Area (Table 4.40).
Table 4.40 Ferry Activity in or Adjacent to the Study Area Service Year Passengers Passenger Vehicles Commercial Vehicles Farewell - Fogo Island / 2010/11 165,299 76,162 4,944 Change Islands 2011/12 165,568 82,315 4,690 2012/13 166,396 77,896 4,463 Burnside - St. Brendan’s 2010/11 14,327 7,313 233 2011/12 17,572 8,624 193 2012/13 18,040 8,993 188 Portugal Cove-Bell Island 2010/11 530,147 239,944 4,991 2011/12 516,388 236,293 5,289 2012/13 533,353 242,796 5,317 Southeast Bight - Petit 2010/11 7,713 Passenger service only Forte 2011/12 7,711 2012/13 7,676 Rencontre East – Bay 2010/11 8,978 L’Argent – Pool’s Cove 2011/12 9,276 2012/13 8,674 Gaultois – Mccallum - 2010/11 14,059 Hermitage 2011/12 15,447 2012/13 *10,373 Francois – Grey River - 2010/11 5,741 Burgeo 2011/12 5,814 2012/13 *4,306 Ramea – Grey River - 2010/11 20,703 7,461 887 Burgeo 2011/12 20,974 7,366 825 2012/13 21,335 7,528 844 LePoile – Rose Blanche 2010/11 5,054 Passenger service only 2011/12 4,944 2012/13 4,703 Source: Martin, K. pers. comm. (2014) *Francois and Gaultois services were combined from June 9 – July 30, 2012 and transported an additional 2,291 passengers
An interprovincial ferry service travels between North Sydney, Nova Scotia from Argentia, NL from May to October and to and from Port aux Basques, NL year round. The Argentia to North Sydney ferry operates two to three times per week in each direction (MAI 2013), with most activity being passenger traffic (Table 4.41). In 2013, following a ferry accident that resulted in unanticipated repairs, the Argentia ferry was reassigned to Port aux Basques for 20 days (August 1 to 21), and as a result, ferry activity on that route was reduced (MAI 2013).
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Table 4.41 Argentia / North Sydney Ferry Activity (Seasonal) Season Passengers Passenger Vehicles Commercial Vehicles 2009 (May 3 – October 7) 29,196 12,231 739 2010 (May 3 – October 7) 24,392 10,293 742 2011 (May 3 – October 7) 30,999 13,067 778 2012 (May 3 – October 7) 25,473 11,079 887 2013 (May 3 – October 7) 18,506 8,305 594 Source: Guiney, K. pers. comm. (2014)
The Port aux Basques to North Sydney ferry operates once or twice daily in each direction (MAI 2013). This year round ferry service moves more than 100,000 passenger vehicles and nearly as many commercial vehicles annually (Table 4.42).
Table 4.42 Channel – Port aux Basques / North Sydney Ferry Activity Season Passengers Passenger Vehicles Commercial Vehicles 2008 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) 360,942 121,029 92,299 2009 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) 368,541 126,132 94,388 2010 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) 359,184 122,239 98,850 2011 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) 334,399 114,259 102,360 2012 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) 328,630 113,367 102,771 2013 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) 310,842 108,359 99,237 Source: Guiney, K. pers. comm. (2014)
A regular ferry service also delivers passengers and goods from Fortune on the Island of Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula to the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon.
4.3.2.4 Marine Shipping and Transportation
The regions of Eastern and Southern Newfoundland that border the Study Area include 19 shipping ports, of which St. John’s has the most diverse shipping activity and industrial infrastructure (Figures 4.104 and 4.105). Come By Chance and Fortune are also key international shipping ports. Fortune is the Newfoundland port of entry / exit for St. Pierre and Miquelon, and Come By Chance has a large number of shipping movements associated with the transfer of petroleum products. International cargo shipping to and from Study Area ports represents approximately 90 percent of the total marine shipping movements conducted to and from Newfoundland and Labrador (Statistics Canada 2013).
4.3.2.5 Unexploded Ordnance and Legacy Sites
Unexploded ordnance (UXOs) are explosives that were left undetonated or did not explode as intended. Potential UXO sites include sunken ships and submarines as well as munitions dump sites. A Department of National Defence (DND) UXO legacy site is any property that was formerly owned, leased or used by DND, which has an ongoing associated UXO risk. DND’s UXO and Legacy Sites Program was established in 2005, to manage safety risks posed by Canadian UXOs (DND 2014). A number of known UXO sites (DND Legacy Sites and other shipwrecks and explosives dumps) are located within the Study Area (Table 4.43 and Figure 4.106) (Giffin, C.L., pers. comm., Kearney, J., pers. comm., LGL 2010).
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Table 4.43 Unexploded Ordnance and Legacy Sites Site Name Type U-520 Submarine DND Legacy Site U-658 Submarine DND Legacy Site U-656 Submarine DND Legacy Site HMCS Valleyfield DND Legacy Site USS Pollux DND Legacy Site Friar Rock Shipwreck Empire Celt Shipwreck Broompark Shipwreck Arnish Shipwreck Balsam Lake Shipwreck Capitao Jose Vilareinho Shipwreck Diana Shipwreck Edward A. Cohan Shipwreck Empire Soldier Shipwreck Gigantic Shipwreck J. B. Kitchen Shipwreck Jean M. Madelin Shipwreck King Malcolm Shipwreck Magnhild Shipwreck Nokomis Shipwreck R. Bowers Shipwreck Rosland Shipwreck Royal Edward Shipwreck Thomas King Shipwreck W. T. White Shipwreck Unnamed Explosives and Chemical Restricted Area Explosives Dump Site Unnamed Explosives Restricted Area Explosives Dump Site Source: Giffin, C. L., pers. comm. (2014); Kearney, J., pers. comm (2013); LGL (2010); AMEC (2014)
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Figure 4.106 UXO and Legacy Sites
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4.3.2.6 Marine Tourism and Recreation
The coastal areas adjacent to the Study Area have a variety of marine-based tourism activities offered by local businesses (Figure 4.107) (NLT 2013a), which are widespread overall. Boat tours and sea kayaking are among the most commonly offered activities (Table 4.44). There are also hiking trails located all along the coastlines that border the Study Area (NLT 2013a).
Table 4.44 Marine Tours and Activities (Some Examples) Operator Location Activities Ocean Treasures Adventures Lewisporte Catamaran boat tours OQ Close Encounters Twillingate Boat tours Twillingate Adventure Tours Twillingate Boat tours Iceberg Man Tours Twillingate Boat Tours Skipper Jim Boat Tours Twillingate Boat tours Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours Twillingate Boat tours Captain Dave’s Fishing and Personalized Tours Twillingate Boat tours Fogo Island Heritage Boat Tours Joe Batt’s Arm Boat tours Coastal Connections Terra Nova Park Boat tours Trinity Eco Tours Trinity Sea kayaking, SCUBA diving, boat tours Atlantic Adventures Boat Tours Trinity Boat tours Sea of Whales Adventures Trinity Boat tours Rugged Beauty Boat Tours New Bonaventure Boat tours Dildo Island Adventure Tours Dildo Boat tours Sail Newfoundland Avondale Sail boat tours Island Charters Tours (E & S Diving Services) Carbonear Boat tours Perrin’s Marine Adventures Conception Bay Boat tours Ocean Quest Adventures Long Pond Sea kayaking, SCUBA diving and snorkelling Specialty Fishing Tours St. John’s Guided fishing trips and tours Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours St. John’s Boat tours Dee Jay Charters Boat Tour St. John’s Boat tours Adventure Newfoundland St. John’s Boat tours Newfoundland Eco Adventures St. John’s Sea Kayaking The Outfitters Adventures Bay Bulls Sea Kayaking Captain Wayne’s Marine Excursions Bay Bulls Boat tours Gatherall’s Puffin and Whale Watch Bay Bulls Catamaran boat tours O’Brien’s Whale and Bird Tours Bay Bulls Boat tours Mullowney’s Puffin and Whale Tours Bay Bulls Boat tours Eco Tours – Witless Bay Wonders Witless Bay Zodiac boat tours Molly Bawn Whale and Puffn Tours Mobile Boat tours Stan Cook Sea Kayaking Cape Broyle Sea kayaking Newfoundland Coastal Safari Harbour Mille Sea Kayaking Eastern Outdoors Ramea Sea kayaking Source: NLT (2013a)
In Eastern and Southern Newfoundland, Cruise NL identifies Fogo Island, Trinity and St. John’s as 2014 ports- of-call, with visits often occurring on a monthly basis from May to October (Cruise NL 2013).
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Figure 4.107 Some Selected Marine-Based Tourism Activities
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4.3.2.7 Bird Hunting and Watching
The Study Area is adjacent to the Northeastern Coastal, Avalon – Burin Coastal and Southern Coastal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Zones, as well as Murre Hunting Zones 2, 3 and 4 (Figure 4.108). Birds are hunted in fall and winter, from September to March with no spring / summer bird hunting season (Table 4.45) (NLDEC 2013; EC 2013).
Table 4.45 Waterfowl and Murre Hunting (2013-2014) Species Management Spring / Summer Fall / Winter Seasons Bag and Possession Limits* Areas Seasons Waterfowl Ducks Northeastern No season September 21, 2013 to Ducks (6 daily, 18 possession including Coastal / Avalon – December 28, 2013 with other limitations) Mergansers, Geese Burin Coastal / Mergansers (6 daily, 12 and Snipe Southern Coastal possession) Geese (5 daily, 10 possession) Snipe (10 daily, 20 possession) Waterfowl Long- November 23, 2013 to 6 daily, 12 possession tailed Ducks, Eiders February 28, 2014 and Scoters Murre (Turr) Hunting Zone 2 October 6, 2013 to 20 per hunter per day / 40 January 20, 2014 per hunter at any one time Hunting Zone 3 November 25, 2013 to March 10, 2014 Hunting Zone 4 November 3, 2013 to January 10, 2014 / February 2 to March 10, 2014 Source: NLDEC (2013), EC (2013)
Newfoundland has a number of important bird habitat areas, including coastal sites, which are used for bird watching activities. These areas may be completely or partially protected by federal (i.e. Terra Nova National Park) or provincial parks and protected areas (i.e. Funk Island Ecological Reserve, Deadman’s Bay Provincial Park, Baccalieu Island Ecological Reserve, Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, and Lawn Islands Archipelago Provisional Ecological Reserve, Big Barasway Ecological Reserve and J. T. Cheeseman Provincial Park), which may or may not permit human access (see Section 4.2.4, Protected Areas). Protected areas and identified sensitive marine bird habitats (that may be used for bird watching) are also discussed in Section 4.2.2 ( Marine / Migratory Birds).
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Figure 4.108 Waterfowl and Murre Hunting Areas
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