The Cultural, Recreational and Commercial Importance of the Waters of Placentia Bay Component Study for the Environmental
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The Cultural, Recreational and Commercial Importance of the Waters of Placentia Bay Component Study for the Environmental Impact Statement of the Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project Prepared by Leslie Grattan & Associates Inc. Butland Communications and Prepared for May 2018 LGL Project No. FA0144-3 Suggested format for citation: Grattan, L., M. Butland, and S. Penney-Belbin. 2018. The Cultural, Recreational and Commercial Importance of the Waters of Placentia Bay. Component Study for the Environmental Impact Statement of the Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project. LGL Rep. FA0144-3. Rep. by Leslie Grattan & Associates Inc., Butland Communications, and LGL Limited, St. John`s, NL for Grieg NL, Marystown, NL. 117 p. + appendix. Table of Contents Page List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iv List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... vii 1.0 Rationale/Objectives ............................................................................................................1 1.1 EIS Guidelines ........................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Project Overview .................................................................................................... 2 2.0 Study Area ...........................................................................................................................5 3.0 Methodology ........................................................................................................................6 4.0 Study Outputs.......................................................................................................................6 4.1 Fisheries .................................................................................................................. 6 4.1.1 Commercial, Recreational, and Indigenous Fisheries ..................................7 4.1.1.1 Information Sources ......................................................................7 4.1.1.2 NAFO Fisheries in Division 3Ps, 2010–2016...............................9 4.1.1.3 Domestic Fisheries in the Study Area ...........................................9 4.1.1.4 Aquaculture .................................................................................60 4.1.1.5 Recreational Fisheries .................................................................64 4.1.1.6 Indigenous Fisheries ...................................................................69 4.1.1.7 Industry and Science Surveys .....................................................69 4.1.1.8 Seabird Bycatch and Hunting .....................................................73 4.2 Tourism, Outfitters, Cabins and Recreation ......................................................... 75 4.2.1 Tourism on the Burin Peninsula: ‘Come Stay a Spell’ ..............................76 4.2.2 Accommodation Occupancies Reflect the Burin Peninsula Economy ......77 4.2.3 Tourism Attractions ...................................................................................79 4.2.4 Community-based Tourism Marketing ......................................................82 4.2.4.1 Marystown ..................................................................................82 4.2.4.2 Burin ...........................................................................................82 4.2.4.3 St. Lawrence and Adjacent Communities ...................................83 4.2.4.4 Fortune Bay .................................................................................83 4.2.4.5 Head of the Bay ..........................................................................84 4.2.4.6 East Coast of Placentia Bay ........................................................85 4.2.5 Recreation ..................................................................................................85 4.2.5.1 Sports and Recreation .................................................................86 4.2.5.2 Songs, Storytelling and Performance ..........................................87 4.2.5.3 Eco-tourism .................................................................................88 4.3 Marine Navigation ................................................................................................ 88 4.4 Sensitive Areas...................................................................................................... 91 4.4.1 National, Provincial and Recreational Parks and Reserves .......................92 4.4.2 Placentia Bay Extension Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area (EBSA) ..........................................................................................................94 Page ii 4.4.2.1 Ichthyoplankton ..........................................................................95 4.4.2.2 Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles ..............................................97 4.4.2.3 Fish ..............................................................................................98 4.4.2.4 Birds – Important Bird Areas ......................................................98 4.4.2.5 Estuaries, Rivers and Habitats of Species at Risk.....................100 4.4.2.6 Other Sensitive Areas ...............................................................101 4.4.2.7 Habitat Enhancement Projects ..................................................104 4.5 Potential Effects, Mitigation Measures, and Follow-up Monitoring .................. 104 4.5.1 Fisheries ...................................................................................................105 4.5.2 Tourism and Recreation ...........................................................................107 4.5.3 Marine Navigation ...................................................................................108 4.5.4 Sensitive Areas.........................................................................................109 4.5.5 Conclusion ...............................................................................................111 5.0 References ........................................................................................................................112 Appendix A: Consultation with Fishers on the Proposed Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project .............................................................................................. A-1 Page iii List of Figures Page Figure 1.1. Locations of industrial facilities and other commercial enterprises in Placentia Bay relative to the EIS Study Area and Grieg NL’s proposed sea cage sites. .................................................................................................................1 Figure 1.2. Location of the proposed RAS Hatchery and sea cage sites in Placentia Bay. .......3 Figure 1.3. Proposed vessel routes for crew changes for the Rushoon, Merasheen, Red Island and Long Harbour BMAs..............................................................................4 Figure 1.4. Proposed service vessel routes for the Rushoon, Merasheen, Red Island and Long Harbour BMAs. ..............................................................................................5 Figure 2.1. The locations of the Study Area, Bay Management Areas, and proposed sea cage sites for Grieg NL’s Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project. .....................................................................................................................6 Figure 4.1. Study Area in relation to regional fisheries management areas. ..............................8 Figure 4.2. Historical catch weights for all species (top), and all groundfish and shellfish (bottom) in the commercial fisheries in NAFO Division 3Ps, all countries, 1986–2016. ............................................................................................10 Figure 4.3. Historical catch weights for predominant species in the commercial fisheries in NAFO Division 3Ps, all countries, 1986–2016. ................................................11 Figure 4.4. Locations of major fisheries in Placentia Bay, based on Community-Based Coastal Resource Inventories (CCRIs). .................................................................12 Figure 4.5. Total catch weight, 2010 (left), and annual total sum of catch weight quartile codes, 2011–2015 (right). ......................................................................................17 Figure 4.6. Distribution of commercial harvest locations, all species, 2010. ..........................18 Figure 4.7. Distribution of commercial harvest locations, all species, 2015. ..........................19 Figure 4.8. Composite chart showing fishers’ sketch of main fishing grounds and travel routes in the Rushoon BMA. .................................................................................20 Figure 4.9. Composite chart showing fishers’ sketch of main fishing grounds and travel routes in the Merasheen BMA and Red Island BMA. ...........................................21 Figure 4.10. Distribution of fixed gear [(A) in 2010 and (B) 2015] and mobile gear [(C) in 2010 and (D) in 2015] commercial harvest locations, all species. ....................25 Figure 4.11. Total monthly catch weight during 2010 (left) and total monthly sum of catch weight quartile codes, 2011–2015 (right). ....................................................27 Figure 4.12. DFO Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs).