Marine Bird Technical Data Report Proposed Aurora LNG Project November 2016 Prepared for: Aurora LNG Calgary, Alberta Marine Bird Technical Data Report Authorship November 2016 AUTHORSHIP Jayme Brooks, B.Sc., R.P.Bio. .......................................................................... Author Megan Willie, M.Sc., R.P.Bio. ..............Marine Bird Discipline Lead, Quality Reviewer Michael Preston, M.Sc., R.P.Bio. ................. Wildlife Biologist, Independent Reviewer i Marine Bird Technical Data Report Table of Contents November 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 2 STUDY AREAS .................................................................................................... 2 2.1 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AREA ................................................................................................. 2 2.2 LOCAL ASSESSMENT AREA ......................................................................................................... 2 2.3 REGIONAL ASSESSMENT AREA .................................................................................................. 3 3 REVIEW OF EXISTING DATA SOURCES .......................................................... 4 3.1 SCOPE ............................................................................................................................................. 4 3.2 METHODS ....................................................................................................................................... 4 3.2.1 Traditional Ecological Knowledge .................................................................................... 4 3.2.2 Literature Review and Previous Investigations ................................................................ 4 3.3 FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................................ 6 3.3.1 Traditional Ecological Knowledge .................................................................................... 6 3.3.2 Literature Review and Previous Investigations ................................................................ 6 4 FIELD STUDIES ................................................................................................... 8 4.1 SHORELINE STATIONARY COUNTS ............................................................................................ 8 4.1.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................... 8 4.1.2 Methods ........................................................................................................................... 8 4.1.3 Findings ........................................................................................................................... 9 4.2 VESSEL-BASED SURVEYS ........................................................................................................... 9 4.2.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................... 9 4.2.2 Methods ........................................................................................................................... 9 4.2.3 Findings ......................................................................................................................... 10 4.3 INCIDENTAL OBSERVATIONS .................................................................................................... 11 4.3.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................. 11 4.3.2 Methods ......................................................................................................................... 12 4.3.3 Findings ......................................................................................................................... 12 4.4 FIELD STUDY SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 13 5 CLOSURE .......................................................................................................... 14 6 REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 15 6.1 LITERATURE CITED ..................................................................................................................... 15 7 FIGURES ........................................................................................................... 17 iii Marine Bird Technical Data Report Table of Contents November 2016 List of Tables Table 1 Summary of Datasets Used in Historical Data Review .................................................... 3-2 Table 2 Marine Bird Species of Management Concern Known or Potentially Occurring within the Marine Bird RAA .............................................................................................................. 3-3 Table 3 Seasonal Summary of Marine Bird Vessel-Based Surveys in Chatham Sound .............. 4-4 List of Figures Figure 1 Local and Regional Assessment Boundaries and Important Bird Areas for Marine Birds 18 Figure 2 Marine Bird Shoreline Stationary Count Locations ........................................................... 19 Figure 3 Summer Marine Bird Vessel-based Surveys - July 2014 and June 2015 ........................ 20 Figure 4 Fall Marine Bird Vessel-Based Surveys - November 2014 .............................................. 21 Figure 5 Winter Marine Bird Vessel-Based Surveys - February 2015 ............................................ 22 Figure 6 Spring Marine Bird Vessel-based Surveys - April 2015 .................................................... 23 List of Appendices Appendix 1 .............................................................................................. Regional Occurrence Records Appendix 2 .......................................................................................... Shoreline Stationary Count Data Appendix 3 ................................................................................................... Vessel-Based Survey Data Appendix 4 ................................................................................................. Incidental Observation Data iv Marine Bird Technical Data Report Executive Summary November 2016 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This technical report provides a summary of historical and Project data on marine birds that were collected within the marine habitats of Chatham Sound and the shoreline habitats of Digby Island. These data help characterize existing conditions for marine birds and are used to inform the assessment of potential effects from the Aurora LNG ( Liquefied Natural Gas) Project. A review of existing data within the region is summarized in this technical data report, and includes several long-term volunteer programs, government datasets, Aboriginal traditional ecological knowledge, and publicly-available data from marine bird surveys completed for other environmental assessments in the region. Historical data represents 102 marine bird species, of which 22 are species of management concern. Project-specific surveys for marine birds were also conducted to support existing information and to characterize species richness, distribution, and seasonal occurrence within the region. Surveys conducted include shoreline stationary counts, vessel-based surveys, and collection of incidental marine bird observations. Across all Project surveys, 50 marine bird species were detected, of which 15 were species of management concern. v Marine Bird Technical Data Report Acronyms and Abbreviations November 2016 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Application ........................... Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate BC ....................................................................................................... British Columbia CDC..................................................................................... Conservation Data Centre COSEWIC ...................... Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada IBA .................................................................................................. Important Bird Area km ................................................................................................................... kilometre LAA............................................................................................ local assessment area LNG ............................................................................................... liquefied natural gas m .......................................................................................................................... metre MFLNRO ....................... Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations PDA ...................................................................................... Project development area RAA ......................................................................................regional assessment area SARA.............................................................................................. Species at Risk Act TDR ........................................................................................... Technical Data Report TEK ............................................................................ traditional ecological knowledge the Project ..............................................................................