Regulating underwater sound in Eastern Canada: An operational perspective from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Abstract

Fisheries and Oceans in Canada are responsible for policies and programs that support economic, ecological and scientific interests in Canada’s marine waters. Central to the Department’s mandate is the conservation of living marine resources, including mammals. Canadian regulations, permits and approval processes will be discussed with an emphasis on acoustic devices and related noise issues on the Scotian Shelf. Commercial seismic research on the Shelf has added considerably to the sound dependent marine research typically undertaken by government and naval scientists. This increase in noise has prompted calls for cumulative environmental assessments that address additive and synergistic effects. Existing mitigation measures include sensitive area avoidance and coordination to avoid spatial and temporal overlap. Operations are restricted near the Sable Gully, a large canyon recognized as the most significant cetacean habitat on the Scotian Shelf. Evolving nonregulatory approaches include codes of conduct, precautionary buffer zones and voluntary compliance with operational guidelines. Work conducted by Defence Research Establishment Atlantic on historical levels of ambient noise has been especially instructive in these matters. Additional measurement and modeling expertise is needed to help establish safe operating distances and environmental quality standards that could be applied to all anthropogenic sound sources near the Sable Gully.