Potential Exposure Zones (PEZs) polygon

Site: SaintJohn

This report was prepared by the MSP and PIER teams for the Point Tupper Maeine Services Corporation (PTMSC) oil spill exercise, and to evaluate its potential use for spill incidents. A polygon surrounding the spill areas (Predicted Exposure Zone: PEZ) was used to search regional databases (2002 - 2018) and summarize species that have been recorded. Species lists generated in this synthesis is subsequently circulated to emergency responders in Maritimes Science to verify and compliment the information provided (e.g. spatial and temporal presence/absence of species in the area).

Map below shows the PEZ polygon (blue) used to search regional databases and summarize recorded species.

Regional Databases

Ecosystem Research Vessel (RV) Survey

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has conducted Research Vessel (RV) surveys in the Maritimes Region using a standardized protocol. For more information see https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/4062092x.pdf. The search of the Ecosystem RV Survey database resulted in the Table below that summarizes records by species or species group.

Total_number_records_RV
1340
Species Records
AMERICAN LOBSTER 51
HERRING(ATLANTIC) 51
ALEWIFE 50
WINTER FLOUNDER 50
SEA RAVEN 46
LONGHORN SCULPIN 45
SILVER HAKE 45
ATLANTIC ROCK CRAB 41
HADDOCK 41
WHITE HAKE 41
PANDALUS MONTAGUI 40
WITCH FLOUNDER 33
SQUIRREL OR RED HAKE 31
LITTLE SKATE 29
COD(ATLANTIC) 28
OCEAN POUT 28
SEA SCALLOP 27
JONAH CRAB 26
SPINY DOGFISH 24
THORNY SKATE 23
SMOOTH SKATE 21
SPONGES 21
SHAD AMERICAN 20
OCTOPUS 19
SPINY SUNSTAR 19
CRANGON SEPTEMSPINOSA 18
WINTER SKATE 18
ASTEROIDEA S.C. 16
ASTERIAS RUBENS 15
FOURBEARD ROCKLING 15
BRITTLE STAR 14
HYAS COARCTATUS 13
LUMPFISH 13
BLOOD STAR (GENUS) 12
RADIATED SHANNY 12
AMERICAN PLAICE 11
NORTHERN HAGFISH 11
SEA ANEMONE 11
ALLIGATORFISH 10
Skate;LITTLE OR WINTER; Unspecified 10
TOAD CRAB 10
LEMONWEED 9
POLLOCK 9
SHORT-FIN SQUID 9
BRILL/WINDOWPANE 8
MACKEREL(ATLANTIC) 8
BLUEBACK HERRING 7
REDFISH UNSEPARATED 7
SNAKE BLENNY 7
LEBBEUS POLARIS 6
RAINBOW SMELT 6
SEA MOUSE 6
APHRODITA SP. 5
BUTTERFISH 5
DAISY 5
KRILL SHRIMP 5
MONKFISH,GOOSEFISH,ANGLER 5
COMB JELLIES 4
HALIBUT(ATLANTIC) 4
HERMIT CRABS 4
HIPPASTERIA PHRYGIANA 4
MUSSELS (NS) 4
SAND DOLLARS 4
TURBOT,GREENLAND HALIBUT 4
ANTHOZOA SEA ANEMONES 3
ASTARTE SP. 3
ASTERIAS FORBESI 3
ATLANTIC SEASNAIL 3
ATLANTIC SILVERSIDE 3
BASKET STARS 3
BRISTLE WORMS 3
DICHELOPANDALUS LEPTOCERUS 3
GULF SEA SNAIL 3
HENRICA SP 3
HOOKEAR SCULPIN,ATL. 3
ICELAND SCALLOP 3
JELLYFISHES 3
KNOTTED WRACK 3
LONGFIN SQUID, LONGFIN INSHORE SQUID 3
Northern Krill 3
PANDALUS BOREALIS 3
SEA URCHIN (GREEN) 3
SEA URCHINS 3
SPIRONTOCARIS LILJEBORGII 3
THREESPINE STICKLEBACK 3
WRYMOUTH 3
ASTERIAS SP. 2
BIVALVIA C. 2
CAPELIN 2
ECHINARACHNIUS PARMA 2
FIRST UNIDENTIFIED PER SET 2
LEPIDONOTUS SQUAMATUS 2
NEW ENGLAND NEPTUNE 2
NORTHERN SAND LANCE 2
ORGANIC DEBRIS 2
POLYMASTIA F. 2
SEAWEED,(ALGAE),KELP 2
STRIPED ATLANTIC WOLFFISH 2
TOAD CRAB,UNIDENT. 2
TOMCOD(ATLANTIC) 2
WAVE WHELK,COMMON EDIBLE 2
ACTINIIDAE F. 1
ATLANTIC SEA POACHER 1
ATLANTOPANDALUS PROPINQUUS 1
AXIUS SERRATUS 1
BARNDOOR SKATE 1
BLOOD STAR 1
BLOOD WORMS 1
BOBTAIL SQUID 1
BOLOCERA SP. 1
BROWN ROCKWEED 1
BRYOZOANS P. 1
CLAMS (NS) 1
COMMON MUSSELS 1
CRANGON SP. 1
CUNNER 1
DAUBED SHANNY 1
DEAD MANS FINGERS 1
EYED SPONGE 1
FOURSPOT FLOUNDER 1
HYDROZOA C. 1
INQUILINE SEASNAIL 1
LAETMONICE FILICORNIS 1
LAMPSHELLS 1
LANTERNFISH (NS) 1
MOLLUSCA SHELLS EMPTY 1
MUD STAR 1
NEPHTYIDFAE F. 1
OCEAN QUAHAUG 1
OPHIURA SP. 1
PARALEPIS BREVIROSTRIS 1
PSOLUS PHANTAPUS 1
PURPLE SUNSTAR 1
ROCK GUNNEL(EEL) 1
SAND LANCE (NS) 1
SCLEROCRANGON BOREAS 1
SEA CUCUMBER (COMMON) 1
SEA POTATO 1
SEA SPIDER 1
SEASNAIL UNIDENTIFIED 1
SHORTHORN SCULPIN 1
SKATE UNID. EGGS 1
SNAILS AND SLUGS 1
SPINDLE SHELL 1
SPOTTED TINSELFISH 1
TEREBRATULINA SP. 1
THREEBEARD ROCKLING 1
WHELK EGGS (NS) 1
WHELKS 1
YELLOWTAIL FLOUNDER 1

Map below shows the location of sets performed in the Ecosystem RV Survey database (records for all sets displayed are summarized in the table above). The yellow polygon shows the locations of the theoretical spill location. The blue polygon displays the PEZ used for this synthesis.

Industry Survey Database (ISDB)

ISDB is a DFO database that contains at-sea fish catch observations from commercial fishing vessels operating in the North West Atlantic.

The search of ISDB resulted in the Table below that summarizes records by species or species group. Records were cropped to match PEZ.

Total_number_records_ISDB
1328
Species Records
WINTER FLOUNDER 89
AMERICAN LOBSTER 86
SEA SCALLOP 73
FOREIGN ARTICLES,GARBAGE 70
SEA RAVEN 70
STONES AND ROCKS 69
HADDOCK 65
COD(ATLANTIC) 63
LONGHORN SCULPIN 47
WHITE HAKE 46
THORNY SKATE 37
WITCH FLOUNDER 37
SPINY DOGFISH 36
JONAH CRAB 33
MONKFISH,GOOSEFISH,ANGLER 33
SCALLOP SHELLS 30
POLLOCK 28
WINTER SKATE 28
ALEWIFE 27
LITTLE SKATE 23
SMOOTH SKATE 22
SILVER HAKE 21
HERRING(ATLANTIC) 20
ASTEROIDEA S.C. 18
SQUIRREL OR RED HAKE 16
REDFISH UNSEPARATED 15
ATLANTIC ROCK CRAB 14
OCEAN POUT(COMMON) 14
LUMPFISH 13
SKATES (NS) 13
HALIBUT(ATLANTIC) 12
LEMONWEED 12
AMERICAN PLAICE 10
PANDALUS BOREALIS 10
SHAD AMERICAN 10
SEAWEED,(ALGAE),KELP 9
BROWN SEAWEEDS 8
RAINBOW SMELT 6
SHORT-FIN SQUID 6
STRIPED ATLANTIC WOLFFISH 6
FOURBEARD ROCKLING 5
HERMIT CRABS 5
SEA URCHINS 5
SPONGES 5
PORBEAGLE,MACKEREL SHARK 4
SHRIMPS 4
SQUID (NS) 4
SUMMER FLOUNDER 4
ACANTHOCEPHALA P. 3
BRILL/WINDOWPANE 3
OCTOPUS 3
AMERICAN EEL 2
BARNDOOR SKATE 2
BLUEFISH 2
CUNNER 2
CUSK 2
EELPOUTS(NS) 2
SCULPIN (NS) 2
SCULPINS 2
TURBOT,GREENLAND HALIBUT 2
YELLOWTAIL FLOUNDER 2
CEPHALOPODA C. 1
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL 1
HAKE (NS) 1
LONGFIN MAKO 1
MACKEREL(ATLANTIC) 1
OFF-SHORE HAKE 1
PAGURUS SP. 1
PONTASTER SP. 1
PURPLE STARFISH 1
ROCK GUNNEL(EEL) 1
ROUND SKATE 1
SAND DOLLARS 1
SCULPIN 1
SEA CUCUMBERS 1
SNAKE BLENNY 1
TOMCOD(ATLANTIC) 1

The Maritime Fishery Information System (MARFIS)

MARFIS is a DFO database, managed by the Policy and Economics Branch, that houses information on the fisheries of the Maritimes Region. This fishery monitoring information represents a complete census of almost all commercial fishing activities.

The search of MARFIS resulted in the Table below that summarizes records by species or species group. Records were cropped to match PEZ.

Total_number_records_MARFIS
89558
Species Records
HADDOCK 19355
COD 13199
WINTER FLOUNDER 10471
SCALLOP, SEA 9287
WHITE HAKE 6673
POLLOCK 6629
SCULPIN 5210
GREYSOLE/WITCH 3844
HALIBUT 3374
REDFISH 3008
MONKFISH 3005
FLOUNDER, UNSPECIFIED 1757
CATFISH 1388
AMERICAN PLAICE 630
WOLFFISH, STRIPED 437
DOGFISH 224
SEA URCHINS 219
CUSK 169
SHARK, MAKO 122
YELLOWTAIL 78
SKATE 76
SHARK, PORBEAGLE/MACKEREL 69
SHAD 61
GROUNDFISH, UNSPECIFIED 56
HERRING 33
SQUID, UNSPECIFIED 33
GREENLAND HALIBUT/TURBOT 31
SEA CUCUMBER 21
SHARK, UNSPECIFIED 21
SILVER HAKE 20
RED HAKE 19
WOLFFISH, UNSPECIFIED 14
CRAB, ROCK 10
SHARK, BLUE 5
LOBSTER 4
MACKEREL 3
SHRIMP, PANDALUS BOREALIS 2
TUNA, BLUEFIN 1

Map below shows the location of samples recorded in the MARFIS and ISDB databases (records are summarized in the tables/sections above). The yellow polygon shows the locations of the theoretical oil spill site. The blue polygon displays the PEZ used for this synthesis. Records were cropped to match PEZ.

Whale Sightings Database

Most sightings are collected on an opportunistic basis and observations may come from individuals with a variety of expertise in marine mammal identification experiences. Most data have been gathered from platforms of opportunity that were vessel-based. For more information please contact Pamela.Emery@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Map below shows location of marine mammals sightings recorded in the Fisheries and Oceans whale sightings database. Map includes SARA and COSEWIC species within the region of interest. The yellow polygon shows the locations of the theoretical oil spill site. The blue polygon displays the PEZ used for this synthesis.

Resources

Sources of Uncertainty

Coastal areas are generally not adequately sampled on spatial and temporal scales of most relevance to oil spill incidents, i.e. tens to hundreds of meters and hours to months, and hence information on these space and time scales is generally not contained within the various data sources available to DFO, including the surveys referred to in this document. Therefore, there is uncertainty as to the exact distribution of species in the area of the theoretical oil spill.

MARFIS and ISDB do not fully sample the region spatially or temporally and, therefore, additional information on presence and habitat use (i.e. spawning, migration, feeding) must be drawn from larger-scale studies.

The marine mammal sightings database has inherent problems with negative or positive reactions by cetaceans to the approach of such vessels that have not yet been factored into the data. Sighting effort has not been quantified (i.e., the numbers cannot be used to estimate true species density or abundance for an area). Lack of sightings do not represent lack of species present in a particular area. Numbers sighted have not been verified (especially in light of the significant differences in detectability among species). For completeness, the data represent an amalgamation of sightings from a variety of years and seasons.

This document

This synthesis is created using Rmarkdown and therefore this document can be reproduced and reused using the code available in https://github.com/AtlanticR/MSP/tree/master/SearchPEZ. The full document can be updated rapidly as more or different information becomes available.

This document was prepared by the Science MSP Team: Catalina.Gomez@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Gordana.Lazin@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Brian.Bower@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Phil.Greyson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, and Tana.Worcester@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

and PIER team: Adrian.Hamer@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Cara.Harvey@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Acknowledgements

Mike.McMahon@dfo-mpo.gc.ca! for providing code and advice in the use of Mar.datawrangling: A suite of tools for extracting, filtering and aggregating data from the Maritimes fisheries science databases https://github.com/Maritimes/Mar.datawrangling

The Atlantic R Learning & Development Initiative https://github.com/AtlanticR.