4.3.2 Other Marine Activities A number of other human activities

GXT GrandSPAN Marine Exploration Program
4.3.2
Environmental Assessment
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
Environmental Assessment
Marine Shipping and Transportation
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Figure 4.105
Environmental Assessment
Small Craft Harbours
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4.3.2.3
Environmental Assessment
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
Farewell - Fogo Island /
Change Islands
Year
Passengers
Passenger Vehicles
Commercial Vehicles
2010/11
165,299
76,162
4,944
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
Environmental Assessment
Argentia / North Sydney Ferry Activity (Seasonal)
Season
2009 (May 3 – October 7)
2010 (May 3 – October 7)
2011 (May 3 – October 7)
2012 (May 3 – October 7)
2013 (May 3 – October 7)
Source: Guiney, K. pers. comm. (2014)
Passengers
29,196
24,392
30,999
25,473
18,506
Passenger Vehicles
12,231
10,293
13,067
11,079
8,305
Commercial Vehicles
739
742
778
887
594
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
2008 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31)
2009 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31)
2010 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31)
2011 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31)
2012 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31)
2013 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31)
Source: Guiney, K. pers. comm. (2014)
Passengers
360,942
368,541
359,184
334,399
328,630
310,842
Passenger Vehicles
121,029
126,132
122,239
114,259
113,367
108,359
Commercial Vehicles
92,299
94,388
98,850
102,360
102,771
99,237
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
Environmental Assessment
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
Environmental Assessment
UXO and Legacy Sites
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4.3.2.6
Environmental Assessment
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
Ocean Treasures Adventures
OQ Close Encounters
Twillingate Adventure Tours
Iceberg Man Tours
Skipper Jim Boat Tours
Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours
Captain Dave’s Fishing and Personalized Tours
Fogo Island Heritage Boat Tours
Coastal Connections
Trinity Eco Tours
Atlantic Adventures Boat Tours
Sea of Whales Adventures
Rugged Beauty Boat Tours
Dildo Island Adventure Tours
Sail Newfoundland
Island Charters Tours (E & S Diving Services)
Perrin’s Marine Adventures
Ocean Quest Adventures
Specialty Fishing Tours
Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours
Dee Jay Charters Boat Tour
Adventure Newfoundland
Newfoundland Eco Adventures
The Outfitters Adventures
Captain Wayne’s Marine Excursions
Gatherall’s Puffin and Whale Watch
O’Brien’s Whale and Bird Tours
Mullowney’s Puffin and Whale Tours
Eco Tours – Witless Bay Wonders
Molly Bawn Whale and Puffn Tours
Stan Cook Sea Kayaking
Newfoundland Coastal Safari
Eastern Outdoors
Source: NLT (2013a)
Location
Lewisporte
Twillingate
Twillingate
Twillingate
Twillingate
Twillingate
Twillingate
Joe Batt’s Arm
Terra Nova Park
Trinity
Trinity
Trinity
New Bonaventure
Dildo
Avondale
Carbonear
Conception Bay
Long Pond
St. John’s
St. John’s
St. John’s
St. John’s
St. John’s
Bay Bulls
Bay Bulls
Bay Bulls
Bay Bulls
Bay Bulls
Witless Bay
Mobile
Cape Broyle
Harbour Mille
Ramea
Activities
Catamaran boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Boat Tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Sea kayaking, SCUBA diving, boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Sail boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Sea kayaking, SCUBA diving and snorkelling
Guided fishing trips and tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Sea Kayaking
Sea Kayaking
Boat tours
Catamaran boat tours
Boat tours
Boat tours
Zodiac boat tours
Boat tours
Sea kayaking
Sea Kayaking
Sea kayaking
In Eastern and Southern Newfoundland, Cruise NL identifies Fogo Island, Trinity and St. John’s as 2014 portsof-call, with visits often occurring on a monthly basis from May to October (Cruise NL 2013).
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Figure 4.107
Environmental Assessment
Some Selected Marine-Based Tourism Activities
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4.3.2.7
Environmental Assessment
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
Waterfowl Ducks
including
Mergansers, Geese
and Snipe
Waterfowl Longtailed Ducks, Eiders
and Scoters
Murre (Turr)
Management
Areas
Northeastern
Coastal / Avalon –
Burin Coastal /
Southern Coastal
Spring / Summer
Seasons
No season
Fall / Winter Seasons
Bag and Possession Limits*
September 21, 2013 to
December 28, 2013
Ducks (6 daily, 18 possession
with other limitations)
Mergansers (6 daily, 12
possession)
Geese (5 daily, 10
possession)
Snipe (10 daily, 20
possession)
6 daily, 12 possession
November 23, 2013 to
February 28, 2014
Hunting Zone 2
Hunting Zone 3
Hunting Zone 4
October 6, 2013 to
January 20, 2014
November 25, 2013 to
March 10, 2014
November 3, 2013 to
January 10, 2014 /
February 2 to March 10,
2014
20 per hunter per day / 40
per hunter at any one time
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
Environmental Assessment
Waterfowl and Murre Hunting Areas
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