NEPTUNE Canada: Environmental Responsibility

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Environmental responsibility

Environmental concerns are important drivers for the NEPTUNE Canada. We seek not only to observe and understand unique ocean ecosystems, but also to identify and minimize the environmental impacts of our activities. That's why NEPTUNE Canada consulted with First Nations, commercial fishers, federal and provincial agencies, local governments, interest groups, neighbors and to address potential problems during the planning stages.

Additionally, even though no environmental assessment was required under the Act (CEAA 1994), we retained Hemmera Envirochem Inc. to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) document in 2006 to assess the project following the Canadian Environmental Assessment Guidelines. This EA helped the project, the regulators, First Nations and interested parties to understand the potential impacts and benefits of the project. This EA allowed for refinement of the project design to reduce impacts as well as the development of measures to mitigate potential environmental and social effects.

The EA considered many different environmental and social components such as climate/air quality, vegetation, wildlife, marine mammals, land use, seabed use, commercial fishing and protected areas. Each component was addressed within the EA with the following key issues reviewed in greater detail.

Key Environmental Issues

Hydrothermal vents of the Endeavour Marine Protected Area...: ...due to the unique features, potential effects from continued physical studies and protected status.
Unique invertebrate species identified at the Endeavour Ridge...: ...due to their unique habitat requirements and rarity.
Whales...: ...due to the “at risk” status of several of the species within the region, interest from DFO and First Nations regarding the potential for effects on marine mammal communication, movement and grey whale shallow water feeding areas around Barkley Sound.
Eelgrass at the landing site...: ...due to the general status as critical marine/fish habitat by DFO and the presence of eelgrass to the manhole.

Key Social Issues

Commercial ground fishing...: ...as interactions between the cable within or on the ocean bed and bottom fishing gear is a concern for both fishermen and cable companies.
Endeavour Marine Protected Area...: ...as part of the project is located within this protected area, preservation of key features, unique biota and compliance with acceptable activities is required.
Archaeological Resources...: ...protection of sites within Alberni Inlet is important to the Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations.

Conclusions

The following table outlines the results of the effects assessment for the identified key issues.

Key Issues	Conclusions
Endeavour Marine Protected Area	There is the potential for minor adverse effects on the seabed features and sediment due to the temporary and localized nature of installation and operational disturbances and siting to ensure protection of the sensitive Endeavour features. Endeavour Marine Protected Area –preservation of key features, unique biota and compliance with acceptable activities consistent with the protected status of the area is required.
Marine habitat and marine mammals	Effects on shellfish and other marine invertebrates are expected to be very localized and either temporary in nature or of a low magnitude and frequency. It is anticipated that there will be minor, temporary effects on fish and no effects on fish habitat (including eelgrass at the landing site). Anticipated effects on marine mammals (injury or mortality, disturbance from wakes and ship noise, disruption from electromagnetic field emissions and/or disturbance from instrument noise) is expected to be minor, localized and, for most potential effects, temporary in nature.
Commercial fishing	Commercial ground fishing – as interactions between the cable within or on the ocean bed and bottom fishing equipment is a concern for both fishermen and NEPTUNE Canada. The effect on commercial fishing from changes to the seabed as a result of the NEPTUNE infrastructure is expected to be limited to areas where burial is not possible, and around the node and instrument sites.
First Nations	Archaeological Resources – protection of sites within Alberni Inlet is important to the Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations. There is little potential for effects on First Nations interests, as confirmed by the Tseshaht, Hupacasath, Ucluelet and Toquaht Bands.

Natural treasures

Preserving unique ecosystems at Endeavour Ridge

Tubeworm community growing on a hot vent structure in Endeavour Ridge. (Click to enlarge.)

The Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge is an active area of seafloor spreading. In this unusual deep-sea valley, mineral rich water shoots from hydrothermal vents, raining particles and creating sulfide towers festooned with black smoker chimneys. This harsh environment hosts amazingly diverse microbial communities and very high levels of animal biomass. Organisms living here feed on microbes adapted to the high temperatures and toxic environment. For example, one microorganism thrives in super-heated smoker vents at an incredible 121°C. The diffuse vents surrounding the sulfide towers are home to an estimated 500,000 animals per square metre. Approximately 60 species have been identified as native to the Juan de Fuca Ridge and 12 at Endeavour have not been found at any other location.

The Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents Marine Protected Area encompasses five deep-sea hydrothermal vent fields over an area of 82 km². In deploying instruments that allow the world to better observe and understand the unique geologic and biologic treasures of this area, NEPTUNE Canada carefully avoids any activities that could possibly damage this unique ocean treasure.