DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE Issues Scan of Selected Coastal and Ocean Areas of Newfoundland and Labrador Final Report Final Report – Issues Scan of Selected Coastal and Ocean Areas of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of Environment and Conservation Prepared for: Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of Environment and Conservation Prepared by: BAE-Newplan Group Limited 1133 Topsail Road Mount Pearl, NF A1N 5G2 Date October 31, 2007 Coastal and Oceans Issues Scan October 2007 Disclaimer Project No. 722785 DISCLAIMER Information in this report is provided by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Although every effort was made to ensure that the information in this report is accurate and complete, its complete integrity cannot be guaranteed. The issues raised in this report do not necessarily represent opinions or professional advice of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Department of Environment and Conservation, or Fisheries and Oceans Canada unless clearly referenced. Information in this report is provided by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Department of Environment and Conservation solely for the user's information and it is provided without warranty, guarantee, or responsibility of any kind. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and its employees will not be liable for any loss or damages of any nature, direct or indirect, arising from use of the information provided in this report. Readers of this report should verify the information provided in this report prior to acting on it. Final Report BAE-Newplan Group Limited Page i Coastal and Oceans Issues Scan October 2007 Acknowledgements Project No. 722785 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Acknowledgment for assistance in the development of this report is given to the Provincial Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, as well as the department of Environment and Conservation. Fisheries and Oceans Canada also played a significant role by contributing advice and relevant past reports completed by the department. Most importantly, considerable thanks are given to the many residents of the coastal management areas that took the time to meet and discuss what they consider to be the coastal and ocean issues in their particular region. Efforts such as theirs play a significant role in attaining the goal of community-driven coastal and ocean management in this province. Final Report BAE-Newplan Group Limited Page ii Coastal and Oceans Issues Scan October 2007 Executive Summary Project No. 722785 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has recently initiated the development of a province-wide coastal and ocean policy framework and strategic plan to support an integrated approach to coastal and ocean management. This report represents the first phase of this initiative: an issues scan of specific coastal and ocean areas of the province. These efforts support the goals of Canada’s Ocean Action Plan (OAP). Several areas of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador have taken the initiative at a community-level to develop integrated management committees to address coastal and ocean management in their particular region. At this point in time, five specific regions have approached the province to bring attention to the coastal and ocean issues in their region: the Great Northern Peninsula, the Bay of Islands, the Coast of Bays, Placentia Bay, as well as Bay St. George/Port-au-Port Peninsula1. These five regions represent coastal management areas (CMAs), geographic areas that support collaboration among multi-sector oceans users; respond to environmental threats; and support economic opportunity. Large Ocean Management Areas (LOMAs) are geographical areas designated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada as having high priority for ocean management. Ecological reserves, provincial parks, and natural areas nested within two Federal LOMAs, the Gulf of St. Lawrence LOMA and the Placentia Bay-Grand Banks LOMA, are also included in this report. Prior to the future development of a policy framework and strategic plan for coastal and ocean management in this province, it was deemed necessary to complete a review of coastal and ocean issues in these priority coastal areas. Following a review of current literature and meeting with representatives of a variety of stakeholder groups from across the province, the coastal and ocean issues of these areas began to emerge. These various issues have been placed into twelve over-arching ‘Aspects of Coastal and Ocean Management’ categories: Aquaculture, Commercial Fisheries and Fish Processing, Marine Infrastructure, Land-Based Infrastructure, Land-use Planning, Climate Change, Tourism, Integrated Management, Community Sustainability, Culture and Heritage, Natural Areas, and Marine Environmental Quality. Results of the literature search are provided in two Appendices, one for documents used in this report, and a second for future use in policy development. Due to differing circumstances and activities in each of these regions, the scope and priority of issues differed for each coastal management area. Considering the current issues raised and apparent trends in current and future activities, a set of recommendations has been given. These recommendations are provided to assist with effective development and implementation of a policy framework and strategic plan for coastal and ocean management in this province. 1 Please note that the Bay St. George CMA was established after initial discussions for this project began, and is therefore not included in this scope of work. Final Report BAE-Newplan Group Limited Page iii