*Area shaded in green represents the Strategic Environmental Assessment project area.
Location:
The SEA study area extends from the Gully Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the east to the deep slope waters of the Middle and Eastern Scotian Slope in the southwest.
Special Areas within the study area include Sable Island National Park Reserve, the Gully MPA, and the Western/Emerald Banks Conservation Area Marine Refuge. Sable Island is also protected as a Migratory Bird Sanctuary and an Important Bird Area (IBA).
Ecosystem:
There are fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, and bird species with special conservation status known to occur in the study area (e.g. the Northern bottlenose whale, blue whale, white shark, leatherback sea turtle and roseate tern, as well as other listed species). The SEA area includes critical habitat for the endangered Northern bottlenose whale. The SEA area also includes habitat forming benthic species, such as deep sea corals.
Commercial and Recreational Uses:
Other ocean uses in and around the study area include commercial fishing, shipping, tourism, scientific research, and military activity.
The main fish species currently targeted by commercial fisheries include, but is not limited to, commercially important invertebrate species such as shrimp, clam, snow crab, sea scallop, red crab and rock crab, as well as finfish such as Atlantic herring, bluefin tuna, Atlantic cod, Greenland halibut, haddock, mackerel, pollock, redfish and swordfish and other species. Lobster is currently unlikely to be targeted within the Study Area, though it may be in the future. Some harvesting of gray and harp seals may also occur in the area.
Indigenous Uses:
Indigenous fisheries in the study area may include the targeted commercial fisheries species listed above, with special emphasis on lobster, halibut and flounder.
Migratory species (including fish, birds and mammals) that move through the study area could potentially be harvested by Indigenous communities in coastal areas through commercial fishing, food, social and ceremonial (FSC) fishing, commercial communal fishing or through other harvesting activities.
