TYPE II ERROR ON THE GRAND BANKS TYPE II ERROR ON THE GRAND BANKS INADEQUATE MONITORINGINADEQUATE MONITORING

OF MARINE BIRDS AND MAMMALS OF MARINE BIRDS AND MAMMALS AT HIBERNIA AND TERRA NOVAAT HIBERNIA AND TERRA NOVA

W.A Montevecchi, C.M Burke, G.K. DavorenW.A Montevecchi, C.M Burke, G.K. Davoren22, and F.K. Wiese, and F.K. Wiese33

Coasts Stress ProjectCoasts Stress ProjectBiopsychology Programme, Memorial University of NewfoundlandBiopsychology Programme, Memorial University of Newfoundland

22Zoology Dept., University of Manitoba; Zoology Dept., University of Manitoba; 33School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA

2 MAJOR SOURCES OF OIL 2 MAJOR SOURCES OF OIL POLLUTION IN NEWFOUNDLANDPOLLUTION IN NEWFOUNDLAND

1 – Illegal, chronic discharges of oily 1 – Illegal, chronic discharges of oily waste waters from vessels at sea (eg waste waters from vessels at sea (eg tankers, cargo ships, fishing vessels, tankers, cargo ships, fishing vessels, etc)etc)

2 – Accidental spills and pollution from 2 – Accidental spills and pollution from vessels, oil facilities and offshore vessels, oil facilities and offshore platformsplatforms

Is offshore environmental monitoring adequate?Is offshore environmental monitoring adequate?

Anonymous

Are there significant effects on seabirds and Are there significant effects on seabirds and mammals that are not being detected ?mammals that are not being detected ?

Type II Error Type II Error

Failure to detect an effect due to a weak or Failure to detect an effect due to a weak or ineffective experimental design ineffective experimental design

(particular concern with negative environmental effects Precautionary Approaches)

ObjectivesObjectives • to present data from independent surveys that to present data from independent surveys that

documentdocument

• seasonal diversity, distribution, seasonal diversity, distribution, abundance of birds & mammals on abundance of birds & mammals on support vessel routes & at offshore support vessel routes & at offshore platformsplatforms

• mortality & disturbance associated with oil mortality & disturbance associated with oil and gas activities at offshore platformsand gas activities at offshore platforms

• to use this information to mitigate & to use this information to mitigate & minimize mortality & disturbanceminimize mortality & disturbance

The Characters - Seabird

Diversity

Auks – most vulnerable to oil

pollution

Offshore Oil and Gas ActivityOffshore Oil and Gas Activity

Tanker and Shipping Traffic

Unique Oceanographic RegimeUnique Oceanographic Regime

• lowest penetration of Arctic water in the Atlantic

Regional Seabird Populations

Witless Bay

Baccalieu Island

Common Murre

Atlantic Puffin

Black-legged Kittiwake Manx Shearwater

Lat

itu

de

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

-58 -56 -54 -52 -50

Newfoundland

Funk Island

Cape St. Mary’s

N

Longitude

Northern Gannet

Leach’s Storm-Petrel

Global Seabird PopulationsGlobal Seabird Populations

Northern Migrants

Southern Migrants

• Dovekies

• Thick – billed Murres

• Northern Fulmars

• Sooty Shearwaters

• Greater Shearwaters

N America

S America

Africa

Europe

Offshore Support Vessel SurveysOffshore Support Vessel Surveys

Maersk Bonavista

Survey Design & MethodologySurvey Design & Methodology

Longitude

La

titu

de

Newfoundland

-58 -56 -54 -52 -50 -48

46

48

50

52

Terra Nova

Hibernia

200 m

3000 m

Funk Island

Cape St. Mary's

Baccalieu

Witless Bay

N

Newfoundland

Seasonal Abundance of Marine Birds

0

2

4

6

8

10

Feb Apr May Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov

bir

ds/

kmResults

per

cen

tSeasonal Species Diversity

0

25

50

75

100

Winter Spring Summer Fall

FulmarShearwatersPetrelsGullsKittiwakesAuks

Marine Bird DistributionMarine Bird Distribution

Newfoundland

Mean birds/ 5km

1 to 1.9

2 to 9.9

10 to 60

Lat

itu

de

Longitude

-58 -56 -54 -52 -50 -48

46

48

50

52

FPSO

Hibernia

200 m

3000 m

Funk Island

Cape St. Mary's

Baccalieu

Witless Bay

Newfoundland

N

Marine Mammal Distribution and Abundance Marine Mammal Distribution and Abundance

Humpback whale

mean mammals/per 5 km

1 to 1.9

2 to 4.9

5 to 10

La

titu

de

Terra Nova

Longitude

Newfoundland

Hibernia

-58 -56 -54 -52 -50 -4844

46

48

50

52

54 N

Newfoundland

Funk Island

Cape St. Mary's

Baccalieu

Observations at Offshore PlatformsObservations at Offshore Platforms

• artificial reefsartificial reefs– prey concentrationsprey concentrations– grey water fertilizationgrey water fertilization

• artificial lights and flaresartificial lights and flares

• roosting refugeroosting refuge

Attraction to Offshore PlatformsAttraction to Offshore Platforms

Mortality from Platform FlaresMortality from Platform Flares and Lightsand Lights

Mortality Associated with Oil PollutionMortality Associated with Oil Pollution

Hibernia Ice Wall

• large seasonal shifts in animal diversity, large seasonal shifts in animal diversity, distribution and abundance (changing risks and distribution and abundance (changing risks and vulnerabilities)vulnerabilities)

• offshore platforms create artificial reefs and offshore platforms create artificial reefs and concentrate fish, birds and mammals concentrate fish, birds and mammals

• oil is spilled at platforms and oils seabirds oil is spilled at platforms and oils seabirds

• mortality associated with flaring and collisionsmortality associated with flaring and collisions

Summary

There has never been an effective monitoring system to reliably document mortality, pollution and disturbance associated with offshore developments in eastern Canada

Despite recommendations of the independent report for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (1999) that laid out protocols for such monitoring, there has never been an independent observer allowed on the Hibernia or Terra Nova platforms.

Why?

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

Addressing the ProblemAddressing the Problem

• reinstate discontinued independent monthly offshore reinstate discontinued independent monthly offshore

support vessel surveyssupport vessel surveys

• develop protocols to document mortality and collect develop protocols to document mortality and collect

dead birds dead birds

• legislate arms length dedicated observers legislate arms length dedicated observers

on vessels and platforms as a condition of operationon vessels and platforms as a condition of operation

Industry self reporting will not ensure Industry self reporting will not ensure environmental protectionenvironmental protection