Shipping Risk Mitigation Research and Practice in Canada: Considering Area-Based Management Approaches

On 30-31 August 2022 in Halifax, NS, the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) project "Safe Navigation and Environment Protection" (Module N), Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping (Clear Seas) and the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University convened a hybrid workshop entitled "Shipping Risk Mitigation Research and Practice in Canada: Considering Area-Based Management Approaches".

The purpose of the workshop was to consider current and emerging practices of area-based management to mitigate the risks and impacts of shipping in Canada, and to learn from theory, research, and the experiences of practitioners, especially that of Indigenous rights-holders. The workshop was funded by the OFI Module N project with support from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund grant held by OFI. The workshop was attended by 70 people in Halifax, with another 80 participants online from across Canada.

Speakers

• Erin Abou-Abssi, Director of Policy, Oceans North, Ottawa, ON
• David Barclay, Associate Professor, Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
• Leah Beveridge, Interdisciplinary PhD Candidate, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
• Coralie Lessard Bolâtre, Conservation Project Manager, Planning and Marine Conservation, Institut de développement durable des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador | First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute, Wendake, QC
• Sean Brillant, Senior Conservation Biologist, Marine Programs, Canadian Wildlife Federation, Halifax, NS
• Michel Charron, Acting Director, Whale Protection Policy, Transport Canada, Ottawa, ON
• René Chénier, Manager, Geodetic Engineering, Earth Observation and Geomatics, Canadian Hydrographic Service, Ottawa, ON
• Murray Coolican, Board Chair, Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping
• Sam Davin, Specialist, Marine Shipping and Conservation, WWF-Canada, Ottawa, ON
• Antonella Ferro, Director, Marine Navigation in the Fleet and Maritime Services (FMS) branch, Canadian Coast Guard, Ottawa, ON
• Floris Goerlandt, Assistant Professor & Canada Research Chair in Risk Management and Resource Optimization for Marine Industries, Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
• Jody Illasiak, Inuvialuit Game Council, Inuvik, NT
• Peter Kikkert, Irving Shipbuilding Chair in Arctic Policy, Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS
• Chief Russ Jones, Contractor, Marine Planning Program, Council of the Haida Nation, Skidegate, BC
• Robert Lewis-Manning, President, Chamber of Shipping, Vancouver, BC
• Sue McLennan, Manager, Arctic Projects and Governance for the Canadian Coast Guard Arctic Region, Ottawa, ON
• Louise Murgatroyd, Regional Program Manager, Proactive Vessel Management, Transport Canada, Vancouver, BC
• Silke Neve, Senior Director, National Marine Spatial Planning Program, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Ken Paul, Lead Fisheries Negotiator and Research Coordinator, Wolastoqey Nation, New Brunswick
• Lindsey Raymond, Manager, Domestic Shipping Policy, Transport Canada, Ottawa, ON
• Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs, Vice-President Academic, IMO-World Maritime University, Malmo, Sweden
• Desai Shan, Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL
• Mark Stoddard, PhD Candidate, Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
• Bud Streeter, Director, Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping, Halifax, NS
• Anya Waite, Scientific Director & CEO, Ocean Frontier Institute; Dalhousie University Associate Vice-President Research (Ocean), Halifax, NS
• Weishan Wang, Interdisciplinary PhD Candidate, Dalhousie University, Halifax
• Mélissa Whittom, Consultation Project Manager, Centre of Expertise in Consultation and Accommodation, Institut de développement durable des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador | First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute, Wendake, QC

Moderators

• Claudio Aporta, Canadian Chair in Marine Environment Protection, IMO-World Maritime University, Malmo, Sweden
• Aldo Chircop, Professor of Law, Marine & Environmental Law Institute, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
• Bruce Martin, Applied Sciences Manager (Halifax), JASCO Applied Sciences (Canada) Ltd., Halifax, NS
• Meghan Mathieson, Director of Strategy & Innovation, Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping, Vancouver, BC
• Ronald Pelot, Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
• Gregory Wilkie, Commanding Officer, CCG Atlantic Region, Dartmouth, NS

Commentators

• Paul Blomerus, Executive Director, Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping, Vancouver, BC
• Leah Trigg, Postdoctoral Fellow in Large Whale Conservation, Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
• Captain Jack Gallagher, Hammurabi Consulting, Halifax, NS
• Gerald Singh, Assistant Professor and Ocean Nexus Chair in Global Change and Sustainable Development, School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC

Summary Report

Presentations

Individual Presentations

• Keynote | Ken Paul, Wolastoqey Nation, New Brunswick
• Waterway risk analysis as a basis for a framework for risk-based vessel traffic management | Floris Goerlandt, Assistant Professor & Canada Research Chair in Risk Management and Resource Optimization for Marine Industries, Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University
• Vessel traffic management experiences in European waters | Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs, Vice-President Academic, IMO-World Maritime University
• Canada’s experience with vessel traffic management in its marine regions | Antonella Ferro, Director, Marine Navigation in the Fleet and Maritime Services (FMS) branch, Canadian Coast Guard
• Marine spatial planning in Canada | Silke Neve, Senior Director, Marine Spatial Planning, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Area-based management approaches to address marine and atmospheric pollution and impacts from shipping: Practices, successes and failures | Sam Davin, Specialist, Marine Shipping and Conservation, WWF-Canada
• Challenges in incorporating local knowledge in marine spatial planning decision-support tools | Claudio Aporta, Canadian Chair in Marine Environment Protection, IMO-World Maritime University
• Introduction to prevention and mitigation of vessel environmental impacts on marine biological diversity | Bruce Martin, Applied Sciences Manager (Halifax), JASCO Applied Sciences (Canada) Ltd. (moderator)
• Understanding and mitigating underwater noise through routeing measures | David Barclay, Associate Professor, Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University
• Understanding vessel size and speed as a factor in preventing ship strikes of marine mammals | Sean Brillant, Senior Conservation Biologist, Marine Programs, Canadian Wildlife Federation
• Comparing area-based management approaches on east and west coasts | Michel Charron, Acting Director, Whale Protection Policy, Transport Canada
• Arctic Search and Rescue (SAR): Issues, challenges, and pathways to solutions | Peter Kikkert, Irving Shipbuilding Chair in Arctic Policy, Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, St Francis Xavier University and Ronald Pelot, Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University
• Community connectivity in Arctic SAR | Mark Stoddard, PhD Candidate, Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University
• The impact of COVID-19 on Arctic shipping: An occupational health and safety perspective | Desai Shan, Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University
• Context: Area-based management for shipping and Indigenous Peoples’ involvement on three coasts | Weishan Wang, Interdisciplinary PhD Candidate, Dalhousie University
• Atlantic Region: Initiatives and collaborations to make marine navigation safer and more respectful of the environment and Indigenous rights in the St. Lawrence Region | Mélissa Whittom, Consultation Project Manager, Centre of Expertise in Consultation and Accommodation and Coralie Lessard Bolâtre, Conservation Project Manager, Planning and Marine Conservation, Institut de développement durable des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador | First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute
• Pacific Region: Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping on the West Coast of Haida Gwaii | Chief Russ Jones, Contractor Marine Planning Program, Council of the Haida Nation, Louise Murgatroyd, Regional Program Manager, Proactive Vessel Management, Transport Canada and Robert Lewis-Manning, President, Chamber of Shipping,
• Arctic Region: Northern Low-Impact Shipping Corridors initiative and engagement with Inuit, First Nations, and Métis organizations and governments, industry and other Northern partners | Sue McLennan, Manager, Arctic Projects and Governance for the Canadian Coast Guard Arctic Region, Lindsey Raymond, Manager, Domestic Shipping Policy, Transport Canada and René Chénier, Manager, Geodetic Engineering, Earth Observation and Geomatics, Canadian Hydrographic Service
• Arctic Region: Decolonization and Shipping in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region | Jody Illasiak, Shipping Lead, Inuvialuit Game Council and Leah Beveridge, Interdisciplinary PhD Candidate, Dalhousie University

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