MIGRATORY BIRDS
Context
The Project Area and its surroundings are important habitats
for breeding, migrating, and wintering for marine birds.
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Seabird harvest and the good health of the birds are not only important as a food source to Indigenous communities, but also as a cultural significance to Indigenous peoples, especially those in the NunatuKavut communities. Thick-billed murres & common eiders are of particular importance here.
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Within Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, areas such as mainland cliffs and offshore islands & waters shape the community of the migratory birds present in the Project Area.
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The LAA of the Project fosters a high biomass production due to upwelling of nutrients by the Labrador Current which results in being highly populated by birds at any time of the year. Pelagic birds specifically are the most likely to be found within the Project Area. However, waterfowl, divers, shorebirds, and landlords may also be present there.
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Species at Risk (table summary p. 107)​
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9 species with conservation designation are potentially occurring in the RAA or the Project Area
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2 coastal waterfowl species​:
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Harlequin duck​
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3 shorebird species:
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Pipine plover​
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Red knot
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1 phalarope species:
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Red-necked phalarope​
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2 gull species:
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1 raptor species:
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Peregrine falcon​
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10 Important Bird Areas (IBA) sites, often major nesting colonies, include the waters of the RAA. Some of them are also designated federal Migratory Birds Sanctuaries (MBS) or provincial Seabird Ecological Reserves (SERs)
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Baccalieu Island & Witless Bay Islands are found near potential PSV routes ​
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Agency Decision
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The Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects on migratory birds (with mitigation measures in place)
Adverse effects would be:
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reversible
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low to moderate in magnitude
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localized or up to several kilometres
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ceasing upon well abandonment
Predicted Effects
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Critique
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The Proponent has agreed to use alternative formation testing technology whenever possible in order to avoid flaring.
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The daily searches for birds that the EIS has proposed, along with the annual handling permit, the training, and the helicopter route restrictions seem adequate to the issues at hand.
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Artificial lighting and flaring on the MODU are the two main concerns raised by both the public and the Indigenous peoples. The mitigations seem to properly address those issues in a comprehensive manner based on the available literature.
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The EIS used recent research to assess the predicted effects and the follow-up program is an important addition that will keep the Proponent accountable.
STRENGTHS
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Although there is no critical habitat for migratory birds identified within the Project Area, there are IBAs, MBS, and SERs in the RAA. The potential repercussions that exploratory drilling can have on those are uncertain. It is unclear if the EIS has taken them into consideration during the assessment of residual environmental effects.
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Although the decision of the EIS to push for flaring alternatives is commendable, more knowledge about those alternatives is needed to properly assess the impacts on migratory birds.
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The existing literature recognizes that bird fatalities due to lighting attraction or stranding on MODUs are likely under-reported. Such uncertainties then make it difficult to properly predict the effects of the Project, yet, the EIS has evaluated the adverse effects to be low. More research is needed to obtain proper baseline data in order to provide effective mitigation measures.
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Due to the importance of certain seabirds to the Indigenous communities, more studies should be dedicated on migration patterns within the RAA, specifically of thick-billed murres and common eiders.