Building ecologically robust lakes for offsetting fisheries productivity – part 2

Canada is among the world’s largest producers of energy derived from resource extraction. Canada’s Oil Sands Region produces 70% of Canada’s crude oil, and ranks third, after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, in terms of proven global crude oil reserves. In order for Canadian industry to continue to meet this high demand for energy they must adhere to the social and environmental pressures to reclaim and restore the extraction sites to their original condition, and to offset potential environmental destruction. Offsetting is a key component of Canada’s Fisheries Protection Policy under the Fisheries Act. When habitat that is deemed is destroyed, and mitigation is not possible; offsetting measures are required to ensure No Net Loss in fisheries productivity. The Fisheries Act (s 6.1) enshrined offsetting measures into law, with the goal of “sustained yield of one or all … fish species that comprise a fishery in a specified fishing area (Randall et al. 2013)”; including “sustained productivity, as experienced by participants in the fishery at and just before the time of interest (Randall et al. 2013)”.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mark Poesch

Student:

Karling Roberts;Sebastian Theis

Partner:

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.

Discipline:

Resources and environmental management

Sector:

University:

University of Alberta

Program: