Impact of increased shipping and potential oil spill on marine mammals in Hudson Strait and Foxe Basin

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has a requirement to perform assessments on the impact of increased shipping and potential oil spill on marine mammals in Hudson Strait and Foxe Basin. Hudson Strait has been identified as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area (EBSA) because of its biodiversity and unique water features. Three (3) EBSAs have also been identified in Foxe Basin because of their high productivity at the sea ice edge and important habitat for walruses and bowhead whales. Shipping in Hudson Strait and Foxe Basin is predicted to increase in the next 10 years due to the transport of natural resources. Several marine mammals use Hudson Strait and Foxe Basin year round or during their seasonal migration. Data on the abundance of these species is deficient or outdated, and areas of high occupancy are poorly understood. For example, the last study to estimate the abundance and distribution of marine mammal in the fall and spring in Hudson Strait were conducted in 2008-2009 by an environmental consulting firm for the impact assessment. As a consequence, predicting marine mammal high use areas and vulnerability in the event of an oil spill is not currently possible. Objectives Develop new statistical models to jointly analyze multi-species data from a broad range of data sources. Develop reproducible code (and potentially an R package) to apply this method to the data. Analyze the Arctic mammal data from Fox Basin and Hudson Strait to identify hotspots and quantify the vulnerability of Arctic marine mammals to increase shipping traffic and oil spills. Draft a report on the vulnerability of Arctic marine mammals to increase shipping traffic and oil spills in Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait. Tasks The Contractor must develop new statistical models to jointly analyze multi-species data from a broad range of data sources. The Contractor must develop reproducible code (and potentially an R package) to apply this method to the data. The Contractor must analyze the Arctic mammal data from Fox Basin and Hudson Strait to identify hotspots and quantify the vulnerability of Arctic marine mammals to increase shipping traffic and oil spills. The Contractor must draft a report on the vulnerability of Arctic marine mammals to increase shipping traffic and oil spills in Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait based on the analysis in 2.2.3. Deliverables The Contractor must provide a reproducible code (and potentially and R package) to apply this method to the data. The Contractor must provide a final report on the vulnerability of Arctic Marine Mammals to increase shipping traffic and oil spills in Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait.