by Sana Kavanagh, Research and Education Officer, MCG

Marine Emergency Response Planning

The Bay of Fundy is known for its high tides and amazing marine life, but Saint John and the Bay of Fundy are also among Canada’s busiest areas for tanker traffic. That’s why the Government of Canada, led by Transport Canada, is developing an emergency response plan for the Bay of Fundy.

A response plan is a way to prepare for an emergency, such as an oil spill from a tanker. The response plan has many steps.  It starts with mapping the most likely places for oil spills. The next step is to predict how oil will behave in many weather conditions. Once you know where the oil could go, you need to figure out how it could affect the environment and people.

We believe that the entire Bay of Fundy is precious. Yet, identifying important areas can prevent a bad situation from getting worse. The most sensitive areas in the Bay of Fundy can be protected in an emergency. A bay could be special because it is a spawning or nursery area for fish. A cove could be important because Mi’kmaw fish there for food. A small area could feed an entire community through a communal fishery. Other areas are special because they are in Mi’kmaq Legends and stories.

Mi’kmaw Conservation Group will be working with interested Mi’kmaw Communities in mainland Nova Scotia on emergency response planning for ship-source oil spills. We’d like to hear from each community about areas in the Bay of Fundy that need special protection. ...