With reference to information in the resource booklet, evaluate the sustainability of Canada’s management of the Large Ocean Management Area of the St Lawrence River estuary and Gulf of St Lawrence.

This question requires “Resource booklet-November 2019 SL Paper 1” available under the “your tests” tab > supplemental materials.

pro-sustainable actions [4 max]
beluga whales have protected status (environmental sustainability) / management has stopped hunting of beluga whales to ensure sustainability in the area;
protected marine areas will ensure nursery areas for continued commercial fishing (environmental/economic sustainability);
protected areas can help to conserve species/biodiversity;
government is working to mitigate damage caused by shipping (reducing ship speed to avoid hitting whales) during migratory season of the right whale (environmental sustainability);
aquaculture development can reduce pressure on wild catch (environmental sustainability);
money/income from oil fields could lead to economic sustainability;
improvements in technology reduces the risk of future spills (environmental sustainability);
whale watching brings in money to local communities (economic sustainability) /activities such as whale watching encourages conservation of species/biodiversity;
commercial fishing can be sustainable with use of quotas/limitations on catch times/changes to net size to reduce bycatch (environmental sustainability);
sewage treatment from cities is in place, reducing nutrient/organic/pathogen loading in water (environmental sustainability);
government has promised $197 million into aquatic research which may lead to increased sustainable management/polices;
government has promised to protect 10 % of Canada’s coastline from fishing and drilling which could protect critical habitats/species.

non-sustainable actions [4 max]
shipping lanes go through the marine reserve in the St Lawrence River estuary, disturbing beluga/right whales;
shipping brings in invasive species which are changing the ecology of the region;
the protected areas are small and do not correspond with habitat of critically endangered right whales / protected areas do not cover entire range of beluga whales;
beluga numbers have not increased/right whales are being found dead as there is an ongoing problem/management is not effective;
contaminants from aquaculture can cause algal blooms;
species may escape from aquaculture that could adversely affect native species e.g.create competition for resources/reduce genetic diversity/transfer disease to wild populations;
whale watching can interfere/disturb organisms;
release of untreated sewage in the past has adversely affected some species/water uses / there is lack of government management in controlling discharge of untreated sewage / many people do not have access to sewage treatment resulting in the release of untreated wastewater into waterways;
government has proposed sites for oil and gas exploration/drilling which could adversely affect some species/biodiversity;
an oil spill would irreparably harm the organisms within the protected area;
use of non-renewable natural capital/fossil fuels is unsustainable due to their combustion/use resulting in release of carbon dioxide/GHGs/contributing to climate change;
mean temperatures in the Gulf are rising due to global warming;
there is a lack of strategies to deal with the impacts of climate change/global warming on the fishing industry;
no policies in place to manage pollution of POPs/microplastics/heavy metals / release of pollutants such as POPs/heavy metals is harming some species;
rate of commercial fishing which is greater than the growth rate of the fish is not sustainable / depletion of fish stocks by overfishing is not sustainable;
uncontrolled/poorly managed sport fishing could result in the reduction of some species/biodiversity.

Award [5 max] for both sustainable and non-sustainable actions.

Conclusion [1 max]
A valid conclusion should be credited if it is explicit, balanced (addresses both sides of the argument), supported by evidence and makes a clear value judgement.
Do not credit the conclusion if only one side of the argument has been considered within the overall response.