STRATEGY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS FIVE INTERIOR WATER BODIES

Transcription

1 STRATEGY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS FIVE INTERIOR WATER BODIES PRESENTED BY JOSIANE BERGERON BIOLOGIST AND PROJECT MANAGER TO FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA QUEBEC REGION MAY 2007

2 Legal deposit - Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, 2007 Legal deposit - Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2007

3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project has been realized with the support from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and from the Société d Aide au Développement de la Collectivité des Îles-de-la- Madeleine as well as with support from the following partners: Fisheries and Oceans Canada Integrated management committees of the interior water bodies Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine Ministère de l Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) Ministère du Développement durable, de l Environnement et des Parcs du Québec (MDDEP) Tourisme Îles-de-la-Madeleine Association des pêcheurs propriétaires des Îles-de-la-Madeleine (APPÎM) Centre Local de Développement (CLD) Conseil régional de l environnement Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine (CREGÎM) Club vacances Les Îles Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine I wish to thank all of those who took part in the realization of this project, directly or indirectly: Yves Martinet for designing the maps that are presented in this document as well as for his comments and corrections, Helene Tivemark and Selma Pereira for their comments and corrections. The members from the integrated management committees of the five interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands (Bassin au Huîtres, Grande Entrée Lagoon, Havre au Maisons Lagoon, Havre au Basques Bay and Bassin Bay) deserve special thanks for they generously agreed to fill up a questionnaire and to give us their comments in order to establish the priorities for action presented in this document. Finally, I pay special thanks to the members of the board of the ZIP Committee for their support and their work, which are really appreciated. ii

4 SUMMARY Since October 2006, the financing of integrated management was changed, mostly concerning the position of coordinator of the five integrated management committees of the interior water bodies, which until then had been financed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The project described here was elaborated to allow the ZIP Committee of the Magdalen Islands, the organisation that provides a coordination of the five integrated management committees in the Magdalen Islands, to simplify the procedures and processes related to integrated management on the archipelago. Therefore, the objective of this project is to elaborate a concrete and easy to apply implementation strategy for the priorities epressed in the integrated management plans of each committee and to incite the participation rate at the committees meetings. The main objective is to provide a continuous and efficient realisation of the priorities epressed in the integrated management plans. Using specific criteria, these priorities were organized into a hierarchy, which will serve as a tangible tool for the realization of future actions. The structure and process of this Strategy could potentially be used in other projects of integrated management in the province, which makes this an eportable product. iii

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements... ii Summary... iii Table of contents... iv List of appendices... v List of tables... vi List of maps... vii 1. INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY Thematic synopsis Consultation of the members of the integrated management committees Ranking of the actions THEMES AND STAKES Human activities and water quality Fauna and flora Land protection, conservation and enhancement Awareness and communication SUMMARY OF THE MEETINGS Meetings with members of the integrated management committees Assembly with students from the Centre d études collégiales des Îles STRATEGY FOR THE REALIZATION OF THE ACTIONS STRATEGY TO ENHANCE PARTICIPATION RATES AND MEMBER S INVOLVEMENT TO THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS INTERIOR WATER BODIES CONCLUSION REFERENCES APPENDICES iv

6 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX 1. Actions from integrated management plans and from the Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plan (ERAP) APPENDIX 2. Eample of a questionnaire used in the project of strategy of implementation of the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies APPENDIX 3. Total ratings of the distinct actions epressed in the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies APPENDIX 4. Total ratings of common actions from the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies APPENDIX 5. Eample of a table meant for the follow-up of the realization of actions epressed in the integrated management plans APPENDIX 6. Maps APPENDIX 7. Photos of the meetings APPENDIX 8. Press kit v

7 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Table 2. Table 3. Table 4. Table 5. Table 6. Table 7. Table 8. Table 9. Table 10. Table 11. Table 12. Classification system of stakes associated to the action plans and to the ERAPs... 3 Classification system of actions associated to the action plans and to the ERAPs... 4 Total ratings of distinct actions from Bassin au Huîtres s integrated management plan Total ratings of distinct actions from Bassin Bay s integrated management plan Total ratings of distinct actions from Havre au Maisons Lagoon integrated management plan Total ratings of distinct actions from Havre au Basques Bay integrated management plan Total ratings of distinct actions from Grande Entrée Lagoon integrated management plan Total ratings of common actions from the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies Actions from integrated management plans and from the Ecological Rehabilitation action Plan (ERAP) Total ratings of the distinct actions epressed in the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies Total ratings of the common actions from the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies Eample of a table meant for the follow-up of the realization of actions epressed in the integrated management plans vi

8 LIST OF MAPS Map 1. Location of actions from the integrated management plans of all the Magdalen Islands interior water bodies Map 2. Location of actions from the integrated management plan of Bassin au Huîtres Map 3. Location of actions from the integrated management plan of the Grande Entrée Lagoon Map 4. Location of actions from the integrated management plan of the Havre au Maisons Lagoon Map 5. Map 6. Location of actions from the integrated management plan of the Havre au Basques Bay Location of actions from the integrated management plan of Bassin Bay vii

9 1. INTRODUCTION The ZIP Committee of the Magdalen Islands is a collaboration organization working in the field of environment whose main mandate is to promote knowledge about the St. Lawrence River (river, Gulf, tributaries, embankments, wetlands, etc.) and to encourage local initiatives of protection, restoration, conservation and enhancement of the uses and resources of the St. Lawrence that comply with sustainable development. Since it started in 1999, the committee has had many accomplishments. In 2000, within the frame of Community Interaction Program of St. Lawrence Vision 2000 and with support from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the ZIP Committee, among other things, has realized a project entitled, «Comprendre le passé pour mieu gérer l avenir». This project led to the formation of five separate integrated management committees (one for each water body) uniting all fields of activity and major interveners in the water bodies and their surroundings. Integrated management of the water bodies led, time after time, to the creation of ties between members issued from various groups of users and allowed the identification of common priorities by users of a same water body; these priorities have been described in management plans for each water body in Therefore, each committee has in hands a management plan that establishes its actions priorities. Since 2001, the ZIP Committee is coordinator and leader of the five projects of integrated management of the interior water bodies. In the past, a person hired by the ZIP Committee through a DFO-ZIP agreement, was in charge of coordinating the integrated management committees, in order to plan for projects related to integrated management and to confirm the priorities for action with the members when projects were under way. However, the financing of this position has been cancelled in October Instead of being negotiated and credited annually, DFO s funds will now be granted according to projects presented by all management committees on a competitive basis. This situation has led the committees of the five interior water bodies to think of a project that could help them with the planning and realization of their future actions. The actual project s objective is to elaborate a concrete strategy to implement the priorities set forth in the integrated management plans of each committee and to incite the 1

10 participation rate at the committees meetings. The integrated management committee members clearly stated, during meetings held during the fall of 2006, that their interest was directly related to the number of real actions undertaken in the water bodies. This project aims at ensuring a continuous and effective accomplishment of the priorities epressed in the integrated management plans, despite the absence of a coordinator for the committees. The document issued from this project will be shared with project collaborators, interveners and with all integrated management initiatives and ZIP Committees through Internet. This strategy of implementation of the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies first presents a thematic synopsis describing all the actions epressed inside the integrated management plans as well as actions epressed in the Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plan of the ZIP Committee that are related to the interior water bodies. Then, summaries of the meetings with integrated management committee members and various interveners of the area as well as of a meeting with some college students of Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles are presented. In the last part is the strategy in itself, including the ranking of the actions to be done according to specific criteria and the means chosen to enhance the participation rate at the management meetings. 2

11 2. METHODOLOGY 2.1 Thematic synopsis The first step of this task was to decide on themes and stakes that comprise all the actions set forth in the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five main water bodies. To do so, a list of the actions was written indicating what water body it was related to. When two actions or more were similar or had a common goal, they were combined. For instance, the follow-up of the work done by DFO and MAPAQ on the carrying capacity of the water body and assessment of the carrying capacity of the lagoon were combined into assessment of the water body carrying capacity and monitoring of the work done by DFO and MAPAQ on this subject. The various actions were then integrated in stakes, which were themselves united under some global themes. The second step consisted in classifying the stakes and actions as being common to the different water bodies or as being distinct (refer to Appendi 1). Several categories were established and are presented in the net tables. Table 1. Classification system of stakes associated to the action plans and to the ERAPs (Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plans) Class Common or distinct Stake Number of action plans having an action under this stake Stake relevant for all water bodies Stake not relevant for all water bodies I-A Distinct 1 I-B Distinct 1 II-A Common 2 II-B Common 2 III-A Common 3 III-B Common 3 IV-A Common 4 IV-B Common 4 V Common 5 * Addition of letter P if stake includes one or several actions from the ERAPs (e.g. Stake class II-AP); PA if stake comes only from the ERAPs. 3

12 Table 2. Classification system of actions associated to the action plans and to the ERAPs. Class Common or distinct action Number of action plans mentioning this action Action relevant for all water bodies Action not relevant for all water bodies I-A Distinct 1 I-B Distinct 1 II-A Common 2 II-B Common 2 III-A Common 3 III-B Common 3 IV-A Common 4 IV-B Common 4 V Common 5 * Addition of letter P if action is also stated in the ERAPs. (E.g. Action class II-AP); PA if action comes only from the ERAPs. This classification system allows categorizing each stake and each action according to the number of action plans that propose it and also on their relevance for all the interior water bodies. The relevance of one action for all water bodies was evaluated with the knowledge and information available, but the relevance of these actions will be confirmed with the integrated management committee members if projects based on these actions would be undertaken. The stakes and actions classified as I are distinct because they are mentioned in only one action plan. Classes II to V are for common stakes and are selected according to the number of action plans in which they are epressed. The letter A means the action is, according to us, relevant for all water bodies, even though it might in some cases be mentioned in only one of the integrated management plans. For instance, the cleaning of the embankments of the water body is relevant for all water bodies even if only three of the integrated management committees mentioned it in their management plan. The letter B means the action is specific to one water body or the ones involved and that it is not considered relevant for the other water bodies. The letter P is added to the classification system to show that an action also comes from the Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plan of the Magdalen Islands (PARE). As an eample, an action classified II-AP would be presented in two management plans, be considered relevant for all water bodies and also be found in the ERAP. A PA type action would be 4

13 found only in the ERAP and be relevant for all water bodies. However, the actions found only in the ERAP have not been retained for the elaboration of the strategy since they did not come from an integrated management process. After presenting an action and its classification, projects already realized or in progress and that are related with this action are also briefly presented. More or less details are given according to the information that was available. When nothing is indicated after the presentation of an action, it means no project was undertaken under this action, according to our information. It is also possible that some initiatives related to an action and coming from a management plan has been realized in another water body. For instance, the cleaning the embankments of the water body was epressed in the integrated management plan of the Bassin au Huîtres, of the Grande-Entrée Lagoon and of Bassin Bay, but it was done in Havre au Basques Bay and in the Havre au Maisons Lagoon as well as in the Grande Entrée Lagoon and in Bassin Bay, because requests were made in these areas for doing so. 2.2 Consultation of the members of the integrated management committees Invitations to the meeting were sent by mail, by and by telephone over a few days and also through announcements on the local radio (CFIM) and in the local weekly newspaper (Le Radar, refer to the press kit, Appendi 8). The meeting with the integrated management committee members and several other interveners was held on Sunday April 15, 2007 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the brewery À l abri de la tempête. The emphasis was put on the festive nature of the meeting in order to encourage members to attend it. Several partners contributed to the meeting with short information speeches. They were: Mr Yves Martinet of the ZIP Committee of the Magdalen Islands, Mrs Selma Pereira from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Mr Maurice Gaudet from the MAPAQ, Mr Sébastien Cyr from Tourisme Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Mr Joël Arseneau, mayor of Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine. The other partners in this project of integrated management in the Magdalen Islands (APPÎM, CLD, CREGÎM, Club vacances Les Îles) all received a copy of the thematic synopsis and were invited to send their comments on the document and to inform us of the actions they consider important. No comment was received yet, probably because some of their representatives were attending the meeting. 5

14 The members know what is their priority for action for their own water body, but in the frame of this project, it was also important to rank all the actions presented in the integrated management plans of all the committees. For collecting the members comments on the ranking of the actions, a questionnaire was given to them to know what environmental, social and economic importance they give to each one of the actions epressed in their own action plans. Indeed, for each action set forth in these, the members had to qualify the actions as: very important (3), important (2), not so important (1) or not important (0) on the environmental, social and economic viewpoint. Actions coming only from the Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plan (ERAP) were not included in the questionnaire since the latter was meant for the actions epressed in the integrated management plans. An eample of this questionnaire is presented in Appendi 2. After the meeting, questionnaires were sent by mail or to the members that did not attend the meeting in order to collect as many comments as possible. Several completed questionnaires were received by mail, and fa. 2.3 Ranking of the actions Establishing an order for the realization of the different priorities for action of the integrated management committees is one of the main objectives of this project. The actions common to several water bodies and those concerning only one water body were ranked separately. In order to rank these actions, several criteria, which are described in the net paragraphs, were used to give each action a total rating. These criteria are:?? Importance of the action for the members (9 points);?? Total 1, partial or zero achievement of the action (5 points);?? Number of water bodies concerned by the action (only for the common actions) (5 points);?? Correspondence with a priority from ERAP (1 point). 1 Some actions that were completely achieved were also included in the process because the members consider them very important and they will be done again. 6

15 2.3.1 Common actions For the common actions, a rating of 9 was first attributed based on the results from the surveys given to the members of the integrated management committees (environmental perspective: 3, social perspective: 3, economic perspective: 3). Since common actions were stated in at least two management plans and since the number of responses was not equal for each water body, the results were weighted in order to avoid the opinions from one water body to be overrepresented compared to the others. To this initial rating between 1 and 9, another rating of 5 was added according to the level of achievement of the action. A complete achievement was granted a 1, a partial achievement was given a 3 and no achievement at all received a rating of 5. This was meant to promote actions that had never been realized compared to those that had been accomplished in total or in part. Another rating of 5 was also granted according to the number of water bodies that were concerned by an action. An action planned in five integrated management plans deserved a rating of 5, an action planned in four plans deserved a rating of 4, an action planned in three plans deserved 3 and so on. This criterion was meant to put forward actions that concerned the largest number of water bodies. An action that has a great importance for the members of few water bodies can nevertheless obtain a higher rating than an action touching more water bodies but having less importance for the members. This criterion allows deciding between criteria that have a similar level of importance for the members. One last rating was credited if a common action (epressed in more than two integrated management plans) was also present in the ERAP. In this case, one (1) more point was credited. The maimum rating an action could obtain was of Distinct Actions As for actions that were distinct for one water body, similar ratings were used in order to rank them, in the eception of the rating that was given for the number of water bodies concerned by an action. The rating given according to the answers in the questionnaires completed by the committee members (/9), the rating according to the level of achievement of the action (/5) and the one in regard of the ERAP (/1) were all used in the same manner as for the common actions. The maimum rating an action could obtain was of 15. 7

16 3. THEMES AND STAKES The various actions epressed in the five integrated management plans and in the ERAP are united under stakes that are later unified into themes. Four themes are found in this document:?? Human activities and water quality;?? Fauna and flora;?? Land protection, conservation and enhancement?? Awareness and communication. The different actions mentioned in this document are also presented in Appendi 6 on maps representing the five interior water bodies. Action codes are used to alleviate the maps and a listing of these codes follows the maps. 3.1 Human activities and water quality The theme human activities and water quality includes stakes related to cleanliness of the embankments, water body carrying capacity, management of wastewater discharges in the water bodies and acquisition of knowledge on the interior water bodies. Awareness actions related to practices and to water quality such as informing schoolchildren of activities taking place in water bodies and teaching them to make good use of it, are not included in this theme but rather joined under the theme awareness and communication. The theme human activities and water quality has some thirty actions integrated under three different stakes. Stake 1.1: Acquisition of knowledge on water bodies This common stake for the five integrated management plans (type V-A) comprises twelve distinct actions. The action collecting field data on the uses related to the water bodies (1.1 A) is of type V-A. Finding professionals who can help the Committee and bring epertise on future epansions and/or problems in the water body is an action of type I-A that is unique to the Havre au Basques Lagoon management plan. This action is considered partly achieved since the ZIP Committee already has a good network of partners and contacts in the Islands and elsewhere. Acquisition of knowledge and 8

17 monitoring the physico-chemical conditions of the water body is a common action in the integrated management plans of Grande Entrée Lagoon and Havre au Basques Bay (type II-A). Mapping out the water circulation pattern in the water body is an I-A type action unique to the management plan of Bassin Bay. Mapping out the sedimentation pattern in the water body is a II-A type action, stated in the management plans of Havre au Maisons Lagoon and Havre au Basques Bay. This action has already been achieved partially in the Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons lagoons. Updating the water body bathymetry is a III-A type action suggested in the management plans of Bassin au Huîtres, Havre au Maisons Lagoon and Havre au Basques Bay. This action was done in the Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons lagoons and in Bassin Bay. Another action included in this stake is researching the limitations and opportunities for the development of various activities in order to establish a zoning map. This action is found only in the management plan of Havre au Basques Bay and is thus of type I-A. Mapping out the development potential for human activities and discussion with the members on that topic is a I-A type action, distinct to the management plan of Havre au Maisons Lagoon. Updating the cartography of uses, resources and eploitations of the water body described in the Atlas and the history of the water body is a V-A type action since it is stated in all integrated management plans. This action could be ongoing once we can have access to data that are currently non available. Making the Atlas and history of the water body available through Internet is a I-A type action, unique to the management plan of Bassin Bay. The acquisition and transmission of the knowledge on the species found in the water body, on any newly developed activity, on its carrying capacity and on various subjects of interest is a II-A type action common to the management plans of Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons lagoons. Fact sheets have already been written on the species found in these water bodies (refer to stake 2.2). The last action related to this stake is assessment of the water body carrying capacity and monitoring of the work done by DFO and MAPAQ on this subject. A task force bringing together researchers from ISMER, UQAR, MAPAQ and DFO is currently working on the assessment of the carrying capacity of the water bodies and a paper has recently been published on this subject (Grant et al., 2007). 9

18 Stake 1.2: Cleanliness of the embankments and interior water bodies The stake concerning the cleaning of the water bodies concerns all of them and is thus of type V-AP since all the integrated management plans and the Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plan (ERAP) suggest at least one action included under this stake. One of them is encouraging the users and local organizations to get involved in the annual cleaning of the water body embankments. This action of type I-A is unique to the integrated management plan of Havre au Basques Bay. Cleaning the embankments of the water bodies is a III-AP type action common to the management plans of Bassin au Huîtres, Grande Entrée Lagoon, Bassin Bay and the ERAP (technical sheet 1.2.2). Note that this action has been accomplished in Havre au Basques Bay, in the lagoons of Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons and in Bassin Bay. As for the lagoon in Grande Entrée, two cleanings were done in 2000 and 2001 and, in 2003, a cleaning of bigger wastes (engines, huge metal pieces, etc.) was done with the help of a helicopter. A cleaning of the embankments of the Havre au Maisons Lagoon was also done in the fall of In Bassin Bay, the cleaning of the embankments was done on the World Ocean Day in 2003 with children from Au Iris school and scouts of Bassin and Havre-Aubert. The activity of type III-AP, cleaning of the water body bottom (including huge metal traps, plastic baskets, etc.) is common to the integrated management plans of Bassin au Huîtres, the Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons lagoons and to the ERAP ( technical sheet 1.2.2). This action has already been accomplished in Havre au Basques Bay in a very limited way; a few nets and ancient fishing gear were removed from the lagoon with the help of volunteers working in motorboats. Cleaning of the bottom had also been done partially in the Grande Entrée Lagoon when old mariculture gear (lines, anchors, buoys) had been removed from the water body. The bottom of the lagoon in Havre au Maisons has also been cleaned in 2003; plastic baskets and a big metal trap had been removed. Stake 1.3: Management of wastewaters and water purity in the water bodies Management of wastewaters is a very important stake in the Magdalen Islands in order to maintain the purity of the water bodies and to preserve the various activities taking place there. This stake is common to all water bodies and is of type V-AP. Actions such as reducing wastewater discharges by 50% before 2010 and ensuring a better management 10

19 of wastewaters from isolated dwellings are PA-type actions suggested in the ERAP ( technical sheet 4.2). Source reduction of wastewater discharges in Petite Baie (Havreau-Maisons) and in Bassin Bay (Havre-Aubert) in order to support the reopening of shellfish beds without restriction is also an action stated in the ERAP ( technical sheet 4.1) (type PA). The integrated management plan of Bassin au Huîtres suggests the action description of the new buildings surrounding the water body and of wastewater treatment systems (type I-A). In 2005, the coordinator of the integrated management committees mapped the new buildings around Bassin au Huîtres with the help of Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Monitoring the pollutants in the water body and approaching the Municipalité des Îles regarding the monitoring of water quality in Clarke Bay and the brook that flows into it are actions of type I-A, unique to the management plan of Grande Entrée Lagoon. Another action included in this stake is collecting information on the lagoon water quality, mostly during the tourist season. This action (type I-A) is unique to the management plan of the Havre au Maisons Lagoon. The action being better informed about the pollutants in the bay s water is presented in the management plan of Bassin Bay. This action (type I-A) has already been partially completed for the lagoon of Havre au Maisons with the edition of technical sheets on glycol and urea, two potential pollutants of this water body. These technical sheets were produced in 2002 and were distributed to the members of the integrated management committee of Havre au Maisons Lagoon. Water purification in the water body is a common action in the management plans from Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons lagoons and from Bassin Bay (type III-A). In 2001, the project Cueillir des mollusques au Îles de la Madeleine allowed the identification of contamination sources of several closed shellfish beds. The production of technical guides on wastewater management is another ongoing project by the ZIP Committee that originated from the ERAP and that will possibly lead to an enhancement of the water quality in the interior water bodies. Approaching Environment Canada regarding the identification of contamination sources of major shellfish beds that are open under conditions is a I-A type action stated in the management plan of the Grande Entrée Lagoon. Such approaches have already been started with Environment Canada and a project has also been accomplished in 2005 by DFO and the ZIP Committee to identify the contamination sources, but the results were not conclusive. This project 11

20 will be repeated when the analysis methods permit it. The project called Cueillir des mollusques au Îles de la Madeleine can also be considered part of this action, and the same is true for the seal inventories presented net. Indeed, the action inventorying seals inside the water body (at the end of Dune du Sud) is part of the management plan of the Grande Entrée Lagoon and is of type I-B. The link between this one and the purity of the water bodies is that a herd of seals is present in the Grande Entrée Lagoon and that their feces probably have to do with the bacteriological contamination of the water (faecal coliforms), inasmuch as no other source of contamination was found until now in this area. In addition, the contamination happens during the summer, the season when seals are present in the lagoon. In 2005 and 2006, the seal inventory in the Grande Entrée Lagoon was done twice. Up to fifty seals have been observed in 2005 and 141 seals in 2006 (Comité ZIP, 2006). Finding a solution to the foul odours at la Martinique (northern part of Havre au Basques Bay) and obtaining information on the cause of strong odours that occur in some areas of Bassin Bay during the summer are two actions of type I-B presented in the management plans of Havre au Basques Lagoon and of Bassin Bay respectively. Ensuring a follow-up on animal carcasses found on the embankments (seals, etc.) is a I-B type action stated in the management plan of Bassin Bay. We have included this action under this stake because dead animal bodies can be a source of pollution and because they can produce strong odours that cause prejudice to local residents and to users of the water bodies. Etend the sampling by Environment Canada to all sites showing a mariculture potential and obtaining a global picture of the water quality around the islands and ensuring a regular updating of these data are two actions stated by the ERAP (technical sheet 3.1) that are of type PA. This action is currently carried out by Environment Canada. 3.2 Fauna and flora The theme fauna and flora includes three stakes and thirteen actions related to animal and plant species that live close or inside the interior water bodies. The actions related to species that are important to the fishing and mariculture industries are also included in this theme, such as the evaluation of clams and mussel beds in the water body and the creation of a good practices code for the tomcod fishermen. 12

21 Stake 2.1: Introduction of eotic species This stake of type III-A involves three actions that come from three different management plans. Building awareness in the population to avoid introducing new non-indigenous species in the water body (e.g., algae from home aquariums) is an action unique to the integrated management plan of Havre au Basques Bay (type I-A). DFO made several campaigns to build awareness on this subject since Approaching DFO in order to be kept aware of the follow-up on the deballasting problem and non-indigenous species is also a I-A type action set forth in the management plan of Grande Entrée Lagoon. A resource person from DFO attends the integrated management committee of the Grande Entrée Lagoon and can inform the members about this file. Finally, scouting for the presence of non-indigenous species is a I-A type action, distinct for the management plan of Bassin Bay. The ZIP Committee is one in a network of observers (12 members) that informs Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) of the observation of any invading species. The ZIP Committee can also sometime collaborate with DFO for inventorying some invading species such as the Green crab (Carcinus maenas), the Oyster thief (Codium fragile tomentosoides) etc., for the benefit of the integrated management committees. During the meeting of these committees that was held for this project, the committee members also benefited from a presentation on invading species. Stake 2.2: Lack of knowledge on fauna and flora Three different actions are included in this III-A stake. The first one, collecting information on cormorant population movements and evaluating their population on Île rouge, is an action common to the integrated management plans of Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons lagoons (type II-B). The Canadian Wildlife Service does sporadic inventories of the cormorants population (usually every five years) and their data are available. The Grande Entrée management plan also mentions the action inventorying the bird colonies (Roseate tern) in the water body (approaches with the Canadian Wildlife Service), which is a distinct action of type I-B. The Canadian Wildlife Service also does annual inventories of this endangered species in collaboration with Attention FragÎles and the results are also available. The action inventory and bibliographic searching on the flora and fauna found in the water body and on the embankments completes this stake. 13

22 That one is a distinct action set forth in the management plan of Bassin Bay (type I-A). Note that fact sheets of some animal species found in water bodies have already been written from 2002 to Among these are fact sheets on the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), American lobster (Homarus americanus) and oyster (Crassostrea virginica). These fact sheets were distributed to the members of the integrated management committees of Havre au Maisons and Grande Entrée lagoons. Stake 2.3: Fisheries and aquaculture This II-AP type stake includes seven different actions; four of them are related to American oyster populations found in the Bassin au Huîtres and Clarke Bay. Indeed, inventorying oysters, collecting information on the possibility of oyster spat transfers, moving oysters from Clarke Bay to Bassin au Huîtres and, seeding oysters in order to ensure the sustainability of small-scale harvesting are four I-B type actions epressed in the integrated management plan of Bassin au Huîtres. Inventories of oyster populations in Clarke Bay and in Bassin au Huîtres were done in 2005 and The committee members of Bassin au Huîtres eagerly epect another project currently in preparation. If Fisheries and Oceans Canada agrees to support it, the transfer of oysters from Clarke Bay to Bassin au Huîtres will start in the summer of Also, the redaction of a good practices code for tomcod fishermen is a I-B type action mentioned in the management plan of Havre au Maisons Lagoon. We consider this action as achieved since a good practices code for the users of the Havre au Maisons Lagoon (including tomcod fishermen) has already been written in 2003 in the framework of the integrated management. It has been circulated to the members of the integrated management Committee and was posted in the Club Nautique du Chenal. Some approaches were also done with the municipal authorities (inspectors) to inform them of the problem (wastes left on the spot, old ice-fishing cabins on the ice and on the embankments, etc.) and to incite them to intervene. The authorities then did a short follow-up with a few fishermen to make them aware of the problem. The management plan of Havre au Maisons Lagoon also states the action evaluation of clam and mussel beds in the water body (type I-A). Clam beds inventories were done during the fall of Four sites were then inventoried by the ZIP Committee for DFO: the area of Pointe à Frank in the Havre au Maisons 14

23 Lagoon, the area located west from Pointe-au-Loups (south-east side), the area located east from Pointe-au-Loups (northeast side) and the Dune du Sud area in the Grande Entrée Lagoon. The last action included under this stake is massive seeding of scallops (50 million per year) in order to bring the stock back to the levels of the 70 s. This action if of type PB and comes from the ERAP (technical sheet 3.2). Pétoncle 2000 was the company that used to catch scallop spat and that seeded young scallops from years 2000 to The company Cultimer Inc., that bought Pétoncle 2000 s assets, doesn t seed the sea bottoms any more; its activities are concentrated on scallop aquaculture in the lagoons. 3.3 Land protection, conservation and enhancement The theme land protection, conservation and enhancement includes diversified stakes (13), from the protection of sand dunes and coastal zone to the reconditioning of bridges and dredging of the water bodies. The stakes presented under this theme are usually specific to one water body and are not associated to a great number of actions (24 in total). Stake 3.1: National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) This I-A type stake comprises only one action, follow-up on the project of implementation of a National Marine Conservation Area. This action of type I-A is distinct to the integrated management plan of Grande Entrée Lagoon. It is nevertheless very relevant for the whole territory of the Magdalen Islands. A local advisory committee on the feasibility of the project was formed in Several interveners are taking part in it, the ZIP Committee among them. No meeting was held until now and the project seems to be progressing slowly. However, the ZIP Committee obtained contracts in 2005 from Parks Canada in order to map the area under study using eisting data and to validate a study (regional diagnostic) produced in 2004 by a private consultant. These two contracts improved Parks Canada s data and allowed to have a closer look at the project of implementing a NMCA in the Magdalen Islands. Following a request from the integrated management committee members, a public information and discussion meeting was held with Parks Canada s representatives. 15

24 Stake 3.2: Cranberry harvesting This PA-type stake includes only one PA-type action suggested by the ERAP: evaluating the impact of cranberry harvesting methods, developing new methods and defining areas for its commercial harvesting (technical sheet 1.1.2). In 2003, the ZIP Committee wrote a good practices guide for cranberry harvesting in the Magdalen Islands in order to promote less damageable methods, such as manual harvesting. This action is considered only partly achieved since areas for commercial harvesting have not been defined during the eecution of this project. Follow-up in this affair has been mainly in the hands of the municipality, and their approaches along with the Centre Local de Développement for creating a workers' cooperative for cranberry harvesting has not yet succeeded. Stake 3.3: Motor vehicle traffic Motor vehicle traffic is a major stake (type I-AP) in the Magdalen Islands, because of the importance of the sand dune and lagoon environments on this land. Off the road motor traffic in sand dunes destabilizes the vegetation and weakens the sand dunes that become more susceptible to erosion. Wetlands can also be damaged by vehicle traffic. This stake includes three distinct actions. The first one, building awareness among ORV (off-road vehicles) users about the problem of off-road traffic in natural environments, is a I-A type action that is stated in the management plan of Bassin Bay. The two other actions are of type PA and are epressed in the PARE. They are regulating and to enforcing regulation on ORV traffic for all users of the coastal zone (technical sheet 1.1.3) and implementing measures for motor vehicle traffic control in sand dunes and lagoon surroundings (technical sheet 1.1.3). The municipality and other organizations of the Islands are currently working on a regulation of motor vehicle traffic control in fragile environments. Once adopted by the city council, this regulation will be presented to the concerned parties to be validated and then to be enforced on the territory. Stake 3.4: Dredging Dredging is a II-BP stake that includes two distinct actions. The first one, resuming the maintenance dredging in the Cap Vert channel and under Detroit bridge (Havre au Maisons Lagoon), is of type I-BP and is epressed in the integrated management plan of 16

25 Havre au Maisons Lagoon and in the ERAP (technical sheet 3.3). The second one comes from the management plan of Bassin Bay; it is titled opening the Grande Rivière channel and is of type I-B. A lot of effort has been epended for this since 2001, both by the integrated management committee of Bassin Bay and by the ZIP Committee. Financing requests are currently being made to verify the feasibility of this action and to allow its implementation on a short term, if possible. Stake 3.5: Erosion of the banks Only one action is included in this I-A type stake. Monitoring the erosion of the banks and using mitigation methods is an action issued from the management plan of Bassin Bay. This I-A type action was partly achieved through the project of rationalization of accesses leading to the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands (rationalisation des accès menant au plans d eau intérieurs des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, refer to stake 3.9). An action plan was designed at fall 2006 and the works suggested will be realized during the summer and fall of 2007 if the needed money is granted. Most of the developments suggested in that document (sand catchers, planting of short-liguled ammophilia (Ammophila breviligulata), etc.) could help in reducing erosion and sedimentation in many interior water bodies. In the framework of integrated management, an awareness fact sheet on the coastal zone was realized, focusing among other things on the importance of the coastal vegetation. Stake 3.6: Protection of sand dune environments The Magdalen Islands possess a great deal of sand dune environments and five actions are included under this I-AP type stake. The first action is obtaining a global picture of sand dune shaping. This I-A type action is unique to the management plan of Bassin au Huîtres. Related to this action, meetings and field trips were done with various people (Moncton University, DFO, MDDEP, members of Bassin au Huîtres management committee, ZIP Committee, municipality) in order to sketch out the shaping of the sand dunes of Bassin Est and to discuss possible actions. The implementation of protection measures for sand dunes is an action from the ERAP (type PA), as well as reviewing the regulation on quarries and sandpits considering the special features (dredging deposits) 17

26 of the Islands (special status). The last action, restoration of the sand dune systems (installation of sand catchers), can be included in the action implementation of protection measures for sand dunes previously presented. This I-AP type action is common to the management plan of Bassin au Huîtres and to the ERAP. The municipality and Attention FragÎles have already placed sand catchers on several locations on the Islands. This last action could also be completed in the frame of the project rationalization of accesses to the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands, which will probably be achieved during the summer of In this project, sand catchers will be placed in several sand dunes to repair them, at least partly. Stake 3.7: Enhancement of brooks Three actions are found under this stake of type II-AP. The first action related to this stake is the inventory, characterization and cartography of brooks near the water body (type II-A). This action is common to the integrated management plans of Havre au Maisons Lagoon and Havre au Basques Bay. The inventory of brooks around the Havre au Maisons Lagoon was done in 2005 within the structure of integrated management of the interior water bodies (Comité ZIP, 2006). Improvement of brooks so as to enhance the spawning-run and spawning potential of the smelt and reduction of wastewater and pollutant discharges that imperil aquaculture and marine activities is a PA-type action from the ERAP (technical sheet 1.2.1). This action was accomplished within a compensation project by DFO by managing five brooks to help fish reproduction (mostly the rainbow smelt). The five brooks concerned were those of Portage Ouest Bay, Grande Rivière, Anse du Moulin, barachois à Henriette (on Havre Aubert Island) and of Pointe Basse (on Havre au Maisons Island). The last action, development of brooks near the water bodies is a common action to the management plans of Havre au Maisons Lagoon and Havre au Basques Bay (type II-A). Following a request from Mines Seleine, a compensation project by the ZIP Committee and the municipality consisted in reopening and stabilizing the Havre au Basques brook in order to ease its access for smelt spawning. 18

27 Stake 3.8: Havre-au-Maisons bridge The stake about the Havre-au-Maisons bridge has only one action: follow-up on the Havre-au-Maisons bridge project. This action is distinct to the integrated management plan of Havre au Maisons Lagoon (type I-B). Several public consultations and special meetings with committee members have taken place with the Ministère des Transports du Québec on the best scenarios for the bridge replacement. The new bridge was officially announced on May 18. Stake 3.9: Rationalization of accesses to water bodies This common stake to the five integrated management plans (type V-A), includes two actions. The first one, implementation of the project Caractérisation écologique des accès des dunes bordant les plans d eau intérieurs au Îles-de-la-Madeleine ( ecologic characterization of accesses leading to the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands ) is a common action to the five management plans (type V-A). This action was already achieved in 2001 and 2002 by three different characterization projects of these accesses (Martinet et Jomphe, 2002; Morissette et Jomphe, 2002; Tremblay et Leblanc, 2001). The second action, access rationalization and development is also common to the management plans of the five main water bodies (type V-A). An action plan to rationalize the accesses was realized during the fall of 2006 (Bergeron, 2007). The suggested works will be undertaken during the summer 2007 if the required financing is granted. Stake 3.10: Reopening of the water body This stake of type II-BP, is common to the management plans of Havre au Basques Bay and of Bassin Bay and includes two actions. Reopening the Havre au Basques Bay (type I-BP) is a distinct action that is very important for the integrated management committee of Havre au Basques Bay and that is also stated in the ERAP. Regarding this action, letters asking the elected officials to act were sent by committee members and by the ZIP Committee to Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, and a meeting was held to discuss this matter. The municipality then seemed in favour of going ahead with this file; the Havre-au-Basques committee should shortly be informed if this file is closed or if it is 19

28 still in progress. The second action associated with this stake is the follow-up on the progress of the bay openings (Goulet and Grande Rivière channel). This action is distinct to the management plan of Bassin Bay (type I-B). Some actions are currently under way concerning the Grande Rivière channel dredging (refer to stake 3.4). Stake 3.11: Protection and enhancement of protected areas This stake is distinct to the ERAP (type PA) and includes two main actions. Implementation by the concerned authorities of an effective and appropriately staffed regulation enforcement system in protected areas (e.g. wildlife sanctuaries, National Wildlife Areas, etc.) is a distinct (PA) action epressed by the ERAP (technical sheet 1.1.5). The development of trails at Pointe de l'est is also a distinct action of the ERAP but this time of PB type (technical sheet 2.1). A project from Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la faune (MRNF) in cooperation with the Comité pour le développement de l Est des Îles (Portes de l Est) is currently in progress in Pointe de l Est to develop trails in this area. Stake 3.12: Lobster trap soaking This stake of type I-A concerns only one action. This action, follow-up on the assessment of the lobster trap soaking problem is distinct to the management plan of Bassin au Huîtres (type I-A). DFO and the ZIP Committee did some observation tours of the soaking areas in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and a meeting was held in June 2005 to discuss trap soaking with the various parties (Arseneau, 2005). It was concluded that this activity done by fishermen, when not taking place in fragile environments such as wetlands or eelgrass beds, causes little damage to the environment and to fish habitat. However, DFO forbids soaking near the wharves to limit incidental catches. Stake 3.13: Protection of the coastal zone This last stake under the theme of land protection, conservation and enhancement is of type PA and includes only one action, identification of the most fragile areas of the coastal zone, distinct to the ERAP (type PA). No project was undertaken on this matter yet but the ZIP Committee sits on an adaptation committee on the erosion of the banks 20

29 that consults with the Ouranos Consortium, which promotes a better understanding of the issues and necessary adaptations associated with climate change (erosion of coastal zones). A report on the situation should be published by fall Awareness and communication The theme awareness and communication comprises seven stakes related to communication with the community (users of the water body, interveners, etc.). Some stakes include actions that concern a similar theme (e.g. hunting, waste management, drinking water, etc.), whereas other stakes include actions that relate to similar users (e.g. information to the members of integrated management committees, information and awareness of the young, etc.). Stake 4.1: Hunting This stake of type II-A includes two actions. The first one, production and distribution of awareness fact sheets about sustainable hunting, is an action common to the management plans of Bassin au Huîtres and of Havre au Basques Bay (type II-A). A fact sheet titled hunting and environment was realized in This fact sheet describes hunting methods that are respectful of wildlife, habitats, and the environment. The sheet was distributed to the members of the integrated management committees and to hunters during the annual general assembly of the Sport hunters and fishers of the Islands in 2002, as well as to the public through two stores that sell hunting and fishing gear ( Le mallard (Cap-au-Meules) and Les agrès de l Est (Grande-Entrée)). Informing hunters about respecting the environment when placing gabions is an action put forth only in the management plan of Havre au Basques Bay (type I-A). Since the fact sheet hunting and environment also contains information on the placing of gabions, this action is considered achieved. In addition, capsules intended for hunters were broadcasted through CFIM radio from May through September 2005 about the importance of avoiding to leave wastes in a natural environment (cartridge cases, gabions, etc.). 21

30 Stake 4.2: Waste management Waste management is a II-A type stake that includes three distinct actions. Increasing awareness in the population about the problem of wastes left in natural environments is an action stated in the integrated management plan of Havre au Basques Bay (type I-A). This action was partly achieved with the broadcasting of capsules telling of the importance of picking up our wastes (mentioned in the previous stake). The second action, increasing population awareness of the importance of a proper source separation of wastes is of type I-A and is distinct to the management plan of Bassin Bay. The Municipalité des Iles de la Madeleine is the authority in charge of this issue and they did broadcast several radio capsules on this subject during the last few years. The last action is increasing awareness about pollution among users of the fishing wharves (wastes, used oils, etc.). This action was also epressed by the management plan of Bassin Bay (type I-A). In this regard, DFO has put containers for collecting used oils on all fishing wharves of the Magdalen Islands. Stake 4.3: Drinking water This stake, although very important on the archipelago, contains only one action, of type I-A. Set forth by the management committee of Bassin Bay, the action building awareness among visitors about the drinking water supply problems is of type I-A. In a technical guide written for owners and the municipal authorities (autumn 2006 and winter 2007), the subject of the drinking water supply is briefly discussed. Also within this project, an assembly was held with high school students (Polyvalente des Îles) to discuss this problem. Stake 4.4: Lack of information for the members of the integrated management committees This V-A type stake includes five actions; some of them epressed in the management plans of all five water bodies. The first action, informing members of the research taking place on the water bodies is a II-A type action common to the management plans of the Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons lagoons. Since fall 2000, informing the committee members is mainly done through the committee meetings. From 2003 to 2005, there was also a newsletter called Bulle-Info, which allowed informing the members about the 22

31 research and all activities taking place in the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands as well as in other areas where integrated management occurs in Quebec. Unfortunately, since the ZIP Committee has had to abolish the position of coordinator for the management committees, due to a change in Fisheries and Oceans Canada s supporting mode, the edition of this newsletter is not carried on anymore. However, the ZIP Committee has had many requests and is currently searching how it could resume the edition of this newsletter. Informing members of any new aquaculture site applications is also an action common to the management plans of the lagoons of Grande Entrée and Havre au Maisons (type II-A). This kind of information is also given to the members during committee meetings, and actors from this circle even consult the members on this matter. The action informing members of the new federal and provincial regulations is a distinct action suggested in the management plan of the Grande Entrée Lagoon (type I-A). As in the previous cases, this action is achieved during the meetings of the integrated management committees. The fourth action is common to all management plans, in the eception of Havre au Basques (type IV-A). It is informing members about aquaculture site beaconing. A meeting was held in 2001 with the person in charge of the enforcement of the Navigable Waters Protection Act in order to eplain to all committee members how the aquaculture sites are beaconed. This subject is also discussed upon request during the integrated management committee meetings. Finally, identifying with committee members the communication plan actions that should be specifically targeted is an action common to the five management plans (type V-A). Each committee has an early communication plan, which has partially been achieved and could be updated on a regular basis. Stake 4.5: Information and awareness of the youth The stake information and awareness of the youth includes three actions and is of type III-A. The first one, building awareness among the youth about the importance of preserving the water body and its resources, is an action distinct to the management plan of the Grande Entrée Lagoon (type I-A). This action has already been accomplished a few times, in different places, especially during conferences given in high school on wastewater management (February 2007), and during visits that took place between December 2003 and April 2004 in elementary schools to present the Atlas and history of 23

32 the various water bodies, in which the committee members took part. A conference was also presented in May 2007 in the Centre d études collégiales des Îles on the integrated management of the interior water bodies in the Islands. In partnership with various local parties and to emphasize on the World Ocean Day, awareness activities about eelgrass, a very important plant for the lagoons, are held each year since 2005 with students from high school (Polyvalente des Îles). Informing schoolchildren of activities taking place in water bodies and teaching them to make good use of it is an action distinct to the integrated management plan of Bassin Bay (type I-A). This action, similar to the previous one, can be considered as having been achieved during the visits to the elementary schools of the Magdalen Islands for the presentation of the Atlas and history of the water bodies. Finally, building awareness among the youth on the importance of reopening the Havre au Basques Bay, is an action from the management plan of Havre au Basques Bay (type I-B). During assemblies with students from St-Pierre (Étang-du-Nord) and Au Iris (Havre-Aubert) elementary schools, the Havre au Basques and its reopening were discussed. Stake 4.6: Links with the local population This V-A type stake includes three different actions. Developing relations with Société de Conservation des Îles and follow-up on Boudreau Island is an action unique to the management plan of Bassin au Huîtres (type I-B). Boudreau Island, net to Bassin au Huîtres, was bought by Société de Conservation des Îles in 2004 and this organization now sits on the Bassin au Huîtres integrated management committee, upon request from the committee members. Carrying out the communication plan regarding the water body is an action of type V-A common to all management plans (refer to stake 4.4). Finally, promoting the cooperation of users and main interveners (involved in the management of the water bodies) is also an action common to all integrated management plans. The management committees in themselves are a mean of promoting this involvement. In this document, section 6 presents the means decided to better promote the members involvement. The action will be further achieved when these means are realized. 24

33 Stake 4.7: Awareness in the population This last stake includes awareness actions that are not directed toward a specified public. It is of type III-AP and includes five actions. The first one, increasing awareness among users about the bay s richness and fragility and the need to have good usage practices is an action distinct to the management plan of Havre au Basques Bay (type I-A). Several activities related to this action have taken place until now and were described previously in this document. Among other things, let us mention the editing of a good practices code for the users of the Havre au Maisons Lagoon and of Cap Vert Bay, fact sheets on the coastal zone, on the impact of shellfish farming on the environment, on Dune de l Est in Bassin au Huîtres, etc. The action writing and distributing a fact sheet on the importance of the embankments is unique to the management plan of Bassin Bay (type I-A). Considering the actions already described, this action can be judged as achieved. The third action, increasing awareness and education in the population, is from the ERAP (technical sheet 5.1). As mentioned in several cases previously, many awareness activities have taken place during the last few years. It would nevertheless be possible to do some more in collaboration with local parties. Other actions under this stake come from the ERAP. One of those (type PA) is to prepare an awareness plan about the lagoons and the interior water bodies (technical sheet 5.2), another is increasing awareness about the value and fragility of the lagoons and interior water bodies among the concerned authorities. 25

34 4. SUMMARY OF THE MEETINGS 4.1 Meetings with members of the integrated management committees Greeting of members Starting at 2 p.m. on Sunday April 15, 2007, the members were welcomed with a festive atmosphere in the brewery À l abri de la tempête, located in l Étang-du-Nord (see photo in Appendi 7). A drink and a light buffet of hors d oeuvres were served to the attendees Intervener s speeches Mr Yves Martinet, director of the ZIP Committee, stops the discussions taking place in the room and starts speaking around 2.30 p.m., welcoming members and interveners and thanking them for attending. He mentions this is a social meeting with the aim of informing members about the various projects taking place in their water bodies, to allow echanging and also to solicit their collaboration by filling out a questionnaire in order to help with the project of strategy of implementation of the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies. He also insists on the importance of every committee and of its volunteer s power to orient the development of their water body. He then presents the net speakers: Mr Joël Arseneau, mayor of Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Mrs Selma Pereira, area biologist for DFO, Mr Maurice Gaudet, biologist the MAPAQ, Mr Sébastien Cyr, coordinator of the integrated centre for the tourism development for Tourisme Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Mrs Josiane Bergeron, in charge of the current project of integrated management for the ZIP Committee of the Magdalen Islands and of the integrated management committees of the Magdalen Islands interior water bodies. Mr Joël Arseneau, mayor of Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, starts speaking and first thanks the members for being involved and being present on this sunny Sunday afternoon. He urges that the citizens involvement is essential for the accomplishment of many projects on the Magdalen Islands and that the members participation is even more distinguished because its benefits will be collective as well as individual. According to him, the lagoons are as important to the Islands as lungs are important to the human body. He thus considers very important to keep them healthy for they are vital for developing 26

35 various activities, of either economic or social nature. The project that allowed writing a guide on wastewater management for citizens and municipal authorities is a good eample, says Mr Arseneau, of the partnership that leads to realizing constructive actions for the region. Mrs Selma Pereira, biologist with DFO, speaks briefly about various projects undertaken by DFO in the five interior water bodies, mentioning those that are conducted in partnership with local parties and those that are currently in progress or that will be started during the summer. Two projects that were of great interest for the members in the last few years are the inventory of soft-shell clams in the Havre au Maisons and Grande Entrée lagoons and in Bassin and Havre au Basques bays, as well as the impact of aquaculture on species living on the bottom of the Havre au Maisons Lagoon. For this year, projects on the Atlantic surf clam and the American oyster will be started and the study of biodiversity in Bassin au Huîtres eelgrass beds will be carried on. She also mentions that Bassin Bay bathymetry was done during the summer of 2006 and that a map will shortly be sketched. She also insists that one growing concern of DFO is about invading species that were found in the last few years in several interior water bodies of the archipelago (the oyster thief, the green crab and the golden star). Mrs Pereira informs the members that they can help DFO by informing it of all invading species observations and by taking part in specific projects. She mentions that some members have already done so in the past, such as Mr Benoît Vigneau and Mr Pierre Boudreau that reported their green crab observations and Mr Normand Déraspe and Mr Réal Déraspe who collaborated in oyster inventories in Clarke Bay and in Bassin au Huîtres. Mr Maurice Gaudet, biologist with the MAPAQ, takes his turn and states the various projects and responsibilities of his department regarding the interior water bodies of the Islands. The MAPAQ is in particular responsible for issuing aquaculture permits and everything concerning mariculture on the archipelago. In the present time, a lot of energy is epended for the enhancement, through promoters of the area, of the ancient IMAQUA site in the Grande Entrée Lagoon. The MAPAQ is mostly concerned by the carrying capacity of the water bodies. It also has a mandate from the MRNF of issuing permits for the rainbow smelt fishery, although its management remains under the responsibility of 27

36 this department. The MRNF considers changing the commercial licences into subsistence licences since no commercial fishing is allowed for this species on the Islands. The MAPAQ and other parties in the area also sit on a new committee on the surf clam (Atlantic surf clam), chaired by DFO. Mr Sébastien Cyr then eposes projects from Tourisme Îles-de-la-Madeleine that are related with the interior water bodies. He mentions that the blue trail, a provincial project of a kayak circuit, will probably pass through several spots in the water bodies since interior waters are judged safer than the Gulf of St. Lawrence waters. Tourisme Îles-dela-Madeleine also has a project of identification of the well-developed accesses so that people can easily launch their kayaks (safe access, emergency eits, etc.) and a mapping of those sites should be realized in a near future in order to properly guide kayakers (to avoid passing on private properties, etc.). The ZIP Committee services could incidentally be solicited in order to do this work. Another project related to water bodies is the creation of a regional park for wind and board sports. In detail, it is possible that Park Fred Jomphe (Havre au Basques Bay) will be developed with structures that could receive a larger number of sail sports enthusiasts (kite-surf, windsurfing, etc.). However these two projects are still at an embryonic stage and the integrated management committee members will be informed and consulted for the net steps. Finally, Mrs Josiane Bergeron briefly presents the project of strategy of implementation of the integrated management plans of the five interior water bodies, which was accepted by the members and presented to DFO last November She then presents in a few words the questionnaire that the members are invited to fill out during this meeting by eplaining that it will allow ranking the actions suggested in each management plan and harmonizing actions that are mentioned in several management plans. Therefore, she asks the members to reflect and to answer the questionnaire to the best of their competence. Copies of each management plan are then given to the attendees that had not received it Discussions and filling out of the questionnaire The members are invited to answer the questionnaire individually and to ask Mrs Bergeron if they have any question. They can also discuss with the various interveners 28

37 that made speeches for additional information on the subjects discussed. All are invited to the buffet and to ask the ZIP Committee team for any additional information. The meeting is ended around 5 p.m. and all attendees seem to be satisfied. The objectives were reached. 4.2 Assembly with students from the Centre d études collégiales des Îles Conference on the integrated management of the Magdalen Islands interior water bodies A conference on the integrated management of the Magdalen Islands interior water bodies was held on May 9, 2007 in the Centre d études collégiales des Îles. Approimately fifteen persons (mostly students and a few teachers) attended the meeting that lasted approimately 30 minutes (see photo in appendi 7). The conference was divided in three parts that discussed: 1) what is integrated management (concept); 2) how it is applied in the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands; 3) the various projects that were accomplished with the integrated management. The current project of a strategy of implementation of the integrated management plans was also presented to the attendees in this third part Workshop After the conference, the students were invited to a 30 minutes workshop to answer the following questions after discussing in groups of three or four persons: 1) Do you practice activities in the interior water bodies (bays and lagoons)? 2) If positive, which one (fishing, hunting, yachting, shellfish harvesting, swimming, etc.)? If not, why? 3) In which water body do you practice these activities? 4) According to you, what problems are there with the water bodies (from the environmental, social and economic perspectives)? 5) What actions could be undertaken to solve these problems? 6) If you come back to live in the Islands after your studies, what do you wish the Islands will look like (ideal Islands)? And when you are retreated (Activities, environment, protection measures, shared initiatives, etc.)? 29

38 Generally speaking, the students seemed to practice several activities in many interior water bodies of the archipelago (mostly in the Havre au Maisons and Grande Entrée lagoons). The main activities were swimming, shellfish harvesting, and yachting. The young seemed concerned by poaching, by pollution and wastes, by ORV traffic in sand dunes and in fragile environments and by wastewater discharges. We can see that the youth s concerns are mostly oriented toward preserving a sound environment rather than toward conserving the uses related to it; therefore the necessity of looking at the problems causes is a priority over taking care of consequences. The attending students mention that stricter laws should eist and be enforced to remedy to these problems and that it would also be required to increase awareness and education, mostly at the high school level since these students still have many years on the Islands before going outside to carry on their scholarship. In the future, these young would like to see the Islands less deteriorated and less polluted than they are presently; ORVs should not ride in sand dunes anymore and the land should be fairly shared between the different users to avoid conflicts and a monopoly of one particular activity. 30

39 5. STRATEGY FOR THE REALIZATION OF THE ACTIONS In order to provide an effective and continuous realization of the priorities for action epressed in the integrated management plans of the various water bodies, this section presents a ranking of the actions from the management plans of the Islands five interior water bodies. The following tables show the actions as classified in proportion to their total rating, which is credited according to the criteria eplained in the section «METHODOLOGY». Tables presented in Appendices 3 and 4 show the detailed ratings of the actions in function of these criteria. The future actions to be undertaken within the frame of the integrated management should have a high rating. The codes of the actions are presented in parentheses in order to inform the reader of the stakes related to these actions. For instance, actions 3.6 A, 3.6 B, 3.6 C and 3.6 D are the four actions included in stake 3.6, protection of the sand dune environments. In order to ensure a follow-up on the realization of the actions in the future, tables such as the one presented in Appendi 5 will be used. Table 3. Total ratings of distinct actions from Bassin au Huîtres s integrated management plan Water body Actions Total rating (/15) Bassin au Huîtres Obtaining a global picture of sand dune shaping (3.6 A) 11,25 Moving oysters from Clarke Bay to Bassin au Huîtres (2.3 C) 10,75 Seeding oysters for small-scale harvesting, outside the farming site (2.3 D) 10,00 Developing relations with Société de Conservation des Îles and follow-up on Boudreau Island (4.6 A) Describing the new buildings surrounding the water body and wastewater treatment systems (1.3 D) Following-up the assessment of the lobster trap soaking problem (3.12 A) 8,92 Collecting information on oyster spat transfers (2.3 B) 8,25 Inventorying oysters (2.3 A) 7,00 9,25 9,00 31

40 Table 4. Total ratings of distinct actions from Bassin Bay s integrated management plan Water body Bassin Bay Actions Total rating (/15) Opening the Grande Rivière channel (3.4 B) 14,00 Increasing awareness about pollution among users of the fishing wharves (wastes, used oils, etc.) (4.2 C) Obtaining information on the cause of strong odours that occur in some areas of Bassin Bay on warm summer days (1.3 L) 14,00 13,75 Ensuring a follow-up of animal carcasses found on the embankments (seals, etc.) (1.3 M) 13,25 Mapping out the water circulation pattern in the water body (1.1 D) 13,00 Being better informed about the pollutants in the bay s water (1.3 H) 12,00 Monitoring the erosion of the banks and using mitigation methods (3.5 A) 12,00 Following-up the progress of the bay openings (Goulet and Grande Rivière channel) (3.10 B) Increasing population awareness of the importance of a proper source separation of wastes (4.2 B) 12,00 12,00 Building awareness among visitors about the drinking water supply problems (4.3 A) 12,00 Informing schoolchildren of activities taking place in water bodies and teaching them to make good use of it (4.5 C) Inventory and bibliographic searching on the flora and fauna found in the water body and on the embankments (2.2 C) Building awareness among ORV users about the problem of off-road traffic in natural environments (3.3 A) 12,00 11,50 11,33 Making the Atlas and history of the water body available through Internet (1.1 J) 11,25 Scouting for the presence of non-indigenous species (2.1 C) 11,25 Writing and distributing a fact sheet on the importance of the embankments (and other subjects to come) (4.7 B) 10,00 Table 5. Total ratings of distinct actions from the Havre au Maisons Lagoon integrated management plan Water body Havre au Maisons Lagoon Actions Total rating (/15) Resuming the maintenance dredging in the Cap Vert channel (and under Detroit bridge) (3.4 A) 14,00 Following-up the Havre-au-Maisons bridge project (3.8 A) 10,83 Collecting information on the lagoon water quality, mostly during the tourist season (1.3 G) 10,67 Evaluation of clam and mussel beds in the water body (2.3 F) 10,67 Assessment of the water body carrying capacity and monitoring of the work done by DFO and MAPAQ on this subject (1.1 L) 10,50 Mapping out the development potential for human activities and discussion with the members on that topic (1.1 H) 10,00 Redaction of a good practices code for tomcod fishermen (2.3 E) 7,17 32

41 Table 6. Total ratings of distinct actions from the Havre au Basques Bay integrated management plan Water body Havre au Basques Bay Actions Total rating (/15) Reopening the Havre au Basques Bay (3.10 A) 13,00 Researching the limitations and opportunities for the development of various activities in order to establish a zoning map (1.1 G) Building awareness among the youth on the importance of reopening the Havre au Basques Bay (4.5 C) Increasing awareness in the population about the problem of wastes left in natural environments (4.2 A) Increasing awareness among users about the bay s richness and fragility and the need to have good using practices (4.7 A) Building awareness in the population to avoid introducing new non-indigenous species in the water body (e.g. algae from home aquariums) (2.1 A) Encouraging the users and local organizations to get involved in the annual cleaning of the water body embankments (1.2 A) Finding professionals who can help the Committee and bring epertise on future epansions and/or problems in the water body (1.1 B) 13,00 12,00 11,50 11,25 10,75 10,75 10,50 Finding a solution to the foul odours at la Martinique (1.3 K) 10,50 Informing hunters about gabion installation (4.1 B) 10,25 Table 7. Total ratings of distinct actions from the Grande Entrée Lagoon integrated management plan Water body Grande Entrée Lagoon Actions Approaching the Municipalité des Îles regarding the monitoring of the water quality in Clarke Bay and the brook that flows into it (1.3 F) Total rating (/15) 12,00 Following-up the project of implementation of a National Marine Conservation Area (3.1 A) 11,40 Monitoring the pollutants in the water body (1.3 E) 10,92 Approaching Environment Canada regarding the identification of contamination sources of major shellfish beds that are open under conditions (1.3 J) Building awareness among the youth about the importance of preserving the water body and its resources (4.5 A) Approaching DFO in order to be kept aware of the follow-up on the deballasting problem and non-indigenous species (2.1 B) 10,60 10,60 10,20 Informing members of the new federal and provincial regulations (4.4 C) 10,00 Inventorying bird colonies (Roseate tern) in the water body (approaches with the Canadian Wildlife Service (2.2 B) Inventorying seals inside the water body (at the end of Dune du Sud) (1.3 P) 5,00 8,00 33

42 Table 8. Total ratings of common actions from the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies Actions OB GEL HaML HaBL BB Total rating ( /20) Access rationalization and development (3.9 B) 16,83 Promoting the cooperation of users and main interveners (involved in the management of the water bodies) (4.6 C) Identifying with committee members the communication plan actions that should be specifically targeted (4.4 E) 15,96 15,54 Collecting field data on the uses related to the water bodies (1.1 A) 15,32 Carrying out the communication plan regarding the water body (4.6 B) 15,35 Updating the cartography of uses, resources and eploitations of the water body described in the Atlas and the history of the water body 15,24 (1.1 I) Mapping out the sedimentation pattern in the water body (1.1 E) 14,79 Cleaning the embankments of the water bodies (including engines, buoys, etc.) (1.2 B) 14,77 Informing members about aquaculture sites beaconing (4.4 D) 14,59 Purifying the waters of the water body (1.3 I) 14,26 Acquisition of knowledge and monitoring the physico-chemical conditions of the water body (1.1 C) Cleaning of the water body bottom (including huge metal traps, plastic baskets, etc.) (1.2 C) Implementing the project ecologic characterization of accesses leading to the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands (3.9 A) 13,95 13,79 13,16 Updating the water body bathymetry (1.1 F) 12,92 Acquiring and transmitting the knowledge on the species found in the water body, on any newly developed activity, on its carrying capacity and on various subjects of interest (1.1 K) 12,50 Informing members of any new aquaculture sites applications (4.4 B) 12,43 Informing members of the research taking place on the water bodies 12,00 (4.4 A) Developing brooks near the water bodies (3.7 C) 11,75 Inventory, characterization and cartography of brooks near the water body (3.7 A) Producing and distributing awareness fact sheets about sustainable hunting (4.1 A) Collecting information on cormorant population movements and evaluating that population on Île rouge (2.2 A) 11,25 10,67 10,20 34

43 6. STRATEGY TO ENHANCE PARTICIPATION RATES AND MEMBER S INVOLVEMENT TO THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS INTERIOR WATER BODIES The second most important goal of this project consisted in suggesting solutions to enhance participation rates in the meetings of the various management committees. Changes on how to fulfil integrated management are proposed in this section; these should motivate users in getting further involved in the integrated management of their interior water body. Of course, the members of the integrated management committees should first validate all of these means before their implementation. The proposed means are (the order of presentation is not related to an implementation order): 1) Recruiting new members; 2) Applying the rule that says that a member who misses three consecutive meetings without any follow-up is ecluded of the committee; 3) Promoting the involvement and participation of the young in integrated management; 4) Changing the style of the meetings; 5) Instigating a program of annual conferences and/or field trips; 6) Resuming the edition of the newsletter Bulle-Info; 7) Giving a greater public eposure to the integrated management projects. In the first place, it could be advisable to recruit new members (1) in order to replace members who are not interested any more in getting involved with the integrated management of their water body. This disinterest in obvious when a member doesn t attend meetings and has no interest either in the follow-up of the meetings. Searching for new members could be done by advertising in the local media and emphasizing on the opportunity of epressing one s opinions and contributing to the archipelago s water bodies governance. In the past, the integrated management committees had adopted an internal rule stipulating that a member is ecluded of the committee if he misses three consecutive meetings without doing any follow-up to these. This rule could be enforced more systematically (2). The involvement and participation of young people and new 35

44 members to integrated management (3) could give committees a new sense of optimism and would in consequence motivate and support older members. To make sure of maintaining or increasing the representative character of the committees, the new members could be recruited in specific sectors that are little or not represented on the actual committees. Another mean of stimulating participation rates to the meetings of the integrated management committees would be to vary the style of the meetings (4). In order to give members a little reward for being involved, a little snack and a drink could be offered to the members at every meeting (e.g. donuts and coffee, juice and fruits, etc.). The meetings could also take place in different locations and different moments of the week such as weekends in addition to weeknights. Again pertaining to varying the style of the meetings, it would also be wise to have a program of conferences and/or field trips (5) annual or biannual. These activities could allow inviting an intervener (from outside the Islands or not) to lecture the members about a subject of interest. Such an activity has already been realized and was appreciated by the members. Resuming the edition of Bulle-Info (6), the newsletter of the Magdalen Islands integrated management committees, would also be a good way of enhancing the members participation. This newsletter, appreciated by the members and the population, will allow keeping members aware of the projects going ahead in the five interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands as well as projects happening in other integrated management initiatives in coastal zones of Quebec. It will also give public eposure to the local integrated management committees and will enhance the status of volunteer work done by the members who sit on the committees. In the same mindset, it would also be relevant to give greater eposure to the committees projects and members (7) by further promoting the committees achievements in the local media (CFIM radio, newspaper Le Radar, etc.). However, all these proposed measures should first be approved by the members of each committee prior to being applied, in order to ascertain that they reach the intended goal, which is to enhance current and future participation and involvement rates of the members to integrated management in the Magdalen Islands interior water bodies. 36

45 7. CONCLUSION With this project, the integrated management committees wished to create a user-friendly tool to provide a continuous and effective realisation of the priorities epressed in the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies. First, this document presents a global view of common and distinct actions found in the management plans. Secondly, a summary of the consultation meetings held with committee members and Cegep students is presented. Then, it gives a ranking of the actions suggested according to specific criteria, such as their importance to the members, total or partial achievement in the past, etc., in order to help maintaining a continuity in the future realisations related to integrated management on the Magdalen archipelago. We believe that this strategy is a convenient and worthwhile tool to plan future projects. The various criteria and their respective values were established by the coordinator for integrated management in the Islands (the ZIP Committee) to the best of its knowledge and tools while trying to promote equality between the water bodies; on the other hand, the restricted time given to this project reduced the elaboration of the criteria to simple and practical formulas. It is also important to make clear that all actions presented are not workable actions that can be achieved within a specific project. For instance, several actions of follow-up (Havre-au-Maisons bridge, dead animals on the beach, etc.) will be done all year long or combined with other projects, but are not suitable for a specific project. Finally, despite the change in Fisheries and Oceans Canada s supporting approach for the integrated management functioning, we believe that as a tangible tool, this strategy of implementation of the integrated management plans will help committees to initiate several projects that will allow the current and future generations to benefit of sound lagoons and bays in which to practice many social, economic and environmental activities, in an integrated and collaborative manner. 37

46 8. REFERENCES Arseneau, F Compte-rendu de la rencontre sur les activités de trempage des casiers à homard. Comité ZIP des Îles de la Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 7 p. Bergeron, J Plan d action pour la rationalisation des accès menant au plans d eau intérieurs des Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-dela-Madeleine. 113 p. Cloutier, M. P Plan de gestion intégrée de la Baie du Bassin. Comité ZIP des Îlesde-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 138 p. Cloutier, M. P Plan de gestion intégrée de la Baie du Havre au Basques. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 130 p. Cloutier, M. P Plan de gestion intégrée de la lagune de la Grande Entrée. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 135 p. Cloutier, M. P Plan de gestion intégrée de la lagune du Havre au Maisons. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 138 p. Cloutier, M. P Plan de gestion intégrée du Bassin au Huîtres. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 134 p. Comité ZIP Cueillir des mollusques au Îles-de-la-Madeleine, rapport final. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 28 p. + Annees. Comité ZIP Gestion intégrée des plans d eau intérieurs des Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 163 p. Comité ZIP Nettoyage de la lagune de Havre-au-Maisons, rapport final. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 30 p. Comité ZIP Rapport du suivi des travau d aménagement de cinq ruisseau au Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 32 p. Comité ZIP Rapport d activité présenté à Pêches et Océans Canada. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 9 p. Grant, J., K. Curran, T. L. Guyondet, G. Tita, C. Bacher, V. Koutitonsky and M. Dowd A bo model of carrying capacity for suspended mussel aquaculture in Lagune de la Grande-Entrée, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Québec. Ecological Modelling 200,

47 Martinet, Y. et N. Jomphe Caractérisation des accès et mise en valeur des sites donnant sur les principau plans d eau intérieurs des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Lagune du Havre-au-Maisons, Lagune de Grande-Entrée. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la- Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 193 p. Martinet, Y Projet de gestion intégrée de la zone côtière (GIZC), 5 Comités des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-de-la- Madeleine. 133 p. Morissette, A. et N. Jomphe Caractérisation écologique des accès des dunes bordant les plans d eau intérieurs au Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Comité ZIP des Îles-dela-Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 86 p. Pereira, S., I. Hubert, C. Bigué et R. Duhamel Plan d action et de réhabilitation écologique des Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îles-dela-Madeleine. 225 p. Tremblay P. et M.-A. Leblanc, Utilisation du système géomatique dans la gestion des plans d eau intérieurs des Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la- Madeleine, Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 64 p. 39

48 APPENDICES 40

49 ANNEXE 1 Table 9. Actions from integrated management plans and from the Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plan (ERAP) Theme Stake Actions Collecting field data on the uses related to the water bodies. (1.1 A) Finding professionals who can help the Committee and bring epertise on future epansions and/or problems in the water body (1.1 B) Acquisition of knowledge and monitoring the physico-chemical conditions of the water body (1.1 C) Mapping out the water circulation pattern in the water body (1.1 D) BH GE HaM HaB BB Type of stake Type of action ERAP Action achieved (in total or in part) V-A I-A II-A Mapping out the sedimentation pattern in the water body (1.1 E) II-A Updating the water body bathymetry (1.1 F) III-A I-A 1. Human activities and water quality 1.1 Acquisition of knowledge on water bodies Researching the limitations and opportunities for the development of various activities in order to establish a zoning map (1.1 G) Mapping out the development potential for human activities and discussion with the members on that topic (1.1 H) Updating the cartography of uses, resources and eploitations of the water body described in the Atlas and the history of the water body (1.1 I) Making the Atlas and history of the water body available through Internet (1.1 J) Acquisition and transmission of the knowledge on the species found in the water body, on any newly developed activity, on its carrying capacity and on various subjects of interest (1.1 K) V-A I-A I-A V-A I-A II-A Assessment of the water body carrying capacity and monitoring of the work done by DFO and MAPAQ on this subject (1.1 L) I-A 41

50 Theme Stake Actions BH GE HaM HaB BB Type of stake Type of action ERAP Action achieved (in total or in part) 1.2 Cleanliness of the embankments and interior water bodies Encouraging the users and local organizations to get involved in the annual cleaning of the water body embankments (1.2 A) Cleaning the embankments of the water bodies (including engines, buoys, etc.) (1.2 B) Cleaning of the water body bottom (including huge metal traps, plastic baskets, etc.) (1.2 C) I-A V-AP III-AP III-AP Reducing wastewater discharges by 50% before 2010 (1.3 A) PA Ensuring a better management of wastewaters from isolated dwellings (1.3 B) PA 1. Human activities and water quality 1.3 Management of wastewaters and water purity in the interior water bodies Source reduction of wastewater discharges in Petite Baie (Havreau-Maisons) and in Bassin Bay (Havre-Aubert) in order to support the reopening of shellfish beds without restriction (1.3 C) Description of the new buildings surrounding the water body and of wastewater treatment systems (1.3 D) PB I-A Monitoring the pollutants in the water body (1.3 E) I-A Approaching the Municipalité des Îles regarding the monitoring of water quality in Clarke Bay and the brook that flows into it (1.3 F) V-AP I-B Collecting information on the lagoon water quality, mostly during the tourist season (1.3 G) Being better informed about the pollutants in the bay s water (1.3 H) I-A I-A Water purification in the water body (1.3 I) III-A Approaching Environment Canada regarding the identification of contamination sources of major shellfish beds that are open under conditions (1.3 J) I-A 42

51 Theme Stake Actions BH GE HaM HaB BB Type of stake Type of action ERAP Action achieved (in total or in part) Finding a solution to the foul odours at la Martinique (1.3 K) I-B Obtaining information on the cause of strong odours that occur in some areas of Bassin Bay on warm summer days (1.3 L) I-B 1. Human activities and water quality 1.3 Management of wastewaters and water purity in the interior water bodies Ensuring a follow-up on animal carcasses found on the embankments (seals, etc.) (1.3 M) Etend the sampling by Environment Canada to all sites showing a mariculture potential (1.3 N) V-AP I-B PA Obtaining a global picture of the water quality around the islands and ensuring a regular updating (1.3 O) PA Inventorying seals inside the water body (at the end of Dune du Sud) (1.3 P) I-B 2. Fauna and flora 2.1 Introduction of eotic species 2.2 Lack of knowledge on fauna and flora Building awareness in the population to avoid introducing new non-indigenous species in the water body (e.g., algae from home aquariums) (2.1 A) Approaching DFO in order to be kept aware of the follow-up on the deballasting problem and non-indigenous species (2.1 B) Scouting for the presence of non-indigenous species (2.1 C) Collecting information on cormorant population movements and evaluating their population on Île rouge (2.2 A) Inventorying the bird colonies (Roseate tern) in the water body (approaches with the Canadian Wildlife Service) (2.2 B) I-A III-AP I-A I-A II-B III-A I-B Inventory and bibliographic searching on the flora and fauna found in the water body and on the embankments (2.2 C) I-A 43

52 Theme Stake Actions BH GE HaM HaB BB Type of stake Type of action ERAP Action achieved (in total or in part) Inventorying oysters (2.3 A) I-B Collecting information on oyster spat transfers (2.3 B) I-B Moving oysters from Clarke Bay to Bassin au Huîtres (2.3 C) I-B 2. Fauna and flora 2.3 Fisheries and aquaculture Seeding oysters in order to ensure the sustainability of small-scale harvesting outside the farming site (2.3 D) Redaction of a good practices code for tomcod fishermen (2.3 E) I-B II-AP I-B Evaluation of clam and mussel beds in the water body (2.3 F) I-A 3.1 National Marine Conservation Area 3.2 Cranberry harvesting Massive seeding of scallops (50 million per year) in order to bring the stock back to the levels of the 70 s (2.3 G) Follow-up on the project of implementation of a National Marine Conservation Area (3.1 A) Evaluating the impact of cranberry harvesting methods, developing new methods and defining areas for its commercial harvesting (3.2 A) P I-A I-A P-A PA 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.3 Motor vehicle traffic Building awareness among ORV users about the problem of offroad traffic in natural environments (3.3 A) Regulating and enforcing regulation on ORV traffic for all users of the coastal zone (3.3 B) I-A I-AP PA Implementing measures for motor vehicle traffic control in sand dunes and lagoon surroundings (3.3 C) PA 3.4 Dredging Resuming the maintenance dredging in the Cap Vert channel and under Detroit bridge (3.4 A) I-BP II-B Opening the Grande Rivière channel (3.4 B) I-B 44

53 Theme Stake Actions BH GE HaM HaB BB Type of stake Type of action ERAP Action achieved (in total or in part) 3.5 Erosion of the Monitoring the erosion of the banks and using mitigation methods banks (3.5 A) I-A I-A 3.6 Protection of sand dune environments Obtaining a global picture of sand dune shaping (3.6 A) I-A Implementation of protection measures for sand dunes (3.6 B) PA Restoration of the sand dune systems (installation of sand catchers) (3.6 C) Reviewing the regulation on quarries and sandpits considering the special features (dredging deposits) of the Islands (special status) (3.6 D) I-AP I-AP Development of brooks near the water bodies (3.7 A) II-A PA 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.7 Enhancement of brooks Improvement of brooks so as to enhance the spawning-run and spawning potential of the smelt and reduction of wastewater and pollutant discharges that imperil aquaculture and marine activities (3.7 B) Inventory, characterization and cartography of brooks near the water body (3.7 C) II-AP PA II-A 3.8 Havre-au- Maisons bridge Follow-up on the Havre-au-Maisons bridge project (3.8 A) I-B I-B 3.9 Implementation of the project ecologic characterization of Rationalization of accesses leading to the interior water bodies of the Magdalen accesses to the Islands (3.9 A) water bodies V-A V-A Access rationalization and development (3.9 B) Reopening the Havre au Basques Bay (3.10 A) I-BP 3.10 Reopening of the water body Follow-up on the progress of the bay openings (Goulet and Grande Rivière channel) (3.10 B) II-B V-A I-B 45

54 Theme Stake Actions BH GE HaM HaB BB Type of stake Type of action ERAP Action achieved (in total or in part) 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.11 Protection and enhancement Implementation by the concerned authorities of an effective and appropriately staffed regulation enforcement system in protected areas (3.11 A) of protected areas Development of trails at Pointe de l'est (3.11 B) 3.12 Lobster trap soaking Follow-up on the assessment of the lobster trap soaking problem (3.12 A) PA PA PB I-A I-A 4. Awareness and communication 3.13 Protection of Identification of the most fragile areas of the coastal zone (3.13 A) PA PA the coastal zone 4.1 Hunting 4.2 Waste management 4.3 Drinking water 4.4 Lack of information for the members of the IMC Production and distribution of awareness fact sheets about sustainable hunting (4.1 A) Informing hunters about respecting the environment when placing gabions (4.1 B) Increasing awareness in the population about the problem of wastes left in natural environments (4.2 A) Increasing population awareness of the importance of a proper source separation of wastes (4.2 B) Increasing awareness about pollution among users of the fishing wharves (wastes, used oils, etc.) (4.2 C) Building awareness among visitors about the drinking water supply problems (4.3 A) Informing members of the research taking place on the water bodies (4.4 A) Informing members of any new aquaculture site applications (4.4 B) Informing members of the new federal and provincial regulations (4.4 C) II-A II-A I-A II-A I-A I-A I-A I-A I-A II-A II-A V-A I-A Informing members about aquaculture site beaconing (4.4 D) IV-A Identifying with committee members the communication plan actions that should be specifically targeted (4.4 E) V-A 46

55 Theme Stake Actions BH GE HaM HaB BB Type of stake Type of action ERAP Action achieved (in total or in part) Building awareness among the youth on the importance of reopening the Havre au Basques Bay (4.5 A) I-B 4.5 Information and awareness of the youth Building awareness among the youth about the importance of preserving the water body and its resources (4.5 B) III-A I-A Informing schoolchildren of activities taking place in water bodies and teaching them to make good use of it (4.5 C) I-A 4.6 Links with the local population Developing relations with Société de Conservation des Îles and follow-up on Boudreau Island (4.6 A) Carrying out the communication plan regarding the water body (4.6 B) I-B V-A V-A 4. Awareness and communication Promoting the cooperation of users and main interveners (involved in the management of the water bodies) (4.6 C) Increasing awareness among users about the bay s richness and fragility and the need to have good usage practices (4.7 A) V-A I-A Writing and distributing a fact sheet on the importance of the embankments (and other future topics) (4.7 B) I-A 4.7 Awareness in the population III-AP Increasing awareness and education in the population (4.7 C) PA Awareness plan about the lagoons and the interior water bodies (4.7 D) Increasing awareness about the value and fragility of the lagoons and interior water bodies among the concerned authorities (4.7 E) PA PA 47

56 APPENDIX 2 Eample of a questionnaire used in the project of strategy of implementation of the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies Question 1 In what integrated management committee do you sit? O Bassin au Huîtres O Grande Entrée Lagoon O Havre au Maisons Lagoon O Havre au Basques Bay O Bassin Bay Question 2 For how long have you been doing activities in this water body? years Question 3 What are the three main activities you practice in this interior water body and its surroundings? (Indicate numbers 1 to 3 according to priorities) Aquaculture Hunting Cranberry harvesting Shellfish harvesting Commercial fishing Sport fishing Yachting Bird-watching Wind sports (kite-surfing, windsurfing, ice buggy, etc.) ATV Other (specify: ) Question 4 Please give the purpose of the activities you practice in your water body: O Professional O Recreational Question 5 How old are you? years Question 6 Are you male or female? O Male O Female Question 7 How long have your been a member of the integrated management committee of your interior water body? 48

57 Question 8 Concerning the actions presented below: from an environmental perspective, you consider this action: 0- Not important 1- Not so important 2- Important 3- Very important X- Don t know from a social perspective, you consider this action: 0- Not important 1- Not so important 2- Important 3- Very important X- Don t know from an economic perspective, you consider this action: 0- Not important 1- Not so important 2- Important 3- Very important X- Don t know Theme Stake Actions Collecting field data on the uses related to the water bodies. Finding professionals who can help the Committee and bring epertise on future epansions and/or problems in the water body. Acquisition of knowledge and monitoring the physico-chemical conditions of the water body Environmental perspective Social perspective Economic perspective 1. Human activities and water quality 1.1 Acquisition of knowledge on water bodies Mapping out the water circulation pattern in the water body Mapping out the sedimentation pattern in the water body Updating the water body bathymetry. Researching the limitations and opportunities for the development of various activities in order to establish a zoning map Mapping out the development potential for human activities and discussion with the members on that topic Updating the cartography of uses, resources and eploitations of the water body described in the Atlas and the history of the water body Making the Atlas and history of the water body available through Internet Acquisition and transmission of the knowledge on the species found in the water body, on any newly developed activity, on its carrying capacity and on various subjects of interest Assessment of the water body carrying capacity and monitoring of the work done by DFO and MAPAQ on this subject 49

58 Theme Stake Actions Encouraging the users and local organizations to get involved in the annual cleaning of the water body embankments 1.2 Cleanliness of the embankments and interior water Cleaning the embankments of the water body (including engines, buoys, etc.) bodies Cleaning of the water body bottom (including huge metal traps, plastic baskets, etc.) Description of the new buildings surrounding the water body and of wastewater treatment systems Monitoring the pollutants in the water body Approaching the Municipalité des Îles regarding the monitoring of water quality in Clarke Bay and the brook that flows into it Environmental perspective Social perspective Economic perspective 1. Human activities and water quality 1.3 Management of wastewaters and water purity in the interior water bodies Collecting information on the lagoon water quality, mostly during the tourist season Being better informed about the pollutants in the bay s water Water purification in the water body Approaching Environment Canada regarding the identification of contamination sources of major shellfish beds that are open under conditions Finding a solution to the foul odours at la Martinique Obtaining information on the cause of strong odours that occur in some areas of Bassin Bay on warm summer days Ensuring a follow-up on animal carcasses found on the embankments (seals, etc.) Inventorying seals inside the water body (at the end of Dune du Sud) 50

59 Theme Stake Actions Environmental perspective Social perspective Economic perspective Building awareness in the population to avoid introducing new nonindigenous species in the water body (e.g., algae from home aquariums) 2.1 Introduction of invading eotic Approaching DFO in order to be kept aware of the follow-up on the species deballasting problem and non-indigenous species Scouting for the presence of non-indigenous species Collecting information on cormorant population movements and evaluating their population on Île rouge 2. Fauna and flora 2.2 Lack of knowledge on fauna and flora Inventorying the bird colonies (Roseate tern) in the water body (approaches with the Canadian Wildlife Service) Inventory and bibliographic searching on the flora and fauna found in the water body and on the embankments Inventorying oysters Collecting information on oyster spat transfers Moving oysters from Clarke Bay to Bassin au Huîtres 2.3 Fisheries and aquaculture Seeding oysters in order to ensure the sustainability of small-scale harvesting outside the farming site Redaction of a good practices code for tomcod fishermen Evaluation of clam and mussel beds in the water body 51

60 Theme Stake Actions Environmental perspective Social perspective Economic perspective 3.1 National Marine Follow-up on the project of implementation of a National Marine Conservation Area Conservation Area 3.3 Motor vehicle traffic Building awareness among ORV users about the problem of off-road traffic in natural environments 3.4 Dredging Resuming the maintenance dredging in the Cap Vert channel and under Detroit bridge Opening the Grande Rivière channel 3.5 Erosion of the banks Monitoring the erosion of the banks and using mitigation methods 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.6 Protection of sand dune environments 3.7 Enhancement of brooks 3.8 Havre-au- Maisons bridge Obtaining a global picture of sand dune shaping Restoration of the sand dune systems (installation of sand catchers) Development of brooks near the water bodies Inventory, characterization and cartography of brooks near the water body Follow-up on the Havre-au-Maisons bridge project 3.9 Implementation of the project ecologic characterization of accesses leading Rationalization of to the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands accesses to the water bodies Access rationalization and development Reopening the Havre au Basques Bay 3.10 Reopening of the water body Follow-up on the progress of the bay openings (Goulet and Grande Rivière channel) 3.12 Lobster trap soaking Follow-up on the assessment of the lobster trap soaking problem 52

61 Theme Stake Actions 4. Awareness and communication 4.1 Hunting 4.2 Waste management 4.3 Drinking water 4.4 Lack of information for the members of the IMC 4.5 Information and awareness of the youth 4.6 Links with the local population 4.7 Awareness in the population Production and distribution of awareness fact sheets about sustainable hunting Informing hunters about respecting the environment when placing gabions Increasing awareness in the population about the problem of wastes left in natural environments Increasing population awareness of the importance of a proper source separation of wastes Increasing awareness about pollution among users of the fishing wharves (wastes, used oils, etc.) Building awareness among visitors about the drinking water supply problems Informing members of the research taking place on the water body Informing members of any new aquaculture site applications Informing members of the new federal and provincial regulations Informing members about aquaculture site beaconing Identifying with committee members the communication plan actions that should be specifically targeted Building awareness among the youth on the importance of reopening the Havre au Basques Bay Building awareness among the youth about the importance of preserving the water body and its resources Informing schoolchildren of activities taking place in water bodies and teaching them to make good use of it Developing relations with Société de Conservation des Îles and follow-up on Boudreau Island Carrying out the communication plan regarding the water body Promoting the cooperation of users and main interveners (involved in the management of the water bodies) Increasing awareness among users about the bay s richness and fragility and the need to have good usage practices Writing and distributing a fact sheet on the importance of the embankments Environmental perspective Social perspective Economic perspective 53

62 Question 9 Do you think your water body faces a new problem that should be addressed by the integrated management committee? O Yes O No If positive, what is it? If positive, have you thought of any action that could help solve this problem? Thank you for taking part in the project by filling out this questionnaire! 54

63 APPENDIX 3 Table 10. Total ratings of the distinct actions epressed in the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies Water body Theme Stake Actions Environmental Importance ( /3) Social Importance ( /3) Economic Importance ( /3) Total Importance ( /9) N Action achieved 5: No 3: In part 1: Completely ERAP ( /1) Total rating ( /15) 1. Human activities and water quality 1.3 Management of wastewaters and water purity in the water bodies Description of the new buildings surrounding the water body and of wastewater treatment systems (1.3 D) 3,00 2,75 2,25 8, ,00 Inventorying oysters (2.3 A) 2,00 2,50 1,50 6, ,00 Collecting information on oyster spat transfers (2.3 B) 2,00 2,00 1,25 5, ,25 2. Fauna and flora 2.3 Fisheries and aquaculture Moving oysters from Clarke Bay to Bassin au Huîtres (2.3 C) 2,25 2,25 1,25 5, ,75 Bassin au Huîtres 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.6 Protection of sand dune environments 3.12 Lobster trap soaking Seeding oysters in order to ensure the sustainability of smallscale harvesting, outside the farming site (2.3 D) 2,00 2,25 0,75 5, ,00 Obtaining a global picture of sand dune shaping (3.6 A) 3,00 3,00 2,25 8, ,25 Follow-up on the assessment of the lobster trap soaking problem (3.12 A) 2,50 1,75 1,67 5, ,92 4. Awareness and communication 4.6 Links with the local population Developing relations with Société de Conservation des Îles and follow-up on Boudreau Island (4.6 A) 3,00 3,00 2,25 8, ,25 1. N : Number of evaluations per action. 55

64 Water body Theme Stake Actions Environmental Importance ( /3) Social Importance ( /3) Economic Importance ( /3) Total Importance ( /9) N Action achieved 5: No 3: In part 1: Completely ERAP ( /1) Total rating ( /15) Monitoring the pollutants in the water body (1.3 E) 3,00 2,25 2,67 7, ,92 1. Human activities and water quality 1.3 Management of wastewaters and water purity in the interior water bodies Approaching the Municipalité des Îles regarding the monitoring of water quality in Clarke Bay and the brook that flows into it (1.3 F) Approaching Environment Canada regarding the identification of contamination sources of major shellfish beds that are open under conditions (1.3 J) 2,80 2,20 2,00 7, ,00 3,00 2,40 2,20 7, ,60 Inventorying seals inside the water body (at the end of Dune du Sud) (1.3 P) 1,60 1,40 1,00 4, ,00 Grande Entrée Lagoon 2. Fauna and flora Approaching DFO in order to be kept aware of the followup on the deballasting problem and non-indigenous 2.1 Introduction of invading eotic species species (2.1 B) Inventorying the bird colonies (Roseate tern) in the water 2.2 Lack of knowledge body (approaches with the Canadian Wildlife Service) on fauna and flora (2.2 B) 2,60 2,40 2,20 7, ,20 2,00 1,80 1,20 5, ,00 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.1 National Marine Conservation Area Follow-up on the project of implementation of a National Marine Conservation Area (3.1 A) 2,60 2,80 3,00 8, ,40 4. Awareness and communication 4.4 Lack of information for the members of the IMC Informing members of the new federal and provincial regulations (4.4 C) 4.5 Information and Building awareness among the youth about the importance awareness of the youth of preserving the water body and its resources (4.5 B) 2,60 2,00 2,40 7, ,00 2,80 2,80 2,00 7, ,60 56

65 Water body Theme Stake Actions Environmental Importance ( /3) Social Importance ( /3) Economic Importance ( /3) Total Importance ( /9) N Action achieved 5: No 3: In part 1: Completely ERAP ( /1) Total rating ( /15) Havre au Maisons Lagoon 1. Human activities and water quality 2. Fauna and flora 1.1 Acquisition of knowledge on water bodies Mapping out the development potential for human activities and discussion with the members on that topic (1.1 H) Assessment of the water body carrying capacity and monitoring of the work done by DFO and MAPAQ on this subject (1.1 L) 1.3 Management of wastewaters and water Collecting information on the lagoon water quality, mostly purity in the interior during the tourist season (1.3 G) water bodies 2.3 Fisheries and aquaculture Redaction of a good practices code for tomcod fishermen (2.3 E) Evaluation of clam and mussel beds in the water body (2.3 F) 2,33 2,50 2,17 7, ,00 2,67 2,17 2,67 7, ,50 3,00 2,50 2,17 7, ,67 2,50 2,33 1,33 6, ,17 2,67 2,83 2,17 7, ,67 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.4 Dredging 3.8 Havre-au- Maisons bridge Resuming the maintenance dredging in the Cap Vert channel and under Detroit (3.4 A) Follow-up on the Havre-au-Maisons bridge project (3.8 A) 2,83 2,50 2,67 8, ,00 2,50 2,83 2,50 7, ,83 Havre au Basques Bay 1. Human activities and water quality 1.1 Acquisition of knowledge on water bodies 1.2 Cleanliness of the embankments and interior water bodies Finding professionals who can help the Committee and bring epertise on future epansions and/or problems in the water body (1.1 B) Researching the limitations and opportunities for the development of various activities in order to establish a zoning map (1.1 G) Encouraging the users and local organizations to get involved in the annual cleaning of the water body embankments (1.2 A) 3,00 2,50 2,00 7, ,50 2,75 2,50 2,75 8, ,00 2,75 2,50 2,50 7, , Management of wastewaters and water Finding a solution to the foul odours at la Martinique purity in the interior (1.3 K) water bodies 2,50 2,50 2,50 7, ,50 57

66 Water body Theme Stake Actions Environmental Importance ( /3) Social Importance ( /3) Economic Importance ( /3) Total Importance ( /9) N Action achieved 5: No 3: In part 1: Completely ERAP ( /1) Total rating ( /15) Building awareness in the population to avoid introducing 2.1 Introduction of 2. Fauna and flora new non-indigenous species in the water body (e.g., algae invading eotic species from home aquariums) (2.1 A) 3,00 2,25 2,50 7, ,75 Havre au Basques Bay 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 4. Awareness and communication 3.10 Reopening of the water body 4.1 Hunting Reopening the Havre au Basques Bay (3.10 A) 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, ,00 Informing hunters about respecting the environment when placing gabions (4.1 B) Increasing awareness in the population about the problem 4.2 Waste management of wastes left in natural environments (4.2 A) 4.5 Information and Building awareness among the youth on the importance of awareness of the youth reopening the Havre au Basques Bay (4.5 A) 2,75 2,25 2,25 7, ,25 3,00 2,75 2,75 8, ,50 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, , Awareness in the population Increasing awareness among users about the bay s richness and fragility and the need to have good usage practices (4.7 A) 2,75 2,75 2,75 8, , Acquisition of knowledge on water bodies Mapping out the water circulation pattern in the water body (1.1 D) Making the Atlas and history of the water body available through Internet (1.1 J) 2,75 2,75 2,50 8, ,00 2,00 2,25 2,00 6, ,25 Bassin Bay 1. Human activities and water quality Being better informed about the pollutants in the bay s water (1.3 H) 1.3 Management of wastewaters and water Obtaining information on the cause of strong odours that purity in the interior occur in some areas of Bassin Bay on warm summer days water bodies (1.3 L) 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, ,00 3,00 3,00 2,75 8, ,75 Ensuring a follow-up on animal carcasses found on the embankments (seals, etc.) (1.3 M) 2,50 3,00 2,75 8, ,25 58

67 Water body Theme Stake Actions Environmental Importance ( /3) Social Importance ( /3) Economic Importance ( /3) Total Importance ( /9) N Action achieved 5: No 3: In part 1: Completely ERAP ( /1) Total rating ( /15) 2. Fauna and flora 2.1 Introduction of Scouting for the presence of non-indigenous species invading eotic species (2.1 C) Inventory and bibliographic searching on the flora and 2.2 Lack of knowledge fauna found in the water body and on the embankments on fauna and flora (2.2 C) 2,75 2,75 2,75 8, ,25 3,00 3,00 2,50 8, , Motor vehicle traffic Building awareness among ORV users about the problem of off-road traffic in natural environments (3.3 A) 2,67 2,67 3,00 8, ,33 Bassin Bay 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.4 Dredging Opening the Grande Rivière channel (3.4 B) 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, , Erosion of the banks 3.10 Reopening of the water body Monitoring the erosion of the banks and using mitigation methods (3.5 A) Follow-up on the progress of the bay openings (Goulet and Grande Rivière channel) (3.10 B) 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, ,00 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, , Waste management Increasing population awareness of the importance of a proper source separation of wastes (4.2 B) Increasing awareness about pollution among users of the fishing wharves (wastes, used oils, etc.) (4.2 C) 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, ,00 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, ,00 4. Awareness and communication 4.3 Drinking water Building awareness among visitors about the drinking water supply problems (4.3 A) 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, ,00 Informing schoolchildren of activities taking place in 4.5 Information and water bodies and teaching them to make good use of it awareness of the youth (4.5 C) 4.7 Awareness in the population Writing and distributing a fact sheet on the importance of the embankments (and other future topics) (4.7 B) 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, ,00 3,00 3,00 3,00 9, ,00 59

68 APPENDIX 4 Table 11. Total ratings of common actions from the integrated management plans of the Magdalen Islands five interior water bodies Theme Stake Actions BH GEL HaML HaBB BB No. Water bodies Environmental Importance ( /3) Social Importance ( /3) Economic Importance ( /3) Total Importance ( /9) N Action achieved 5: No 3: In part 1: Completely ERAP ( /1) Total rating ( /20) Collecting field data on the uses related to the water bodies (1.1 A) Acquisition of knowledge and monitoring the physico-chemical conditions of the water body (1.1 C) Mapping out the sedimentation pattern in the water body (1.1 E) 5 2,88 2,29 2,15 7, ,32 2 2,80 1,90 2,25 6, ,95 2 2,92 2,17 2,71 7, ,79 1. Human activities and water quality 1.1 Acquisition Updating the water body bathymetry (1.1 F) of knowledge on 3 2,61 2,11 2,19 6, ,92 water bodies Updating the cartography of uses, resources and eploitations of the water body described in the Atlas and the history of the water body (1.1 I) 5 2,48 2,39 2,37 7, ,24 Acquisition and transmission of the knowledge on the species found in the water body, on any newly developed activity, on its carrying capacity and on various subjects of interest (1.1 K) 2 2,80 2,07 2,63 7, , Cleanliness of the embankments and interior water bodies Cleaning the embankments of the water bodies (including engines, buoys, etc.) (1.2 B) Cleaning of the water body bottom (including huge metal traps, plastic baskets, etc.) (1.2 C) 3 2,92 2,62 2,23 7, ,77 3 2,85 2,16 1,78 6, , Management of wastewaters and water purity Water purification in the water body (1.3 I) 3 3,00 2,62 2,63 8, ,26 in the interior water bodies 2. Fauna and flora 2.2 Lack of knowledge on fauna and flora Collecting information on cormorant population movements and evaluating their population on Île rouge (2.2 A) 2 2,42 1,62 1,17 5, ,20 60

69 Theme Stake Actions BH GEL HaML HaBB BB No. water bodies Environmental Importance ( /3) Social Importance ( /3) Economic Importance ( /3) Total Importance ( /9) N Action achieved 5: No 3: In part 1: Completely ERAP ( /1) Total rating ( /20) Development of brooks near the water bodies (3.7 A) 3.7 Enhancement of brooks Inventory, characterization and cartography of brooks near the water body (3.7 C) 3. Land protection, conservation and enhancement 3.9 Rationalization of accesses to Implementation of the project ecologic characterization of accesses leading to the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands (3.9 A) the water bodies Access rationalization and development (3.9 B) 4.1 Hunting Production and distribution of awareness fact sheets about sustainable hunting (4.1 A) Informing members of the research taking place on the water bodies (4.4 A) 2 2,71 2,13 1,92 6, ,75 2 2,33 2,00 1,92 6, ,25 5 2,67 2,42 2,07 7, ,16 5 2,63 2,25 1,95 6, ,83 2 2,63 2,42 2,63 7, ,67 2 2,46 2,46 2,08 7, ,00 4. Awareness and communication 4.4 Lack of information for the members of the IMC Informing members of any new aquaculture site applications (4.4 B) Informing members about aquaculture site beaconing (4.4 D) Identifying with committee members the communication plan actions that should be specifically targeted (4.4 E) 2 2,53 2,35 2,55 7, ,43 4 2,57 2,57 2,46 7, ,59 5 2,69 2,64 2,22 7, , Links with the local population Carrying out the communication plan regarding the water body (4.6 B) Promoting the cooperation of users and main interveners (involved in the management of the water bodies) (4.6 C) 5 2,51 2,55 2,29 7, ,35 5 2,86 2,67 2,43 7, ,96 61

70 APPENDIX 5 Table 12. Eample of a table meant for the follow-up of the realization of actions epressed in the integrated management plans Water body Actions Total rating ( /15) Degree of achievement Partners Schedule for the realisation Notes Obtaining a global picture of sand dune shaping (3.6 A) 11,25 Moving oysters from Clarke Bay to Bassin au Huîtres (2.3 C) 10,75 Seeding oysters in order to ensure the sustainability of small-scale harvesting, outside the farming site (2.3 D) 10,00 Bassin au Huîtres Developing relations with Société de Conservation des Îles and follow-up on Boudreau Island (4.6 A) Description of the new buildings surrounding the water body and of wastewater treatment systems (1.3 D) 9,25 9,00 Follow-up on the assessment of the lobster trap soaking problem (3.12 A) 8,92 Collecting information on oyster spat transfers (2.3 B) 8,25 Inventorying oysters (2.3 A) 7,00 62

71 APPENDIX 6 MAPS 63

72 Listing of actions 1.1 A: Collecting field data on the uses related to the water bodies 1.1 B: Finding professionals who can help the Committee and bring epertise on future epansions and/or problems in the water body 1.1 C: Acquisition of knowledge and monitoring the physico-chemical conditions of the water body 1.1 D: Mapping out the water circulation pattern in the water body 1.1 E: Mapping out the sedimentation pattern in the water body 1.1 F: Updating the water body bathymetry 1.1 G: Researching the limitations and opportunities for the development of various activities in order to establish a zoning map 1.1 H Mapping out the development potential for human activities and discussion with the members on that topic 1.1 I: Updating the cartography of uses, resources and eploitations of the water body described in the Atlas and the history of the water body 1.1 J: Making the Atlas and history of the water body available through Internet 1.1 K: Acquisition and transmission of the knowledge on the species found in the water body, on any newly developed activity, on its carrying capacity and on various subjects of interest 1.1 L: Assessment of the water body carrying capacity and monitoring of the work done by DFO and MAPAQ on this subject 1.2 A: Encouraging the users and local organizations to get involved in the annual cleaning of the water body embankments 1.2 B: Cleaning the embankments of the water bodies (including engines, buoys, etc.) 1.3 C: Cleaning of the water body bottom (including huge metal traps, plastic baskets, etc.) 1.3 D: Description of the new buildings surrounding the water body and of wastewater treatment systems 1.3 E: Monitoring the pollutants in the water body 1.4 F: Approaching the Municipalité des Îles regarding the monitoring of water quality in Clarke Bay and the brook that flows into it 1.3 G: Collecting information on the lagoon water quality, mostly during the tourist season 1.3 H: Being better informed about the pollutants in the bay s water 1.3 I: Water purification in the water body 1.3 J: Approaching Environment Canada regarding the identification of contamination sources of major shellfish beds that are open under conditions 1.3 K: Finding a solution to the foul odours at la Martinique 1.3 L: Obtaining information on the cause of strong odours that occur in some areas of Bassin Bay on warm summer days 1.3 M: Ensuring a follow-up on animal carcasses found on the embankments (seals, etc.) 1.3 P: Inventorying seals inside the water body (at the end of Dune du Sud) 2.1 A: Building awareness in the population to avoid introducing new non-indigenous species in the water body (e.g., algae from home aquariums) 75 70

73 2.1 B: Approaching DFO in order to be kept aware of the follow-up on the deballasting problem and non-indigenous species 2.1 C: Scouting for the presence of non-indigenous species 2.2 A: Collecting information on cormorant population movements and evaluating their population on Île rouge 2.2 B: Inventorying the bird colonies (Roseate tern) in the water body (approaches with the Canadian Wildlife Service) 2.2 C: Inventory and bibliographic searching on the flora and fauna found in the water body and on the embankments 2.3 A: Inventorying oysters 2.3 B: Collecting information on the possibility of oyster spat transfers 2.3 C: Moving oysters from Clarke Bay to Bassin au Huîtres 2.3 D: Seeding oysters in order to ensure the sustainability of small-scale harvesting outside the farming site 2.3 E: Redaction of a good practices code for tomcod fishermen 2.3 F: Evaluation of clam and mussel beds in the water body 3.1 A: Follow-up on the project of implementation of a National Marine Conservation Area 3.3 A: Building awareness among ORV users about the problem of off-road traffic in natural environments 3.4 A: Resuming the maintenance dredging in the Cap Vert channel and under Detroit bridge 3.4 B: Opening the Grande Rivière channel 3.5 A: Monitoring the erosion of the banks and using mitigation methods 3.6 A: Obtaining a global picture of sand dune shaping 3.7 A: Development of brooks near the water bodies 3.7 C: Inventory, characterization and cartography of brooks near the water body 3.8 A: Follow-up on the Havre-au-Maisons bridge project 3.9 A: Implementation of the project ecologic characterization of accesses leading to the interior water bodies of the Magdalen Islands 3.9 B: Access rationalization and development 3.10 A: Reopening the Havre au Basques Bay 3.10 B: Follow-up on the progress of the bay openings (Goulet and Grande Rivière channel) 3.12 A: Follow-up on the assessment of the lobster trap soaking problem 4.1 A: Production and distribution of awareness fact sheets about sustainable hunting 4.1 B: Informing hunters about respecting the environment when placing gabions 4.2 A: Increasing awareness in the population about the problem of wastes left in natural environments 4.2 B: Increasing population awareness of the importance of a proper source separation of wastes 4.2 C: Increasing awareness about pollution among users of the fishing wharves (wastes, used oils, etc.) 4.3 A: Building awareness among visitors about the drinking water supply problems 4.4 A: Informing members of the research taking place on the water bodies 4.4 B: Informing members of any new aquaculture site applications 76 71

74 4.4 C: Informing members of the new federal and provincial regulations 4.4 D: Informing members about aquaculture site beaconing 4.4 E: Identifying with committee members the communication plan actions that should be specifically targeted 4.5 A: Building awareness among the youth on the importance of reopening the Havre au Basques Bay 4.5 B: Building awareness among the youth about the importance of preserving the water body and its resources 4.5 C: Informing schoolchildren of activities taking place in water bodies and teaching them to make good use of it 4.6 A: Developing relations with Société de Conservation des Îles and follow-up on Boudreau Island 4.6 B: Carrying out the communication plan regarding the water body 4.6 C: Promoting the cooperation of users and main interveners (involved in the management of the water bodies) 4.7 A: Increasing awareness among users about the bay s richness and fragility and the need to have good usage practices 4.7 B: Writing and distributing a fact sheet on the importance of the embankments (and other future topics) 77 72

75 APPENDIX 7 Photos of the meetings Meeting with members of the integrated management committees, April 15, 2007 Conference on the integrated management of the interior water bodies, Centre d études collégiales des Îles, May 9,

76 APPENDIX 8 Press kit 79

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