Fisheries & Aquatic Ecology
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Any project proposed in or around water has the potential to negatively impact fish and their habitats. Our team of fisheries ecologists can provide project review services to determine if your project needs to consider fisheries constraints, identify potential impacts of development on waterbodies, determine mitigation strategies to reduce or eliminate impacts, and requirements for permitting. Our involvement may occur during preliminary or detailed design stages to assess ways to protect fish and fish habitat and efficiently facilitate projects. We’ll prepare all permitting requirements, and facilitate the approvals process with regulatory agencies including Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to ensure compliance under the Federal Fisheries Act.
Azimuth’s team of experienced fisheries and aquatic biologists provide expertise in fisheries approvals for an array of project types:
- Shoreline Development
- Culvert Improvements
- Stream Realignments
- Drain Maintenance
- Dredging
- Pond Construction
- Offsetting Plans
- Stream Restoration
Azimuth’s field studies include the completion of detailed fisheries and benthic invertebrate assessments in order to evaluate the implications of a project on the aquatic environment. Azimuth also provides fish habitat compensation and offsetting plans, designs for naturalized channels for stream modifications, stream rehabilitation/restoration, and monitoring of construction-related activities such as on-site construction monitoring, fish removal and relocation, pre- and post development monitoring, or research oriented monitoring.
Species at Risk
There are numerous aquatic species at risk (SAR) in Ontario that receive species and habitat protection under the provincial Endangered Species Act (ESA) and federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). Projects that pose potential risk to fish and fish habitat should be assessed to confirm SAR permitting requirements in early design stages. Azimuth’s fisheries ecologists review project details to determine potential risks to fish and/or freshwater mussel SAR, and guide through the steps required to advance projects through the permitting stage. We’re experienced in identifying critical habitats and protective measures throughout all stages of design, preparing Information Gathering Forms (IGF), Alternative Avoidance Forms (AAF), and species at risk overall benefit permit submissions to MECP for approvals. Our firm is experienced liaising with MECP and DFO to ensure that approvals are sought and secured prior to construction.
Fisheries Monitoring
Azimuth prepares detailed monitoring programs for our Fisheries and Aquatic Resources impact assessment studies for individual projects depending upon site conditions and type of development. Programs may include benthic invertebrate monitoring, fish sampling, temperature monitoring, riparian renaturalization plans, fish spawning surveys and morphological assessments of a watercourse. Azimuth’s biologists are actively involved in the design, acquisition and the completion of pre-and post development monitoring to document the environmental effects of various types of development on fisheries and aquatic resources.
Our fisheries biologists are qualified to complete fish sampling to evaluate existing conditions, monitor, or assist contractors with fish removal (salvage) and relocation prior to creek work for permit compliance, and are qualified environmental inspectors to monitor projects during construction stages. We’re Certified Inspectors of Sediment and Erosion Control (CISEC) and MTO Registry, Appraisal and Qualification System (RAQS) certified under the following ‘Specialties’ for Fisheries Assessment, Fisheries Inspection During Construction, and Fisheries Compliance During Contracts.
Benthic Invertebrate Assessments
Azimuth completes fisheries and benthic invertebrate assessments as a tool to evaluate these indicators of ecological health and changes in the aquatic environment. Benthic invertebrates are aquatic bugs that we monitor in accordance with the Ontario Biological Biomonitoring Network (OBBN) and BioMAP (Biological Monitoring Assessment Program) protocols. Our studies aim to determine existing aquatic habitat quality that may be used to establish a ‘baseline’ biological condition from which to compare background information or future monitoring. Such assessments may be required to supplement studies for a Environmental Compliance Approvals (CofA) or Permit to Take Water (PTTW) from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), or Fisheries Act approvals from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
Habitat Restoration
Habitat restoration refers to the renaturalization of lands in order to improve ecological health. Restoration plans are typically required as components of Azimuth’s Natural Heritage Studies (NHS), Environmental Impact Studies (EIS) and Fisheries Assessments, often for Class Environmental Assessments (EA’s), municipal projects, private landowners, and developers. Our team prepares fish habitat restoration plans as components of environmental impact studies for Conservation Authorities, MECP and DFO to renaturalize disturbed areas, and enhance significant features with focus on long-term sustainability in the landscape.
Restoration initiatives may focus on a particular species (i.e. Brook Trout in cold water creeks), replacing habitat following the completion of a construction project or to remediate conditions that have been damaged by natural causes. Azimuth’s aquatic biologists are experienced in preparation of the design, onsite monitoring, and project management services for watercourse rehabilitation and enhancement projects aimed at improving fish habitat and overall aquatic health.
