Figure 7-2. Fish sampling locations in Lake 1. August 25, 2018.

Transcription

1 Figure 7-2. Fish sampling locations in Lake 1. August 25,

2 Figure 7-3. Fish sampling locations in Lake 5. August 26,

3 Figure 7-4. Fish sampling locations in Lake 8. August 2-3,

4 8.0 WATER TEMPERATURE MONITORING 8.1 Methods Temperature loggers (WaterTemp Pro V2, Onset Corporation) were deployed in watercourses A53-A17 and A47-A17 on June 26, 2018, and June 27, 2018, respectively. Each logger was attached to a steel rod that was laid on the bottom. A temperature logger was deployed in Lake A53 on July 1, The logger was deployed in approximately 1 m of water and was suspended 30 cm off the bottom. All three loggers were removed on August 28, The logger locations are shown in Figure 8-1, and their coordinates are provided in Appendix A (Table A-5). Figure 8-1. Locations where temperature loggers were deployed in The loggers recorded the temperature at 15-minute intervals. The data were retrieved from the loggers using a Hobo waterproof shuttle (Onset Corporation). The temperature data were plotted using HOBOware Pro software (Version , Onset Corporation). The plots were examined to determine if there were periods with larger than expected diurnal ranges that might be the result of the loggers being exposed to the air or aberrant values that might be the result of data corruption; there were none. The data were exported to Excel (Microsoft Corporation) for graphing and analysis. 27

5 8.2 Results The 2018 water temperature data are summarized in Table 8-1 and shown in Figure 8-2. watercourse A46-A17 reached slightly higher temperatures than watercourse A53-A17 on several days and its maximum temperature was 1.2 centigrade degrees higher. Mean water temperatures for the period July 2 August 27, 2018, differed by less than one degree. Table 8-1. The first and last full day for which temperature data are available, the maximum water temperature recorded and the day that the maximum water temperature was recorded at each location during Maximum Date of Mean Watercourse/ Start Date End Date Location temperature maximum temperature July waterbody (2018) (2018) ( C) temperature 2 August 27 ( C) A53-A17 L9 June 27 August July A46-A17 L10 June 26 August July A53 L11 July 2 August July Figure 8-2. Water temperature in Lake A53 and watercourses A46-A17 and A53- A17 in

6 9.0 INVESTIGATION OF POTENTIAL FUTURE OFFSETTING OPPORTUNITIES 9.1 Introduction The Final Fish Habitat Compensation Plan for Whale Tail Pit Expansion will include a section on contingency options that may also form the basis for future fish compensation in Nunavut. DFO requires a description of the contingency measures and associated monitoring measures that could be put into place if the proposed offsetting measure is not successful in offsetting. As a result of workshops and stakeholder consultation, introducing fish to fishless waterbodies is one method of offsetting for habitat losses that Agnico Eagle are considering as future offsetting, provided that the waterbody can sustain a population of one or more fish species. Connecting waterbodies that provide year-round fish habitat to waterbodies that do not could also be an effective offsetting measure. Investigations were undertaken to identify and assess isolated waterbodies that, based on size and depth, were potentially either fishless or without populations of large-bodied fishes, where either species introductions or the creation of connections passable by fish might create offsetting. Borrow pits where aggregate was excavated for construction of the Amaruq Road were also examined to determine if previous or future excavation might provide opportunities for fish habitat creation. A water-filled quarry, referred to as Quarry 4, along the Baker Lake Road was also examined. 9.2 Methods Prior to the 2018 field season, aerial imagery of the Amaruq Exploration Road corridor was searched for small or shallow lakes with no apparent surface connection to other large lakes or watercourses, and where it appeared that creating a surface connection might be feasible. The small or shallow lakes identified through review of the aerial imagery were examined on the ground on June 27 and 28, 2018, and from the air on June 30, The focus during these field investigations was on assessing whether there were existing surface connections and, if there were not, the feasibility of establishing a surface connection. The latter was assessed primarily based on the amount of excavation that would be required. A number of borrow pits were also examined on foot on June 27 and 28, 2018 and all of the borrow pits along the Amaruq Road were examined from the air on June 30, Based on the site visits, two lakes, referred to as Esker 5A and Esker 6A, were identified as having the most potential as offsetting opportunities. Gill netting was conducted in these lakes using North American Standard (NA1) gill nets. These nets consist of 3.1 meter long by 1.8 metre deep panels of 38 mm, 51 mm, 64 mm, 76 mm, 89 mm, 102 mm, 114 mm and 127 mm stretched mesh joined in a single 24.8 metre long gang and they were set as straps of two gangs joined together as a 49.6 metre long gang. Short-duration daytime sets were conducted in Lakes 1 and 5. Overnight sets were conducted in Lake Esker 5A and both short-duration daytime sets and overnight sets were conducted in Lake Esker 6A. The date and time of deployments and lifts 29

7 were recorded as were the coordinates of each end of each net, determined using a Garmin GPSmap 76CSx GPS. Depth at each end of each net was determined using a portable sonar unit. The number of individuals of each fish species captured in each net was recorded. Each fish was examined for external anomalies and fork length was determined to the nearest mm using a standard fish measuring board. The total weight of individuals weighing less than 100 g was determined to the nearest 0.1 g, and the total weight of individuals weighing between 100 and 1000 g was determined to the nearest gram using an Ohaus CS2000 electronic balance. Fish weighing more than 1 kg were weighed to the nearest 10 g using a Rapala digital hanging scale. Fish that were alive were released after they were weighed and measured. The body cavity of dead fish was opened and the gonads were examined to determine the sex and maturity of the specimen. Females with opaque ovaries containing developing eggs visible with the naked eye were considered sexually mature. Females with translucent ovaries that did not contain eggs which were visible to the naked eye were considered immature. Males with opaque testes were considered mature, and males with small translucent testes were considered immature. One or both otoliths were taken from dead Lake Trout and Arctic Char and retained for future aging. Angling was also conducted in Lake Esker 5A, with one rod trolling a silver spoon (Williams Wabler ). The approximate length of three sides of Quarry 4 was determined using an AOFAR model AF- 700L rangefinder on June 25, Standard (Gee) minnow traps baited with two pellets of artificial bait (Atlas and Mike s Glo Mallows Cerise/Shrimp) were deployed at five locations in Quarry 4 on July 21, Where each trap was deployed, the depth was measured to the nearest centimetre with a ruler, the substrate was described, and the coordinates were determined using a Garmin GPSmap 76CSx handheld GPS. The minnow traps were lifted approximately 23 hours later, on July 22. The wadeable section of the quarry shoreline was electrofished with a Halltech Model 200T backpack electrofisher on July 20, Effort was 382 electroseconds over approximately 40 m. 9.3 Results No waterbodies with the potential to provide fish habitat were observed to have been created by past excavation at borrow pits along the Amaruq Road. The borrow pits are located along an esker which, in most locations, has quite steep sides. The excavated areas are higher than the surrounding waterbodies and have not resulted in the creation of significant permanent ponds. The regulatory requirement to maintain a buffer between the extraction areas and the adjacent waterbodies would, at most locations, preclude excavating below the elevation of the adjacent waterbodies in order to create fish habitat. Creation of fish habitat at these locations might be feasible if it was planned and approved by the regulatory agencies in advance of aggregate extraction. 30

8 Both Lake Trout and Arctic Char were captured in Lake Esker 5A and Lake Esker 6A. The gill net catches and catch per unit effort (CPUE), expressed as number of individuals caught per hour of soak time, are presented in Table 9-1. Figure 9-1 is a key map and the sampling locations for lakes Esker 5A and Esker 6A are shown in Figures 9-2 and 9-3, respectively. The times, coordinates, and depths for net sets (Table A-4) and the data for individual fish (Table A-6) are provided in Appendix A. Both Lake Trout and Arctic Char were captured in gill nets in Lake Esker 5A. Three Arctic Char and a Burbot were captured in Lake Esker 6A. Three Lake Trout were captured during 48 minutes of angling in Lake Esker 5A. Using the dimensions determined by range finder, the surface area of Quarry 4 is approximately 0.36 ha. No fish were caught by electrofishing or in the minnow traps in Quarry 4. 31

9 Table 9-1. Gill net set net type, set type, location, dates and catches in lakes Esker 5A and Esker 6A. CPUE is calculated as number of individuals caught per hour of soak time. The lake locations are shown in Figure 9-1 and net set locations are shown in Figures 9-2 and 9-3. Soak time Lake Trout Arctic Char Burbot Location Set date Lift date Waterbody Net Type Set Type (hrs) Catch CPUE Catch CPUE Catch CPUE Esker 5A 2 x large mesh overnight GN68 26-Aug Aug broad-scale GN69 26-Aug Aug Total Esker 6A 2 x large mesh broad-scale shortduration GN70 27-Aug Aug GN71 27-Aug Aug overnight GN72 27-Aug Aug GN73 27-Aug Aug Total

10 Figure 9-1. Key map showing locations of Lake Esker 5A and Lake Esker 6A. 33

11 Figure 9-2. Gill net set locations in Lake Esker 5A. 34

12 Figure 9-3. Gill net set locations in Lake Esker 6A. 35

13 10.0 LITERATURE CITED Azimuth Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM): Cycle 1 Study Design, Meadowbank Division, Nunavut. Report prepared by Azimuth Consulting Group Inc., Vancouver, BC for Environment Canada, Edmonton, AB on behalf of Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd., Baker Lake, NU. December, Azimuth Aquatic Effects Monitoring Program Core Receiving Environment Monitoring Program 2012, Meadowbank Gold Project. Report prepared by Azimuth Consulting Group Inc., Vancouver, BC for Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd., Baker Lake, NU. BAER (Baseline Aquatic Ecosystem Report) A report prepared by Azimuth Consulting Group, Vancouver for Cumberland Resources Ltd. October, Whale tail pit fish and fish habitat field investigations: Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. - Meadowbank Division. xi +157 pp. and Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd Whale Tail Pit Fish Habitat Offsetting Plan. v + 49 pp + appendices. Jones, N.E., G.J. Scrimgeour, and W.M. Tonn Fish species traits and communities in relation to a habitat template for Arctic rivers and streams. American Fisheries Society Symposium 73: ,

14 APPENDIX A ADDITIONAL SAMPLING INFORMATION 37

15 Table A- 1. Waterbody/watercourse, Location ID, coordinates, set and lift dates and times, soak time and direction of the opening for fyke netting conducted in Date and Time Set Date and Time Lifted Soak Time Location ID Latitude Longitude Opening facing Waterbody/watercourse m/dd/yy hr:min m/dd/yy hr:min (hrs) A46-A17 FN /27/18 10:15 6/28/18 7: downstream A46-A17 FN /28/18 7:50 6/29/18 8: downstream A46-A17 FN /29/18 8:00 6/30/18 9: downstream A46-A17 FN /30/18 9:20 7/1/18 7: downstream A53-A17 FN /26/18 15:30 6/27/18 8: downstream A53-A17 FN /27/18 8:20 6/28/18 8: downstream A53-A17 FN /28/18 8:16 6/29/18 9: downstream A53-A17 FN /29/18 9:45 6/30/18 9: downstream A53-A17 FN /30/18 9:55 7/1/18 8: downstream A53 FN /29/18 12:00 6/30/18 13: south-west A53 FN /30/18 13:00 7/1/18 15: south-west A53 FN /29/18 12:00 6/30/18 13: north-east A53 FN /30/18 13:00 7/1/18 15: north-east 38

16 Table A- 2. Waterbody/watercourse, Location ID, coordinates, set and lift date and time, depth and substrate for standard minnow traps set in Lake A53 in Waterbody Location ID Latitude Longitude Date and Time Set m/dd/yy hr:min Date and Time Lifted m/dd/yy hr:min Depth (m) Substrate A-53 SMT /29/18 13:44 6/30/18 17: fines/moss A-53 SMT /29/18 13:53 6/30/18 17: fines/grass A-53 SMT /29/18 14:00 6/30/18 17: cobble/boulder A-53 SMT /29/18 14:12 6/30/18 17: boulder A-53 SMT /29/18 14:25 6/30/18 17: boulder A-53 SMT /29/18 14:33 6/30/18 17: boulder/cobble A-53 SMT /29/18 14:49 6/30/18 17: boulder/cobble A-53 SMT /29/18 14:55 6/30/18 18: fines/boulder A-53 SMT /30/18 17:16 7/1/18 14: fines/moss A-53 SMT /30/18 17:23 7/1/18 14: fines/grass A-53 SMT /30/18 17:28 7/1/18 14: cobble/boulder A-53 SMT /30/18 17:33 7/1/18 14: boulder A-53 SMT /30/18 17:39 7/1/18 14: boulder A-53 SMT /30/18 17:47 7/1/18 14: boulder/cobble A-53 SMT /30/18 17:53 7/1/18 14: boulder/cobble A-53 SMT /30/18 18:00 7/1/18 14: fines/boulder A-53 SMT /4/18 20:16 8/5/18 10: fines A-53 SMT /4/18 20:20 8/5/18 10: fines A-53 SMT /4/18 20:24 8/5/18 10: cobble/boulder A-53 SMT /4/18 20:30 8/5/18 10: cobble/boulder A-53 SMT /4/18 20:37 8/5/18 10: boulder/cobble A-53 SMT /4/18 20:44 8/5/18 11: boulder/cobble A-53 SMT /4/18 20:48 8/5/18 11: cobble/boulder

17 Waterbody Location ID Latitude Longitude Date and Time Set m/dd/yy hr:min Date and Time Lifted m/dd/yy hr:min Depth (m) Substrate A-53 SMT /4/18 20:55 8/5/18 11: boulder/fines A-53 SMT /5/18 10:40 8/5/18 16: fines A-53 SMT /5/18 10:43 8/5/18 16: fines A-53 SMT /5/18 10:52 8/5/18 16: cobble/boulder A-53 SMT /5/18 10:56 8/5/18 17: cobble/boulder A-53 SMT /5/18 10:59 8/5/18 17: boulder/cobble A-53 SMT /5/18 11:02 8/5/18 17: boulder/cobble A-53 SMT /5/18 11:05 8/5/18 17: cobble/boulder A-53 SMT /5/18 11:08 8/5/18 17: boulder/fines 40

18 Table A- 3. Waterbody, location, date, start and stop location coordinates, distance electrofished and electro-seconds for electrofishing conducted in Waterbody Location Date (mm/dd/yy) Start Latitude Start Longitude End Latitude End Longitude A46 EF-L71 08/03/ A47 EF-L72 08/03/ A50 EF-L73 08/03/ A51 EF-L74 08/03/ A52 EF-L75 08/03/ A0 EF-L76 08/04/ A113 EF-L77 08/04/ A48 EF-L78 08/04/ A53 EF-L79 08/04/ AP21 EF-L80 08/04/ A-P38 EF-L81 08/04/ A49 EF-L82 08/23/ A49 EF-L83 08/23/ A54 EF-L84 08/23/ A-P18 EF-L85 08/23/ A-P33 EF-L86 08/23/ A-P37 EF-L87 08/23/ A-P49 EF-L88 08/23/ C-P1 EF-L89 08/23/ C39 EF-L90 08/24/ C40 EF-L91 08/24/ C41 EF-L92 08/24/ A0-A48 EF-S88 08/04/ A49-A47 EF-S89 08/23/