Risk of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project to Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus)

Eulachon, (Thaleichthys pacificus), is an anadromous species that spawns in the Kitimat River, British Columbia. The proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline travels alongside this waterway and will put this species at risk. Eulachon are a unique species, and are important to freshwater and ripar...

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Main Author: Power, Helen
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7978
id ftqueensuniv:oai:qspace.library.queensu.ca:1974/7978
record_format openpolar
spelling ftqueensuniv:oai:qspace.library.queensu.ca:1974/7978 2023-05-15T16:16:10+02:00 Risk of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project to Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) Power, Helen 2013-04-29T18:46:53Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7978 en eng http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7978 Oil pipeline Eulachon Toxicology First Nations project 2013 ftqueensuniv 2020-12-29T09:06:39Z Eulachon, (Thaleichthys pacificus), is an anadromous species that spawns in the Kitimat River, British Columbia. The proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline travels alongside this waterway and will put this species at risk. Eulachon are a unique species, and are important to freshwater and riparian ecosystems. Spawning runs occur at the end of winter, and they provide marine-derived nutrients that are essential to the functioning of these ecosystems. Species such as bears, gulls, eagles, and piscivorous fish all rely on eulachon for sustenance. The status of the central BC population of eulachon is “critically endangered”, with Kitimat River populations being “virtually extirpated” with fewer than 1000 members per run. Since 1992, eulachon runs of the Kitimat River have dropped substantially, and an oil spill at the most inopportune time could potentially eliminate this population. Haisla First Nations rely on eulachon runs for food, social, and ceremonial purposes. The elimination of these populations would have devastating effects on their way of life. The pipeline project puts eulachon at risk during all life stages; eulachon may be exposed as embryos incubating in the Kitimat River, as juveniles in the Kitimat Arm of the Douglas Channel, or as spawning adults running up the Douglas Channel. Should there be a tanker spill in the ocean, adult eulachon may also be exposed. There has been no research into the toxicological effects of crude oil or bitumen on eulachon during any life stage. Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are three species that are most similar to eulachon. Toxicity of crude oil to pink salmon and Pacific herring embryos is observed at concentrations as low as 18 µg/L and 0.4 µg/L respectively. Liver lesions are observed in pink salmon juveniles exposed to ≥ 25 µg/L crude oil. Adult Pacific herring exposed to crude oil exhibit immunosuppression. Eulachon may have similar effects upon exposure to diluted bitumen. Other/Unknown Material First Nations Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pink salmon Queen's University, Ontario: QSpace Douglas Channel ENVELOPE(-129.187,-129.187,53.638,53.638) Haisla ENVELOPE(-128.649,-128.649,53.980,53.980) Kitimat ENVELOPE(-128.714,-128.714,53.989,53.989) Kitimat Arm ENVELOPE(-128.715,-128.715,53.919,53.919) Kitimat River ENVELOPE(-128.663,-128.663,54.010,54.010) Pacific
institution Open Polar
collection Queen's University, Ontario: QSpace
op_collection_id ftqueensuniv
language English
topic Oil pipeline
Eulachon
Toxicology
First Nations
spellingShingle Oil pipeline
Eulachon
Toxicology
First Nations
Power, Helen
Risk of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project to Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus)
topic_facet Oil pipeline
Eulachon
Toxicology
First Nations
description Eulachon, (Thaleichthys pacificus), is an anadromous species that spawns in the Kitimat River, British Columbia. The proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline travels alongside this waterway and will put this species at risk. Eulachon are a unique species, and are important to freshwater and riparian ecosystems. Spawning runs occur at the end of winter, and they provide marine-derived nutrients that are essential to the functioning of these ecosystems. Species such as bears, gulls, eagles, and piscivorous fish all rely on eulachon for sustenance. The status of the central BC population of eulachon is “critically endangered”, with Kitimat River populations being “virtually extirpated” with fewer than 1000 members per run. Since 1992, eulachon runs of the Kitimat River have dropped substantially, and an oil spill at the most inopportune time could potentially eliminate this population. Haisla First Nations rely on eulachon runs for food, social, and ceremonial purposes. The elimination of these populations would have devastating effects on their way of life. The pipeline project puts eulachon at risk during all life stages; eulachon may be exposed as embryos incubating in the Kitimat River, as juveniles in the Kitimat Arm of the Douglas Channel, or as spawning adults running up the Douglas Channel. Should there be a tanker spill in the ocean, adult eulachon may also be exposed. There has been no research into the toxicological effects of crude oil or bitumen on eulachon during any life stage. Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are three species that are most similar to eulachon. Toxicity of crude oil to pink salmon and Pacific herring embryos is observed at concentrations as low as 18 µg/L and 0.4 µg/L respectively. Liver lesions are observed in pink salmon juveniles exposed to ≥ 25 µg/L crude oil. Adult Pacific herring exposed to crude oil exhibit immunosuppression. Eulachon may have similar effects upon exposure to diluted bitumen.
format Other/Unknown Material
author Power, Helen
author_facet Power, Helen
author_sort Power, Helen
title Risk of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project to Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus)
title_short Risk of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project to Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus)
title_full Risk of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project to Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus)
title_fullStr Risk of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project to Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus)
title_full_unstemmed Risk of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project to Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus)
title_sort risk of enbridge northern gateway pipeline project to eulachon (thaleichthys pacificus)
publishDate 2013
url http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7978
long_lat ENVELOPE(-129.187,-129.187,53.638,53.638)
ENVELOPE(-128.649,-128.649,53.980,53.980)
ENVELOPE(-128.714,-128.714,53.989,53.989)
ENVELOPE(-128.715,-128.715,53.919,53.919)
ENVELOPE(-128.663,-128.663,54.010,54.010)
geographic Douglas Channel
Haisla
Kitimat
Kitimat Arm
Kitimat River
Pacific
geographic_facet Douglas Channel
Haisla
Kitimat
Kitimat Arm
Kitimat River
Pacific
genre First Nations
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
Pink salmon
genre_facet First Nations
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
Pink salmon
op_relation http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7978
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