Assessing metal mine effects using benthic invertebrates for Canada's environmental effects program

Abstract

In Canada, the Metal Mining Effluent Regulation is a mechanism developed from the Fisheries Act (R.S., c. F-14, s.1) under which the effects of mine effluent on fish and fish habitat (i.e., benthic invertebrate communities) is determined by Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) studies. The Metal Mining EEM (MM EEM) program proceeds in a tiered manner, commencing with determining whether an effect is present and continuing with determining extent, magnitude and cause of the effect. The benthic invertebrate monitoring component of the MM EEM program includes consideration of study design elements such as confounding factors, monitoring frequency, statistical study design, appropriate community endpoints and standardized approaches to site descriptions, field and laboratory methods and data interpretation. We present the approaches and rationale recently adopted for the benthic component of Canada's Metal Mining EEM program. A primary objective of this program was to outline a consistent national program that was scientifically defensible and that would produce the necessary information to evaluate the effectiveness of current pollution regulations.