Figure 1: End-to-end Transportation System and Gordie Howe International Bridge
1.2 FISHERIES PLAN SCOPE AND PURPOSE
The scope of the Fisheries Plan for Healy Drain is to outline standard best management practices for fish and fish habitat protection of the Healy Drain to fulfill the requirements of Section 8 of the Bridge to Strengthen Trade Act S.C. (2012). The Plan also incorporates any commitments resulting from consultation with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and approvals through the Drainage Act, R.S.O. (1990). The Fisheries Plan for Healy Drain will be made available to the Early Works Contractor and any third parties working on the Project site once it has been filled with the Minister.
This Fisheries Plan has been prepared specifically for the proposed work on the Healy Drain. It should be noted that three (3) additional watercourses have been identified in the vicinity of the Project and these include: the Detroit River, Broadway Drain, and an Unnamed Drain (refer to Figure 2 for watercourse locations). This Fisheries Plan was prepared separately in order to obtain DFO acknowledgment and to allow the Healy Drain proposed works to proceed in advance of the Broadway Drain work. A separate document (Fisheries Plan for Broadway Drain, Unnamed Drain and the Detroit River) will be developed to address specific concerns related to the additional watercourses, and the Fisheries Plan for Healy Drain will become part of this document and submitted as one Plan to the Minister under the BSTA.
The purpose of this Fisheries Plan for Healy Drain is two-fold:
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To identify potential impacts to fish and fish habitat as a result of proposed works in and around Healy Drain within the Project limits.
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To provide standard best management practices to mitigate harm to fish and fish habitat and ensure that works carried out by the Early Works Contractor adhere to requirements outlined in the Bridge to Strengthen Trade Act (BSTA).
Broadly speaking, this Fisheries Plan outlines the requirements related to construction methodology, mitigation and protection of fish and fish habitat that must be fulfilled during Works on Healy Drain, including: