Roles of the Sable Island Station

Sovereignty

Sable Island is the most remote island in Canada, and its location has significant effect on our territorial limit and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Boundaries delimited around Sable Island extend Canada’s sovereignty (territorial sea) 12 nautical miles and forms baselines from which we extend our 200 nautical mile EEZ boundary further into the Northwest Atlantic.

The extended sovereignty enabled by Sable Island, provides Canada with the means to extend control in issues relevant to coastal security, and control of oil, ballast and bilge water. A full-time human presence on Sable Island supports Canada’s national security and sovereignty. The lack of a human presence on the Island would open opportunities for foreign individuals and interests to make landfall there.

At various time staff of the Sable Island Station staff have represented and assisted other government agencies, including: a) Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) during several incidents involving drugs, or drug smuggling gear washed ashore; b) Customs & Immigration when foreign nationals have entered Canada through Sable Island.

Safety and Security

Sable Island provides a refueling capacity, which increases the range of Search & Rescue (SAR) helicopters as well as Coast Guard and industry helicopters. The Island also provides “safe haven” and a base of operations during marine disasters. While some will argue that this is primarily an issue for the offshore energy industry, the public also has an interest in the safety of people at sea (i.e. personnel involved in general shipping and fishing, as well as those working in the offshore energy industry).

The primary role of the Station in SAR activities has been to provide support. Station staff have:

• assisted with helicopter refueling

• transported injured persons to/from the helipads

• taken care of injured persons

• sheltered stranded passengers and shipwreck survivors

• relayed communications to/from the Rescue Coordination Center

• provided weather information

• provided tools, labour and supplies as requested

• beach patrols for debris and wreckage following vessel & aircraft sinkings on the Scotian Shelf

• logistical support such as accommodations during SAR exercises & maintenance assistance to DND

The Station provides storage of emergency supplies (food, water, clothing) for up to 150 people for five days. The Station also maintains storage of oil spill clean-up materials.

Platform for Monitoring and Research

The infrastructure provided by the Sable Island Station is important because the Island’s location makes it an invaluable platform for a number of monitoring and research programs relevant to the understanding the dynamics, ecology and health of the oceans and atmosphere of the Scotian Shelf region and the greater Northwest Atlantic area, and beyond (in the case of some atmospheric research programs). Some of these monitoring programs represent long-term databases of global significance (e.g. measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide). Examples of monitoring programs presently underway include:

1. marine issues:

   • oil pollution and oiled seabirds

   • marine litter

2. atmospheric studies:

   • atmospheric research & climate change studies

   • airshed program

3. marine mammals:

   • biological research on, and monitoring of, seal populations

   • monitoring marine mammal strandings

Sable Island is particularly important as a monitoring platform because the Island is adjacent to two significant marine concerns: a) offshore energy exploration and production activity; and b) the Gully Marine Protected Area (MPA), the first MPA in eastern Canada.

Also, the Sable Island Station provides infrastructure and support for programs such as the Geomagnetic Observatory of the British Geological Survey (BGS). Data collected aid in scientific study of rates of change in Earth’s magnetic field and increase the accuracy of the Global Geomagnetic Model.

Island Conservation

As a continuous human presence, the Sable Island Station provides a basic level of stewardship for the Island environment and biodiversity, and continuous monitoring of activities on the Island. This stewardship enables protection of vulnerable terrain, and flora and fauna including nesting and migrating birds (Sable Island is a Migratory Bird Sanctuary); seals in the breeding colonies, and the Sable Island horses.

In addition, the Sable Island Station provides the infrastructure for a wide range of research on the Island’s terrain, flora and fauna, including biological research (e.g. studies of vegetation, seals, horses, birds, fish, insects, including some endemic species); and geological research (dune dynamics and sediment transport).

Heritage and Culture

The histories of settlement, shipwrecks and horses, for example, are considered an important part of Nova Scotia’s and Canada’s heritage, and associated artifacts are of interest. The Sable Island Station provides for collection and conservation of materials.

In providing support services for media and museum personnel, the Station plays a role in development of educational material and public information (news, documentaries, websites, museum collections). The Station has also enabled visits by Canadian print, performance and visual artists.