For up-to-date information about BoFEP meetings and other events visit:
www.bofep.org/calendar.htm


Contacts
BoFEP Secretariat

ACER
Acadia University
23 Westwood Avenue
PO Box 115, Wolfville, NS 
B4P 2R6
Tel  (1) 902-585-1113
Fax (1) 902-585-1054
secretariat@bofep.org

BoFEP Communications
communications@bofep.org


If you would like to post an item in Fundy Tidings pertaining to BoFEP, its partners or the Bay of Fundy send it along to:
communications@bofep.org

submission deadlines
January 1st
April 1st
July 1st
October 1st

 

~ FUNDY TIDINGS ~
The Quarterly Newsletter of the
Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP)

August 2011 ~ Summer Issue

HEADLINES:

A.   BoFEP and its activities:
 

1. BoFEP Bay of Fundy Science Workshop - September 27-30th 2011
2. BoFEP Stewardship Award - Call for Nominations
3. BoFEP Workshops for Planners a success

4. Mudflat Ecology Working Group Meeting Presentations Available

B.   Partners and other organizations:

1. CPAWS calls for new MPA in the Bay of Fundy
2. CoinAtlantic Geocontent Generator Available Online
3. FERN Newsletter now available online
4. Tim Webster Receives 2011 GOMCME Visionary Award
5. "Voices for our Coast" Video Online
6. Fisheries/Limnology/Wetlands joint Conference in  2012 in Moncton
7. Act for the Coast Brochure Available. 
C.   Fundy/GOM and other News:
 

1. Environmental Damages Fund Grants
2. Salmon News 
3. Controversial NS Aquaculture Site Approved - Appeal Launched
4. Aquaculture Fishery Interaction Article
5. Marine Invasive Species Monitoring Guide Available
6. NOAA Photo Library on Flickr
7. A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change
8. NS Socio-economic Data now Searchable by Watershed
9. Controversy continues over Alewives/Gaspereau in the St. Croix River

D. Administrivia - [Subscribing and unsubscribing}

A. BoFEP and its activities:

1. BoFEP Bay of Fundy Science Workshop - September 27-30th 2011 in Saint John NB

The 9th biennial Bay of Fundy Science Workshop will take place September 27-30th at the Delta Brunswick Hotel in Saint John, NB. The Workshop, jointly sponsored by The bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) and  the Atlantic Coastal Action Program Saint John (ACAPSJ), has as its theme "

“Protecting the Watersheds and Estuaries of the Bay of Fundy: Issues, Science and Management”.

A diverse array of excellent papers and posters have been submitted for the workshop. In addition, there will be a guided Field Trip of the Marsh Creek Project area, a mini hands-on workshop on Ecosystem Indicator Tool for the Gulf of Maine (number of participants limited, so register early) and a special discussion session on Marine Protected Areas in the Bay of Fundy. At the Workshop banquet on Thursday evening our special guest speaker(s) will be Jonathan Smith and hopefully Alexandra Cousteau (Granddaughter of Jacques) of Blue Legacy International who will talk about that organizations efforts in promoting marine conservation around the world.

 

 The detailed draft program, is now available online. The draft book of abstracts will be posted soon.

 

 The Registration Form is also available online.  Note that the early registration deadline (after which the registration rate rises) is September 10th, 2011.

 

At the Workshop Banquet on Thursday evening September 29th  our special guest speaker will be  Jonathan Smith (and possibly Alexandra Cousteau, Jacques granddaughter) of Blue Legacy International who will give a talk entitled "From Runoff to Renewal...a Watershed Moment". Reserve your ticket now on the registration form.

 

 Accommodation at the Delta Brunswick is available at a special rate for workshop participants if booked before August 28th, 2011. There are other accommodation options in the Saint John area.

 

Check the BoFEP website Workshop Page periodically for up-to-date information.

 

2. BoFEP Stewardship Award - Call for Nominations

At each Workshop BoFEP presents a special "Environmental Stewardship Award" . This award is presented to an individual who has “contributed significantly to the environmental health/sustainability of the Bay of Fundy”, preferably one who might best be described as an “unsung hero”, who has not been in the limelight as a prominent player, but has worked hard behind the scenes toward the Mission and within the Principles of BoFEP. BoFEP invites nominations for the award to be presented at the 9th Workshop in late September 2011. The award  guidelines and a nomination form are available online in MSWord or PDF formats. Nominators  should complete this form and submit it as indicated by September 9, 2011.

3. BoFEP Workshops for Planners a success

A series of three Workshops "Tools for Healthy Watersheds" were jointly organized in March 2011 by BoFEP and the Ecology Action Centre for Municipal and Regional Planners from all around the Bay of Fundy. The daylong workshops were held in Digby, NS, Saint John, NB and Sackville, NB.  The purpose of the workshops was to increase municipal and regional planners' awareness of the many complex linkages between land-based activities within their municipalities and the health of coastal habitats and watersheds, as well as to provide information on tools for watershed protection. A final summary  report on the workshops, including recommendations, is available online.

 

Copies of the following PowerPoint presentations from the workshops are available in PDF format :

4. Mudflat Ecology Working Group Meeting Presentations Available

The Mudflat Ecology Working Group held a very successful meeting on May 26th, 2011 at Mount Allison University . The following presentations made at the meeting are now available online  in pdf Format: 

 

B. Partners and other organizations:

1. CPAWS calls for new MPA in the Bay of Fundy

In the lead up to Oceans day 2011 the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society(CPAWS) challenged the federal government to establish 12 new marine protected areas in Canada by the end of 2012. “Creating 12 new marine protected areas within the next year and a half is an ambitious but do-able target for the federal government and an important step towards meeting Canada’s international commitment to create a full network of marine protected areas in all of our oceans,” says CPAWS’ Oceans Program Manager Sabine Jessen. Rodrigo Menafra, Marine Conservation Coordinator for the CPAWS Nova Scotia Chapter stated that “The two sites identified in Nova Scotia are ecologically, culturally and economically important areas. The Bay of Fundy is a global treasure, supports important fisheries and provides key habitat for the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. St. Annes Bank is a key migration route for fish and marine mammals and home to cold-water corals and sponges.”  More information.

 

2. CoinAtlantic Geocontent Generator Available Online

By clicking on the COINAtlantic Geocontent Generator (CGG) you will open a free on-line utility that allows users to generate and publish geospatial polygons on-line that will be found by the Google search engine. It is intended to be a simple-to-use tool that will allow non-specialists to allow others to find and view their information. The CGG allows users to input a description of their organization, publication and/or data source for publication on the internet. Included in the CGG is a function for defining the geographic area of interest. This can be done by selecting from a number of existing geographic polygons, drawing your own area of interest on an interactive map or by importing existing geographic information. Once completed, the file is saved on a server that is indexed by the internet search engine, such as Google, so that others will be able to find your information and the geographical area of interest related to your information. This tool allows you to associate your information with geographic areas on Google Maps and Google Earth. A CGG tutorial on the use of the application is available in PDF format.

Please feel free to give the CGG a try and send along comments to COINAtlantic@dal.ca

 

3. FERN Newsletter now available online

The first issue of the bi-annual newsletter of the Fundy Energy Research Network (FERN) is now available online. This issue features the following:

  • Message from the FERN Executive & Coordinator
  • FERN - A Part of what is Moving the Bay of Fundy to the Centre of the Tidal World, Chris Campbell, OREG
  • Update on the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy, Matt Lumley, FORCE
  • Update on the OEER Association, Jennifer Matthews, OEER
  • Technology Roadmap for Marine Renewable Energy, June 2011 Update, James Taylor
  • Upcoming Events
  • Updates from the FERN Subcommittees
  • Highlights of Members' Fundy Research Projects:

Additional information about FERN and its activities can be found on the FERN Website.

 

4. Tim Webster Receives 2011 GOMCME Visionary Award

Dr. Tim Webster, a research scientist with the Applied Geomatics Research Group at Nova Scotia Community College in Middleton has received the 2011 Visionary Award from the Gulf of Maine Council on Marine Environment. Dr. Webster was recognized for his long-term leadership in developing and applying remote sensing technologies. Mr. Webster's work has led to a better understanding of the Bay of Fundy's changing coastlines and watersheds and the implications of climate change on coastal environments and communities. The awards are presented to individuals or organizations within the five Gulf of Maine jurisdictions of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. For 20 years, the awards have recognized innovation, creativity and commitment to marine protection by businesses, environmental organizations or individuals who are making a difference to the health of the Gulf of Maine. More information  .

 

5. "Voices for our Coast" Video Online

The Ecology Action Centre interviewed a range of people from across the Nova Scotia to find out what they love about the coast , what concerns they have about the coast and what they think needs to be done to better protect and manage the coast. They spoken to fishermen, farmers, coastal land owners, business owners, tourism operators, politicians and real estate agents and the message is loud and clear – there is widespread concern about the future of Nova Scotia’s coast and people want the Provincial Government to take action. EAC has compiled what they heard into a 10 minute film titled "Voices for our Coast" that was premiered on  May 25th, 2011.

 

6. Fisheries, Limnology and Wetlands groups to hold joint Conference in  Moncton in 2012

This year the Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research (CCFFR) and the Society of Canadian Limnologists (SCL) will be joined again by the annual meeting of the Canadian Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS). The conference will take place 5-7 January 2012  at the Delta Beausejour Hotel in Moncton, NB.  The proposed major session themes of the 2012 Conference are: 

  •  Role of top predators in aquatic ecosystems
  •  Population dynamics, health, and ecology of salmonids (wild and cultivated)
  •  Species at risk, particularly sturgeon and eels.
  •  Use of new technology in aquatic research
  •  Migration, mixing, and dispersal in aquatic species
  •  Impacts of climate change on aquatic environments and fisheries
  •  Impacts of multiple stressors on aquatic ecosystems
  •  Nutrient dynamics in lakes, rivers, estuaries, and coastal environments
  •  Invasive aquatic species
  •  Linking theory and application: From fish to phytoplankton
  •  Science for wetland policy and management
  •  General

 Other session themes may be added if there is sufficient demand.

Authors can make submissions for oral or poster presentations. Abstracts in electronic form must be submitted by email to one of the the Programme co-Chairs: Steve Campana (Campanas@dfo-mpo.gc.ca) or Sherrylynn Rowe (Rowes@dfo-mpo.gc.ca), by 31 October 2011. Please e-mail an MS Word (.doc or .docx) version of your abstract that should not exceed 250 words be single spaced.

 

7. Act for the Coast Brochure Available. 

The Coastal Coalition of Nova Scotia thinks the province needs to get its Coastal Act together and have produced a brochure explaining why.  It is available on both the Ecology Action Centre and Coastal Coalition of Nova Scotia websites.

 

 

C. Fundy/GOM and other News:

1. Environmental Damages Fund Grants

The Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) follows the Polluter Pays Principle to help ensure that those who cause damage to the environment take responsibility for their actions. Created by the Government of Canada in 1995, the EDF is a specific account administered by Environment Canada to provide a mechanism for directing funds received as a result of fines, court orders and voluntary payments to priority projects that

will benefit our natural environment.  Priority funding is given to projects that restore the natural environment and conserve wildlife in the geographic region where the original incident occurred. To be eligible, projects must be delivered in a cost-effective, technically feasible and scientifically sound manner, and must address one or more of the following EDF categories:

  • Restoration (highest funding priority)
  • Environmental Quality Improvement
  • Research and Development
  • Education and Awareness

Eligible Recipients include:

  •  Non-governmental organizations
  • Universities and academic institutions
  • Aboriginal groups
  • Provinces, territories and Municipalities

 

Since 1995, the EDF has received over $4 million and has funded 136 projects across Canada. For more information and to apply visit: www.ec.gc.ca/edf-fde

 

2. Salmon News 

ASF has recognized 65 camps for their commitment to live release angling.  When making plans for salmon fishing, please consider these camps.  To see who they are and how to reach them, please visit: http://www.asf.ca/docs/uploads/liverelease/recognition.html

 

ASF-recognized camps gladly help anglers develop proper live release techniques.  To learn more about live release before reaching the river, go to: http://www.asf.ca/live_release.php?type=techniques

 

ASF's 2010 Annual Report is now available on-line.  It provides information on the progress of ASF’s projects and programs.  To download ASF's 2010 annual report (10.7mb):

http://www.asf.ca/docs/annual/asf-annual2010.pdf

 

A two-page backgrounder, including the latest scientific information, details the critical situation for the ultra-important large Atlantic salmon returning to North American rivers. http://asf.ca/docs/media/2011backgrounder-may15.pdf

 

ASF's concern about the very low numbers of large Atlantic salmon returning from Greenland feeding grounds (2nd lowest return in 40 years), together with a concern that some Greenlanders wish to return to commercial salmon fishing, has generated strong interest across Canada. It has appeared so far in more than 100 news reports. Macleans Magazine's coverage of the Atlantic salmon situation: http://asf.ca/news.php?id=680.  Check out CBC Radio's podcast of Bill Taylor explaining the concern for these important salmon. http://asf.ca/news.php?id=674

 

Despite the protests of its Greenland fisherman, the Greenland Government agreed to maintain its commercial salmon fishery quota at zero for the final year of a three-year regulatory agreement that applied to 2009 to 2011. For this and other NASCO outcomes go to: http://asf.ca/news.php?id=686

  

The Atlantic Salmon Conservation foundation is an independent, volunteer led, non-profit conservation organization established through a one-time $30 million grant from the Government of Canada. Every year, between April 1st and mid-December we call for funding proposals for innovative, on-the-ground projects carried-out by community groups and focussed on conservation of the wild Atlantic salmon and its habitat. Visit our web site to learn more on how to apply for funding. www.salmonconservation.ca www.conservationdusaumon.ca

  

The Atlantic Salmon Federation has engaged Gardner Pinfold Consulting Economists Ltd to carry out the most comprehensive study of the economic benefits of wild Atlantic salmon to eastern Canada ever undertaken. http://asf.ca/news.php?id=691

 

ASF's involvement in international meetings in Greenland that gave wild Atlantic salmon a year's reprieve from a commercial fishery on their feeding grounds at Greenland has received wide coverage. http://asf.ca/news.php?id=690

 

3. Controversial NS Aquaculture Site Approved - Appeal Launched

On June 10, 2011 the Halifax Chronicle Herald, reported that the NS and Federal Governments had given approval for a controversial salmon aquaculture farms in Saint Mary's Bay owned by Cooke Aquaculture of Black's Harbour, NB. The St. Mary's Bay Coastal Alliance is fiercely opposed to the operation claiming that the government has totally ignored community concerns. The Alliance notes that 83% of the population of the region signed a petition opposing the plan, citing concerns  about impacts on the marine environment, traditional fisheries and tourism. The paper reports that Jordan Nikoloyuk, sustainable fisheries co-ordinator with the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax, hoped the minister would reconsider the decision."It’s outrageous," Nikoloyuk said. "It was approved very quietly and he’s ignoring the united community outcry."  On July 11th, 2011 local community members from St. Mary's Bay and the Atlantic Salmon Federation filed an appeal to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court to oppose this creation of one of the province's largest fish farms in the community's traditional fishing grounds. The appeal addresses whether the Minister had the constitutional jurisdiction to issue the licenses and whether it was reasonable for him to neglect communities concerns, gaps in the scientific evidence and socio-economic impacts.

 

4. Aquaculture Fishery Interaction Article

The Oceans and Coasts Network (OCN) Canada Policy Briefs  Volume 1 (January - April 2011) includes an article entitled "Aquaculture -Traditional Fishery Interactions in Southwest New

Brunswick: Implications for Future Research"    by Melanie G. Wiber, Sheena Young and Lisette Wilson.

 

5. Marine Invasive Species Monitoring Guide Available

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management's Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program has revised and updated the Monitoring Marine Invasive Species: Guidance and Protocols for Volunteer Monitoring Groups to reflect important changes in the Marine Invader Monitoring and Information Collaborative (MIMIC) protocols. Established in 2006, MIMIC trains citizen scientists to monitor priority marine invasive species to better understand distributional patterns and enable timely data collection to inform managers and rapid response efforts. For more information, see the AIS Program website.

 

6. NOAA Photo Library on Flickr

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched NOAA Photo Library's Photostream on Flickr, the popular photo-sharing website. Users can search and download NOAA images from a selection of more than 4,000 of the 47,000 public domain images found in the NOAA Photo Library.

 

7. A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change

 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change, a website that provides current information about the basics of climate change and its impacts, along with tools to help students explore climate change issues and what they can do about them.

 

8. NS Socio-economic Data now Searchable by Watershed

The Nova Scotia Community Counts website presents socio-economic and  other data that illustrate the unique nature of each community in the  province. A new feature has been added to the website which allows  users to explore socio-economic data by watershed, Simply click on 'Map  Centre' .

 

9. Controversy continues over Alewives/Gaspereau in the St. Croix River

In a controversial decision, the Maine government unilaterally approved plans to block a type of herring called alewife from the river by closing  fishways built to bypass the dams. The small fish, also known as gaspereau, is a food source for larger species, including the bald eagle and the endangered Atlantic salmon. The move to deny alewives access came at the behest of Maine bass anglers, who claimed that the native alewives were a threat to smallmouth bass — ironically, a species not native to the St. Croix. 

 The Telegraph Journal reports that as of May 30, 2011 the St. Croix International Waterway Commission counted 15,937 alewives or gaspereau at the Milltown Dam at St. Stephen-Calais, Maine border.  However, just 1,227 alewives came through the fishway during the week ended Monday, May 30. More 

The Atlantic Salmon Federation reports that the IJC has failed to act to open fishways for native alewives/gaspereau on the international St. Croix River on the border of Maine and New Brunswick. More. 

A June 2011 Canadian Geographic article gives excellent background to the controversy over the alewives in the St. Croix. More.

D. ADMINISTRIVIA

Fundy Tidings is circulated Quarterly to members of BoFEP and others who have expressed an interest in BoFEP and its activities. If you know someone  who might like to receive Fundy Tidings, or if you would like to be removed from the Fundy Tidings mailing list, e-mail a request to communications@bofep.org .

For more news items about BoFEP, its partners and the Bay of Fundy
periodically check the BoFEP "What's New" page at:
http://www.bofep.org/whatnew.htm.

Back issues of Fundy Tidings are archived at:
http://www.bofep.org/tidings.htm