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~ FUNDY
TIDINGS ~
December 2012 ~ Winter Issue | |
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HEADLINES:
B. Partners and other organizations: C. Fundy/GOM and other News: | |
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BoFEP's 2012 Annual General Meet8ng was held on November 22nd at Mount Allison University in Sackville NB. A new Steering Committee was elected as well as a new Management Committee. The new Executive Members are as follows:
The new Chair stated that "BoFEP Steering Committee members now have a more active role in developing policy and in the day to day operations of the organization as a result of the new work plan that was endorsed at the AGM". Marianne also added "We have been thinking about ways to better engage the steering committee and finally came up with an approach as we grappled with the priorities of the organization for the next year. We have been running with a few overtaxed individuals but now we have a larger group actively involved. Its an exciting development that is bound to benefit the organization.” The work plan is based on the five year priorities established in the Strategic Plan that was approved by Steering Committee in 2011. The work plan include six main goals with 4 other activities that are ongoing.
“Recruiting new members is one of the important goals”, says Janowicz. “One of the ways we will recruit will be to contact former BoFEP Student Award winners to see who is still in the Maritimes and willing to give a hand.” At each BoFEP Workshop, students from the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Universities working on projects related to the Bay of Fundy, submit their work . There are now more than 30 award winners, many in important positions in the research community.
Diversifying and expanding BoFEP funding sources is another goal, with an objective of identifying and utilizing at least one new funding source in 2013. This will be done through the new Membership Committee and the Grants, Proposals and Special Projects Committee, both composed of Steering Committee Members and a member of Management.
“The goal of increasing our visibility through communications products will give us a chance to try out new ways of reaching out to the Bay of Fundy public and policy makers with the information about the Bay of Fundy that we compile,” says Janowicz.
Other goals include: strengthening collaboration with other organizations, academic institutions, governments and the public; developing a policy on advocacy, expanding and enhancing the Ambassador program; finishing and publishing a book of Fundy Fact Sheets, and planning the next BoFEP Workshop.
BoFEP also has four projects on the go related to climate change, the state of the health of the Bay, reviving the BoFEP working groups and holding a seminar on issues of importance to coastal communities. “It will be a busy and productive year”, says Janowicz.
Those interested in more information on BoFEP activities can look on the BoFEP website.
Some of the dedicated BoFEP members participating in the recent AGM at Mount Allison University.
2. BoFEP Climate Change Contract Awarded The climate change project contract has been awarded by BoFEP. The winning candidate is Anne Warburton, Co-Director of Elemental Sustainability, Halifax, NS. Anne brings to this contract extensive knowledge and experience in climate change adaptive capacity training and Municipal Climate Change Action Plan (MCCAP) development in NS. She has authored the MCCAP Assistant for SNSMR as a resource designed for municipal MCCAP teams and has served as mentor for the SNSMR climate change project and interpreter of the MCCAP guidebook to improve understanding of the MCCAP process, associated terms and concepts and how to apply climate research and prioritize climate change issues. She has extensive experience in workshop coordination, and the design and facilitation of group experiential learning to achieve specific objectives. The contract term extends from November 16th, 2012 to March 31, 2013. Terms of Reference for Project.
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B. Partners and other
organizations: 1. Acadia Researchers Tracking Sturgeon An article in the November 13th Halifax Chronicle Herald described some of the work being done by researchers at Acadia University, particularly graduate student Montana McLean, on the Atlantic Sturgeon. The research involved tagging the sturgeon with radio transmitters and then following the summertime movements of the fish means of receivers positioned around Minas basin. Satellite tags were also attached to some fish permitting them to be tracked throughout the winter. Herald subscribers can access the full article. In addition to providing information about the long-term migratory patters of the sturgeon the studies will also useful in assessing the potential environmental effects of tidal power turbines deployed in the area. Full article .
2. New Paper on Sturgeon in the Bay of Fundy A new paper has been published in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society entitled " Stock Origin of Migratory Atlantic Sturgeon in Minas Basin, Inner Bay of Fundy, Canada, Determined by Microsatellite and Mitochondrial DNA Analyses" by Isaac Wirgin, Lorraine Maceda, John R. Waldman, Sierra Wehrell, Michael Dadswell & Tim King (2012): Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 141:5, 1389-1398. The research indicates that "that the summer assemblage of Atlantic sturgeon collected within Minas Basin was of mixed origin, with a greater than 60% contribution from the nearby Saint John River but with a substantial (34–36%) contribution from the Kennebec River, Maine, and a smaller (1–2%) contribution from the Hudson River, New York. There was significant genetic heterogeneity between smaller (<130 cm) and larger individuals (≥130 cm) in Minas Basin; however, the smaller specimens were not exclusively of proximal Saint John River origin. Our results indicate that Atlantic sturgeon of U.S. origin are vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts in the Bay of Fundy, particularly those of Kennebec River origin. Abstract. Complete abstract and purchase of full paper.
3. Annapolis Turbine Still Killing Sturgeon Over the years there have been periodic reports of large sturgeon found mutilated and dead on the shores of the Annapolis Basin just below the tidal power generating station. Another was reported washed up on the rocks below the turbine this year on September 29th. Mike Dadswell of Acadia University Biology picked up the remains for examination. It was a spawned out female, estimated to have been 6 feet in length, about 70 Kg in weight and probably about 40-50 years old (samples were taken to more precisely assess age). The fish had been cut in half at about the level of the pelvic fin. Analysis of the wounds suggests the animal "was hit on an angle by the blade and then as she peeled off the blade her operculum was ripped". DNA analysis is also being done to determine if there is a distinct Annapolis River population. This is the 11th large sturgeon found dead near the causeway since about 1985. No ones how many more may have simply washed away in the basin and disappeared. If anyone finds or has information or pictures of sturgeon killed in the area (or elsewhere in the Bay of Fundy) they are urged to contact Dr. Mike Dadswell at Acadia University
4. BoF Discovery Centre Newsletter Available The summer 2012 issue of the Bay of Fundy Discovery Centre Association newsletter "In With The Tide" is now available. Featured articles include:
Back issues of the newsletter are also available. For more information about the Bay of Fundy Discovery Centre Association contact the Chair, Roger Outhouse
5. More Shark Sightings in Fundy Laurie Murison, Executive Director of the Grand Manan Whale & Seabird Research Station and the biologist on a whale watch sailing yacht operated by Whales-n-Sails Adventures records and many blogs her wildlife sightings from seabirds to tuna to marine mammals. From July 8 to September 3, 2012 she sighted and mapped 23 basking sharks in the Bay of Fundy. She also spotted a breaching thresher shark! To keep up to date on her sightings visit her Fundy Sharks blog.
6. Latest on Fundy Sharks For the latest information about sightings of basking sharks in the Bay of Fundy visit http://fundysharks.wordpress.com/author/fundysharks/. The Catalogue is being developed in collaboration with the New England Aquarium which also maintains the Right Whale Sightings catalogue. It provides fascinating information about the new basking shark photo ID catalogue which allows individuals to be identified repeatedly based on scars and markings on the dorsal fin. So far this year, they have seen 31 basking sharks (plus 8 "probable" basking sharks) in the Bay.
7. River Heritage Conference In PEI The 7th Canadian River Heritage Conference is being held at Charlottetown, PEI from June 16th to 19th, 2013. The theme of the 2013 conference is : “Building Nations ....... Sustaining Peoples” encompasses the following subthemes:
More information and registration
8. Eutrophication in the Gulf of Maine The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment has released a new theme paper titled “Eutrophication” (PDF 1.83 MB). The State of the Gulf of Maine Report is a modular document that presents an ongoing evaluation of priority issues in the Gulf of Maine.
9. RFP for Fundy Environmental Assessment The Offshore Energy Research Association of Nova Scotia (OERA) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Update of the Bay of Fundy. The update will describe the current state of knowledge and stakeholder opinion and views concerning the social, economic, and environmental effects and factors associated with potential commercial (in-stream and tidal range) development in the (Nova Scotia) Bay of Fundy region. Deadline: January 25, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. AST. More information,
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Fundy/GOM and
other News:
1. More on Government Cuts to Science Canadian Author and Commentator Allen Greg (and also former Progressive Conservative pollster) has weighed in on the Harper Governments heavy-handed approach to downsizing Science in Canada. He notes that "This was no random act of downsizing, but a deliberate attempt to obliterate certain activities that were previously viewed as a legitimate part of government decision-making – namely, using research, science and evidence as the basis to make policy decisions. It also amounted to an attempt to eliminate anyone who might use science, facts and evidence to challenge government policies." He goes on to add that: "While the circumstance in Canada 2012 is obviously nowhere near as dystopian as what Orwell depicts in 1984, I really do think that there are some unsettling parallels going on here that we ignore at our peril. I also think it’s time to gather the facts….and fight back." Full blog post.
2. More Concerns About Government Assault on Science The last two issues of Fundy Tidings have included notes about a number of scientific organizations such as the Nova Scotia Institute of Science expressing grave concerns about the Conservative government's recent attacks on science and on environmental science in particular. It has since been brought to our attention that The Atlantic Geoscience Society has likewise sent a message to Prime Minister Harper expressing dismay at the erosion of science in Canada under his government and the cuts to many critical science programs. The letter notes that " Canada’s international reputation as a modern pro-science country will be irrevocably harmed to the detriment of all Canadians". Letter text.
3. Halibut to be Raised Onshore at Advocate Harbour An article in the November 15th, 2012 Halifax Herald describes a new initiative being launched to expand a closed containment facility being used raise Atlantic halibut in a closed containment facility onshore. The facility is located near Advocate Harbour at the tip of the Chignecto Peninsula. The president of Canaqua Seafoods is hoping that once the expanded project is up and running it will be profitable and also provide a template that can be used "just about anywhere in rural seacoast Nova Scotia.” Such onshore, closed containment systems are considered to be far more environmentally sustainable than open ocean seacage aquaculture. Full article.
4. Land -based Aquaculture Conference in St. Andrews More than 70 scientists, aquaculturists, and others assembled in St. Andrews on Oct. 10 and 11, 2012 for a conference on land-based closed-containment aquaculture and related issues. The participants, from across North America and Europe, shared wide-ranging research on the economics and techniques of land-based facilities. Abstracts of the presentations. More on Atlantic Salmon Federation involvement in this issue.
5. The case for land-based salmon aquaculture Sue Scott of the Atlantic Salmon Federation makes the case for land-based salmon aquaculture and the benefits for wild Atlantic salmon stocks. She notes that, "Wherever this industry operates throughout the world, salmon living in adjacent rivers have suffered a much steeper decline in numbers, for some populations by as much as 50 percent." Full article. (PDF)
6. Lecture on Perils of Open Pen Salmon Aquaculture On October 16th, 2012, Dr. Alexandra Morton spoke at the Atlantic Salmon Federation's Atlantic Salmon Interpretive Centre near St. Andrews on "Salmon Farming: Impacts and Politics". On Oct. 19 at Dalhousie University she gave the Ransom Myers Lecture on the same topic to a packed audience. Alexandra Morton is noted for her work in coastal British Columbia to solve the mysteries of interactions between farmed and wild salmon. Dr. Ransom Myers was a world-renowned marine scientist and conservationist who died in 2007. The Ransom Myers Lecture is given each year, as a way to honour and continue his legacy. An audio download of the 55 minute lecture is available.
7. NB Seeks Better Reporting on Sea Lice The New Brunswick government is proposing changes to the province's Aquaculture Act that would require companies to report on their sea lice treatment and monitoring programs. Under the draft regulation, companies would have to submit a report each week showing whether a sea lice treatment is planned, where the site is located and what pesticide will be used. Sea lice are a major issue in many parts of the North Atlantic, since as few as eight can kill an Atlantic salmon smolt. Full article.
8. GSC Seascape Map of Fundy Available The Geological Survey of Canada has posted maps detailing the underwater landscapes of the Bay of Fundy. The map provides information about the geomorphology of the area, the texture and mobility of the sediments and the general nature of the biota in different areas. More information.
9. Forage Fish and Marine Ecosystems A new paper entitled "The global contribution of forage fish to marine fisheries and ecosystems" includes information about the Gulf of Maine. The study by Ellen K Pikitch and 19 other authors was published online on September 12, 2012. It notes that "Forage fish play a pivotal role in marine ecosystems and economies worldwide by sustaining many predators and fisheries directly and indirectly." The study estimates " global forage fish contributions to marine ecosystems through a synthesis of 72 published Ecopath models from around the world." It concludes that "Forage fish supported many kinds of predators, including fish, seabirds, marine mammals and squid. Overall, forage fish contribute a total of about $16.9 billion USD to global fisheries values annually". Abstract and purchase of full article.
10. Study of Tidal Power Centre in Digby In its September 28th issue the Halifax Chronicle Herald reported that the provincial and federal governments are each investing $31,285 into a study looking at the location and development of a proposed tidal power servicing centre in the port of Digby. Digby's location on the Bay of Fundy and its deep, ice-free harbour make it a port of choice for a service centre for the tidal power generation industry. Full article. Also see Digby Mayor Sees Turbine Jobs.
11. Possible New Tidal Power Approach for Fundy A recent proposal for tidal power generation in the Bay of Fundy would use a new twist on the tidal range power generation technique rather than the more currently fashionable "in-stream" tidal power generation. The proposal from Halcyon marine Hydroelectric LCC would involve a 10 km long pile supported enclosure across Scotts Bay from Cape Split to Baxters Harbour. The company claims that "The low cost of the Halcyon Marine Enclosure makes long shore-connected tidal lagoons economically feasible and avoids many of the negative effects of enclosing a much shorter, but more environmentally sensitive river-mouth or estuary, with a traditional costly barrage. Once the Halcyon Marine Enclosure is in place, the Parallel Cycle is employed to preserve the natural hydrology within the enclosed basin retaining the intertidal zone and eliminating sedimentation. These breakthroughs, along with the use of fish-friendly horizontal bulb turbines, have culminated in the creation of the “Halcyon Solution to Tidal Range Power”. Apparently a similar proposal has been made for Half Moon Cove, near Eastport Maine and for the Severn Estuary in the UK.
12. Concerns About Georges Bank Drilling Moratorium A November 2nd article in the Halifax Chronicle Herald highlighted an ongoing disagreement about the future of the existing moratorium on oil and gas drilling on the environmentally sensitive George's Bank off the Mouth of the Bay of Fundy. Many groups are concerned that the Federal Government hasn't stated its intentions regarding extending the moratorium when it expires at the end of this year. Full article.
13. Video of Breaching Minke Whale A spectacular 4:22 minute video has been posted online of a Minke whale breaching multiple times at the Old Sow vortex in Head Harbour Passage in New Brunswick. The video was shot in August 2010 from the schooner Sylvina W. Beal of Downeast Windjammer Cruises of Bar Harbour.
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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.
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