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deadlines Back issues Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this newsletter may not necessarily be those of BoFEP or its partners. |
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~ FUNDY
TIDINGS ~
October 2013 ~ Autumn Issue | |
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HEADLINES:
B. Partners and other organizations: C. Fundy/GOM and other News: | |
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1. Call for Papers/Posters for BoFEP 10th Science Workshop Oral and poster abstracts are now invited for the 10th BoFEP Fundy Science Workshop in June 2014. The Workshop theme is " Sustaining the Bay of Fundy: Linking Science, Communication, Policy and Community Action". All abstracts must be submitted using the online abstract submission system. The 2014 BoFEP Fundy Science Workshop is being held in conjunction with the Coastal Zone Canada 2014 Conference "Our Coasts: Legacies & Futures". We are sharing the online abstract submission form under the CZC 2014 banner; after you have completed your user profile and move to the “Create Abstract” form you will have the opportunity to indicate that you are submitting an abstract for the BoFEP Fundy Science Workshop and will be presented with various options specifically related to the Workshop sessions. Click here to create a user profile and submit your abstract. The deadline for abstract submissions is 16 December 2013.
2. Past BoFEP Chair GOMCME 2013 Award Winner At it's annual meeting on June 12th in Salem Massachusetts the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment presented its 2013 awards to people and groups doing important work around the Gulf. Several Maritimers were among the winners. First and foremost, BoFEP's own Dr. Peter Wells was awarded the prestigious Susan Snow-Cotter Leadership Award. This award honors a coastal management professional who exemplifies outstanding leadership or exceptional mentoring in the Gulf of Maine watershed. For more than 34 years, Peter worked on protecting coastal resources for the Canadian federal government, most recently as Head of the Coastal and Water Science Section, and Senior Research Scientist focused on Coastal Ecosystems. Under Peter’s leadership, Gulfwatch has measured contaminants in blue mussels to evaluate pollution in the nearshore marine environment for over two decades. In addition to his volunteer work with the Council, Peter is also an active member and past Chair of the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership.
The New Brunswick Visionary Award went to Lee Sochasky for her work in protecting and enhancing the environmental quality of the Gulf of Maine for 30 years. She was the Director of the St. Croix International Waterway Commission from 1989 – 2011. In this capacity, she worked with government agencies, communities, environmental and other groups in the St. Croix River watershed. The Nova Scotia Visionary Award went to Dr. Gareth Harding a retired Emeritus Research Scientist at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Halifax. He spent his very productive career conducting fundamental research on marine zooplankton and chemical contaminants, including the use of blue mussels as biological monitors of marine chemical contamination in the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine. Distinguished Service awards were also presented to Jennifer Hackett, Dartmouth, NS; Justin Huston, Halifax, NS; Carl Myers, Dartmouth, NS; Jackie Olsen, Waverly, NS and Greg Roach, Halifax, NS. A new sustainable communities award was given to Le Village en haut du ruisseau, Dieppe, NB, the first conservation subdivision built in the province. More details/photos on all the awards.
3. New BoFEP Communications Intern BoFEP is delighted to have a dynamic new intern working with us thanks to Environment Canada's Science Horizons Youth Intern Program. Emilie Novaczek is now based in St. Andrews at the office of the Passamaquoddy First Nation. She will be working primarily as a science translator, writing articles for community newspapers, contributing articles to the BoFEP website and newsletter, writing press releases, making presentations to community forums or service clubs; in other words publicizing BoFEP and its publications, workshops and other activities more widely in the Fundy region. Emilie brings a wealth of experience to the position, having been named one of the top 25 environmentalists under 25 three years in a row by The Starfish Canada organization. In fact, she placed #12 nationwide in 2013. Check out the impressive list of Emilie's environmental accomplishments in recent years. We wish her every success in her new venture with BoFEP.
4. BoFEP Now on Facebook and Twitter You can now find BoFEP on facebook and twitter! We’ll be bringing Bay of Fundy news items, links to interesting research, BoFEP updates and details on BoFEP events together in an accessible way. In his 2013 report on BoFEP structure and Working Groups, Timothy Hayman suggested that BoFEP increase online presence and information accessibility for coastal communities. Using social media as a platform for sharing BoFEP information is one of the ways that the organization has chosen to adopt his recommendations. BoFEP staff and volunteers are also currently developing an Ambassador Program, including the creation of promotional and educational materials. This program will both provide basic information about BoFEP to the public and encourage participation in working groups and BoFEP events. BoFEP, through its diverse and skilled membership, has a unique opportunity to connect research done by NGOs, university researchers and government agencies on all sides of our bay with the needs of coastal communities. Thanks to the BoFEP working groups, scientific research is one of our organization’s greatest strengths. Over the years, BoFEP, through its biennial workshops, has provided the opportunity for researchers to present their work and have it captured in workshop proceedings. Through social media and the Ambassador Program, we are working to make this research and our information resources more accessible and more relevant for Bay of Fundy coastal communities, visitors and anyone interested in this remarkable ecosystem.
5. Major Upgrade to BoFEP Website The BoFEP website has undergone a major upgrade in recent months, hopefully making BoFEP's extensive online resources more readily available to members and others. It's still accessible at the same address: www.bofep.org . We acknowledge the capable assistance of Mike Reid of PMR Environmental in engineering the transition. We apologise for any glitches that may pop up during these early months and welcome any suggestions for improvements. Send them along to communications@bofep.org . If you are interested in automatically receiving news posts to the BoFEP website simply visit the BoFEP homepage and enter your e-mail in the "Stay up to date" box on the right hand side....... or better yet become a full member of BoFEP for a nominal fee!
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B. Partners and other
organizations: 1. Calling All Sharks - Identification Network Expanding The Shark Identification Network (SIN) founded by the Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station in partnership with WWF-Canada has received habitat Stewardship funding to expand (over a three year period) its Bay of Fundy Basking Shark Photo ID Catalogue and the Shark Sighting Database for the eastern Seaboard - from Maine to Newfoundland. By expanding the program, SIN will have a better understanding of the distribution, movements and occurrence of sharks not only in the Bay of Fundy, but in other regions of the Northwest Atlantic. To report a shark sighting to the network complete the online form or telephone (toll free): 1-866-567-6277.
2. Updates on Toxic Chemicals in the Gulf of Maine Recent new additions to the State of the Gulf of Maine Report include a theme paper "Toxic Chemical Contaminants" [PDF 1.3 MB] and a more detailed companion document "Toxic Chemical Contaminants: Review" [PDF 1.6MB].They reveal that the principal sources of toxic contaminants in the region include industrial harbours, shipping and transportation, agriculture, forestry and coastal development.
3. Tidal Power Information Centre Welcomes Visitors The Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) welcomes visitors to its tidal power interpretation centre which opened in May, 2013. The visitor centre overlooks the technology test site in the Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy. The approximately 3,000-square foot facility houses interpretive exhibits, interactive displays, a small theatre/community room, as well as space for onsite meetings and research work. Admission is free. It is located at 1156 West Bay Road, Parrsboro, NS [Google map], phone: 902.254.2510. e-mail: visitor.centre@fundyforce.ca. Open: July/August: 10AM-5PM daily. May/June/September/October: 10AM-5PM, closed Tuesdays.
4. Group Concerned about Oil and Gas Exploration on Georges Bank Norigs 3, a coalition of environmental, fishing and First Nations groups, is increasingly concerned about the seeming reluctance of the Harper Government to extend the current moratorium on oil and gas exploration on Georges Bank that is due to expire in 2015. This, despite the blanket moratorium on exploration on the 80% of the Bank that is in US waters. Complete article. Given the cozy relationship between the federal government and the oil industry and the recent push to systematically weaken environmental regulations across the country, this is an issue that bears watching closely.
5. Open Pen Aquaculture Slammed by ASF In a recent Maritime Outdoorsman program Lewis Hinks, the Nova Scotia Director of Programs for ASF, discusses the problems of aquaculture and future potential of land-based operations. Open net pen fin fish aquaculture is not only having a negative impact on our native wild Atlantic Salmon stocks by way of escapes and disease transfer, but is also the cause of many other environmental concerns in our coastal waters. Though many other countries have banned open net pen fin fish aquaculture, our local governments have embraced the industry, despite the indisputable negative environmental impacts, hoping that aquaculture jobs will impact our economy. Play internet mp3 interview.
6. GOM Report on Coastal Development and Land Use A theme paper on "Coastal Land Use and Development", part of the State of the Gulf of Maine Report, is now available on the Gulf of Maine Council’s website. More than half the residents of the Gulf of Maine region live and work in the coastal zone and the coastal population is growing. The theme paper focuses on land use changes and land development in municipalities immediately bordering the Gulf of Maine. Development has both direct impacts, such as fragmentation of undeveloped lands and increased impervious surfaces, and many indirect effects, such as diminished water quality. Poor land-use decisions can fragment habitats, reduce biodiversity, hasten the spread of invasive species, cut off shore access, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, and damage the long-term health of local economies.
7. CPAWS Lauds NS, Raps NB Land Protection Efforts In July, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) released its 5th annual report on how Canada’s parks are faring. It notes that NS is creating hundreds of new parks and protected areas and conserving an additional 250,000 hectares, including 700km of wilderness coastline and critical habitat for species at risk. This will move the province from ninth to second position among the 13 provinces and territories in the percentage of land protected. Sites to be protected include St. Mary’s River, eastern shore Islands, kelly’s Mountain, Humes River, chignecto Isthmus, fourchu coastline, liscomb River, Wentworth Valley, Medway lakes, and Tusket River, among many others. The report also notes that in contrast, NB protects only 3% of its area, far lower than any other jurisdiction in Canada. Even proposals to increase this to a meagre 4.5% are being stalled in the face of stiff lobbying from the mining industry, particularly the sector engaged in an uncontrolled frenzy of shale gas exploration in the province and increasing levels of fracking activity with the unquestioning support of the Alward government. Full report.
8. Climate Change Altering GOM Fisheries An article in the August Gulf of Maine Times entitled "Climate change changing Gulf of Maine fisheries" summarizes some of the presentations and conclusions reached during a recent (July 31-August 1) symposium sponsored by the Island Institute of Rockland, Maine focussing on changes to the fishery caused by changes to the climate. Andy Pershing, a University of Maine associate professor who tracks sea temperature rises, told the symposium that warming during the past seven years brought an “ocean heat wave” last year, recording all-time high sea surface temperatures from the Outer Banks of North Carolina through Canadian waters. He characterized 2012 as “off-the-charts warm". Fishermen also reported changes in fish distributions and the appearance of more invasive species. Complete article.
9. RBC Funds Fundy Projects The Royal Bank of Canada's Blue Water Project, aimed at protecting fresh water, is funding 5 projects around the Gulf of Maine this year, including two in in the Bay of Fundy watershed. The Petitcodiac Riverkeepers based in Moncton NB will receive $16K to help restore Humphries Brook, which runs through a former industrial site. In addition, $22K was earmarked for a project on the Chiganois River, which flows into Cobequid Bay near the head of the Bay of Fundy. The grant will be used to create two rain gardens, a total of 750 square feet, one tree filter, and 5,000 square feet of pervious pavement to slow and retain storm flows. Complete article.
10. RARGOM Annual Science Meeting The Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine (RARGOM) will hold its Annual Science Meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on October 8, 2013. The discussion will focus on the topic of the 2012 Gulf of Maine heat wave: the impacts on the physical conditions, biological processes, animal distributions, and fisheries in the region; and the lessons learned from this record-setting year. More information.
11. DFO Research Vessel in Minas Basin On June 4-16th, 2013 the DFO Research Vessel Hudson carried out sampling in the Minas Basin. The goal of the mission was to collect water column and seabed data from the Upper Bay of Fundy. More specifically, to make measurements of the hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics in the Minas Basin area in support of the advancement of tidal power and to document baseline conditions. Summary Report of the Cruise.
12. GOMA Seeks RFP for Fund Development Contractor The Gulf of Maine Association (GOMA), which supports the activities of the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, has just released a Request for Proposals RFP for a fund Development Contractor to write proposals for both public and private sources for immediate and long term needs and to pursue long term foundation and government funding strategies. Access the full RFP. Deadline October 16, 2013.
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Fundy/GOM and
other News:
1. New Book on Stephen Saxby and His Gale Much has been written about the Saxby Gale, but until now there has never been a book devoted to this devastating Atlantic hurricane, which made landfall at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy in October 1869. The recent publication of The Discovery of Weather: Stephen Saxby, the tumultuous birth of weather forecasting, and Saxby’s Gale of 1869, fills that missing gap. In the first half of the book, Halifax author Jerry Lockett traces how our understanding of storms grew, from Benjamin Franklin to the first-ever “official” weather forecast issued in England by Robert Fitzroy. He also explores the career of British naval instructor Stephen Saxby, a somewhat eccentric figure on the fringes of the scientific establishment, who believed he could predict weather disturbances as much as a year ahead, based on the moon’s orbit of the earth, and for whom the Saxby Gale was named. In the second half, Lockett discusses the meteorology of this late-season hurricane, explains how its timing - coinciding with a perigean spring high tide - could hardly have been worse for inhabitants of the bay, and gives a graphic account of the storm itself, on land and at sea. The Discovery of Weather, published by Formac, was given an honorable mention in the Atmospheric Science Librarians International Book Choice Award for 2013, and has been shortlisted for this year’s Evelyn Richardson Memorial Non-Fiction Award. More info and to purchase.
2. NCC Protects Land in Tusket Watershed The Nature Conservancy of Canada has acquired 2,055 hectares of habitat in the Tusket River headwaters area of Digby County. Valued at $4.7 million, this is the largest private land conservation project undertaken in Atlantic Canada. Complete Chronicle Herald Article.
3. Land-based Fish Farm Expanding A land-based fish farm in West Advocate is hoping to double its output with a $5.5-million expansion. Canaqua Seafoods grows halibut, Arctic char and salmon smolt in seawater that comes from wells near the ocean. Founded in 2006, the Cumberland County company now produces about 95 tonnes annually of mostly halibut and some char. The province is providing Canaqua $1 million to help with the project ; a 10-year loan with a 6.5 per cent interest rate. Complete Chronicle Herald Article. [Editors note: compare this with the overly generous $25 million loan given to Cooke Aquaculture by the Nova Scotia government. In June 2013 CBC News reported that "$16 million of the loan will bear interest, but the remaining $9 million will be forgivable through the Nova Scotia Jobs Fund".]
4. Land-based Salmon Farming in NS A July 2013 CBC report notes that Nova Scotia’s first land-raised salmon could be on the market by next summer. Sustainable Blue, a small salmon farm in Hants County, has moved in a batch of young salmon and said it’s well on the way to raising them for commercial sale. Sustainable Blue is a Canadian producer of both exotic and native species of fish, situated close to The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. It uses world leading aquaculture technology, designed in-house, in the operation of land based recirculation fish farms. It is committed to product quality, environmental responsibility and commercial success through technological excellence. Opponents of open-net salmon farming have long called for fish farms to be moved to the land, preventing fish from exchanging diseases with wild salmon and fouling coastal waters. Complete CBC Report.
5. Open Pen Salmon Aquaculture Firm Expands in NS Cooke Aquaculture of New Brunswick recently announced that it is planning to construct a new fish hatchery at Mink on Digby Neck. The hatchery should open in 2014 and will likely employ a dozen or so people. Full story.
6. Weir Fishing in the Minas Basin The June 28, 2013 issue of the Chronicle Herald featured an article on Weir Fishing in the Minas Basin. Darren Porter is probably one of the last fishermen in the area using this traditional tidal harvesting technique that was once widely used all around the upper Bay of Fundy. Students from Acadia University also examine some of the catches as part of their studies of fish stocks in the area. Complete article.
7. Thesis on Suspended Matter in Minas Basin Student Jing Tao submitted an MSc thesis to the Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University entitled "Seasonal Variability of Total Suspended Matter in Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy". Observations of total suspended matter (TSM) concentrations were derived from remotely sensed ocean colour imagery from May 2008 to July 2011. Analysis revealed an annual cycle in TSM , with larger TSM in late-winter and smaller TSM in late-summer. The largest annual variation occurred in the center of Minas Basin, and the smallest variation occurred in shallow areas. Complete Thesis abstract.
8. Fundy a Tanker Superhighway? TransCanada Corp. wants to convert its natural gas pipeline, currently operating at half capacity, into an oil pipeline that would carry 1.1 million barrels per day. The pipeline, which has been dubbed “Energy East,” presently ends in Quebec. But the company, with the support of some politicians, wants to extend it all the way to the Irving refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick. Marine tanker facilities will be added in Quebec City and Saint John, transforming the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bay of Fundy into an oil tanker superhighway, exporting to international markets. This could have profound implications for the ecological integrity of the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine. The Council of Canadians has produced a summary Fact Sheet "TransCanada Energy East: Another Broken Pipeline Plan" outlining some of the perils of this project. Ironically, the TransCanada Corp homepage URL is: http://www.transcanada.com/splash/
9. St. John River a Canadian Heritage River On September 12, 2013 the Federal and New Brunswick Governments announced the designation of the St. John River to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System. Rob Moore, Minister of State for ACOA stated "This designation recognizes the St. John River’s importance to First Nations and to the development of Canada as a nation. For 10,000 years this waterway has played a pivotal role in this region. It continues to do so even today, connecting communities as it flows 400 kilometres through New Brunswick.” The Canadian Heritage Rivers System is Canada’s national river conservation program, through which federal, provincial and territorial governments work with communities to recognize, conserve and manage Canadian rivers that present outstanding natural and/or cultural values and recreational opportunities. Complete press release.
10. Fundy Dykes Need Major Upgrade An article in the Halifax Chronicle Herald entitled "Dike system in need of protection of its own" suggests that the dykes protecting large areas around the upper Bay of Fundy are not being adequately maintained. It reports that Jim Bremner, the chairman of the Marsh Commission that advises Agriculture Minister John MacDonell, claims “Right now, all they can do with what they have is put out fires,” he said. Our fear is that without significantly more money from somewhere they will fall behind to the extent where we will have a serious flooding event.” The paper notes that "the Department of Agriculture’s land protection section has a $1-million annual budget to maintain the 241 kilometres of dikes and 260 aboiteaux that protect 17,400 hectares of the province’s most fertile soil — about 15 per cent of Nova Scotia’s agricultural land". Complete article.
11. Ocean Sunfish Beaches in St. Andrews In August, CBC News reported that A 160-kilogram Mola mola fish has washed up on a beach in St. Andrews, leading researchers to believe changing water temperatures in the Bay of Fundy may be more inviting to the creatures. The ocean sunfish is normally found in much warmer tropical waters around the world. Amanda Babin, who is teaching a marine biology course at the Huntsman Marine Sciences Centre noted that there has only been a handful of Mola mola ever spotted in the Bay of Fundy, but that the warming water temperatures, now around 12 degrees, may entice more to come north. After dissecting the animal the Huntsman students buried the carcass in hopes that in a year they can recover the bones and mount the skeleton. Full CBC report.
12. Salmon Spawning in Petitcodiac River It is noteworthy that The Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance has found inner Bay of Fundy salmon that appear to have spawned in the Peticodiac River this past year. The Petitcodiac was at one time a major salmon river and it appears that the opening the tide gates is providing a rebirth for this watershed and its endangered salmon population. Full story.
13. Industry Demands Dominated Changes to Fisheries Act In August, the Globe and Mail reported that the Harper Government primarily listened mostly to industry demands in making drastic changes to the Fisheries Act last year, virtually ignoring inputs from environmental and conservation organizations. The paper notes that some ecologists view the changes made as part of the 2012 omnibus budget bills as "biggest setback to conservation law in more than 50 years." The changes are likely to have devastating impacts on DFO's ability to protect fish stocks and fish habitats. Complete article
14. Cobscook Bay Tidal Turbine a Success The Chronicle Herald reports that an in-stream tidal power turbine generator installed in Maine's Cobscook Bay over a year ago has been successfully feeding electricity into the state's power grid. The 150-kilowatt unit, operated by Ocean Renewable Power Ltd. based in Portland, was removed from the water in August for routine inspection and maintenance. Complete Story.
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