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~ FUNDY
TIDINGS ~
May 2015~ Spring Issue | |
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HEADLINES:
B. Partners and other organizations: C. Fundy/GOM and other News: | |
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1. Talking Circle on St. Croix Ecological Time Series On April 27, 2015 fourteen people gathered in St. Andrews, NB to discuss what the 100-year plankton sampling program at a monitoring site in the St. Croix Estuary shows us about the health of the estuary. This was part of a BoFEP project "St. Croix Estuary: An ecological time series 1937-present", funded by Environment Canada. This project's intent has been to improve understanding of the effects of seawater temperature and other ecosystem parameters on the diversity, concentration, distribution, and phenology of plankton populations in St. Croix Estuary. Participants shared their personal experiences, legends and stories of the St. Croix, especially related to the creatures that live in its waters. This sharing helped to complete the picture of plankton interaction and relationship with climate, fisheries abundance, marine mammal and other environmental events in the area over time. Complete summary of talking circle.
2. BoFEP Advocacy Policy The final version of the BoFEP Policy on advocacy was recently released. It states that "The Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) recognizes that advocacy can be an important tool used in support of the conservation of the Bay of Fundy ecosystem. Through our collective expertise, experience and perspectives, BoFEP has valuable insights to contribute to dialogue on conservation issues in the Bay of Fundy." It also notes that "there are several other groups currently engaged in and better suited to taking on direct political advocacy/activism roles and tactics. BoFEP may partner with, support or otherwise work with these groups as long as BoFEP’s position and activities clearly remain objective and non-partisan". The policy concludes that "If our members choose to engage in advocacy activities, it should be clear that they are speaking or acting as individuals or members of other organizations, and not on behalf of BoFEP unless the activity is officially sanctioned by the BoFEP Steering and Management Committees". Complete Advocacy Policy.
3. In Memoriam - Mike Brylinsky Members of BoFEP will be saddened to hear that Mike Brylinsky passed away on Sunday, May 24th at the Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville, NS after battling pancreatic cancer for several months. Mike’s long history with Acadia University dates back to the late 1970s. He taught Aquatic Ecology and environmental field courses for many years, supervised numerous students, and was a highly active researcher with the Acadia Centre for Estuarine Research since its establishment 30 years ago. Mike was “fighting fit” and leading projects up until late 2014. Mike was also a very supportive member of BoFEP right from its inception and was a particularly active and influential participant in the Minas Basin Working Group. Mike was also a recipient of the Gulf of Maine Visionary Award in 2000, which noted that "Mike Brylinsky has spent more than 20 years educating students and volunteers about the estuarine, marine and freshwater ecosystems of the Bay of Fundy. A water quality monitoring program that Brylinsky developed for the Clean Annapolis River Project in the early 1990s has served as a model for Atlantic Coastal Action Programs". BoFEP extends sincere condolences to Mike's wife, Darlene, who was also involved with BoFEP during its very early days. The family will hold a memorial service later in the year. The Estuarine Centre is planning a special event in the fall to celebrate Mike’s life at Acadia and his many professional contributions.
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B. Partners and other
organizations: 1. A New Way to Seek and Display Geospatial Information A recent article entitled "COINAtlantic - A Better Way to Implement a Geospatial Portal" by Paul Boudreau, Jeff McKenna in Directions magazine explores the COINAtlantic approach to searching for, finding, and displaying geospatial information online. It has implemented a system that is truly distributed in that it harvests no data, stores no geospatial information in a warehouse or portal, yet provides clients with the ability to effectively search, locate and present geospatial information from anywhere on the Internet that is published as Web mapping services (WMS) or Keyhole Markup Language (KML) OGC standards.
2. Coastal Development in GOM The Gulf of Maine Council's EcoSystem Indicator Partnership (ESIP) has released a fact sheet on coastal development [PDF, 5.1MB] in the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy. The fact sheet summarizes data from the Gulf of Maine for three key indicators: population, impervious surfaces, and point sources of contamination. The fact sheet introduces the concept of indicators as a means for tracking change. It demonstrates the value of indicators as a tool to better understand the wide-ranging effects being seen in the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy region.
3. Student Conference on Sustainable Oceans There will be a student-led conference "SOCANADA 2015: Healthy Oceans - Healthy Canada " on October 2-3, 2015 at Dalhousie University in Halifax. This annual conference aims to address the challenges with knowledge integration in marine policy and management. By identifying issues across sectors and through various knowledge sources, we can determine more effective strategies for sustainable ocean management in Canada. This year's conference will focus on Canadian led developments in ocean management and sustainability from the Pacific, Arctic, and Maritime regions of Canada. More information and registration.
4. Climate Outlook and Impacts for GOM The binational Climate Network of the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment has issued its second “Gulf of Maine Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook” (March 2015), a seasonal overview collaboratively developed by Canadian and US meteorologists to help regional residents better understand climate trends and influences. The Outlook offers a two-page snapshot with recent weather events and anomalies; regional weather impacts; and a forecast for the coming three months.
5. Right Whale News - March 2015 Issue The March 2015 issue of Right Whale News (PDF, 1.3 MB), a quarterly independent newsletter dedicated to the conservation and recovery of the North Atlantic right whale, features articles on the late season population report from the southeast United States, the North Atlantic Right Whale Photo-Identification Catalog, a calendar of events, and other right whale news and notes.
6. BoF Discovery Centre Winter 2015 Newsletter The Bay of Fundy Discovery Centre Association "In with The Tides" newsletter for Winter 2015 is now available online (PDF). Articles include: Brier Island & Offshore Waters Important Bird & Biodiversity Area (IBA); Creatures of the Cove: Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentine) as well as Common Razor Clam; A Quick Look Back at Winter. Membership form on back page.
7. Celebrate World Oceans Day World Oceans Day is June 8 and activities celebrating oceans and coasts are being held across the world throughout June. The 2015 theme is Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet. See the World Oceans Day website to view or submit events. The Annual Event at the Halifax Waterfront will be held 5 June 2015 - http://coinatlantic.ca/documents/WOD_Hfx_Waterfront_5_June_2015.pdf.
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Fundy/GOM and
other News:
1. Paper on Role of Rare Species in GOM Coastal Waters A new study by Thomas J. Trott has recently been accepted for publication in Marine Biodiversity. The paper entitled "Century-scale Species Incidence, Rareness and Turnover in a High Diversity Northwest Atlantic Coastal Embayment" documents century-scale changes in species incidence, rareness and turnover in Cobscook Bay, Maine. [MARINE BIODIVERSITY published online March 2015, [http://link.springer.com/journal/12526/onlineFirst/page/2#page-1] The study found that "the increased chance of extinction for rare species jeopardizes the resilience of high diversity coastal ecosystems where the uncommon often hold key roles which sustain ecosystem functioning. Rare species can support the most vulnerable functions of an ecosystem, occupy niches that more common species are unable to fill, and have significant disproportionate effects on higher trophic levels when lost. " The author concludes that "the implications of rare species loss on the stability and function of this highly productive estuary illustrate the need for ecological conservation to protect the substantial contribution of Cobscook Bay to the biodiversity of the Gulf of Maine."
2. Irving Refinery Spill History Worries Pipeline Opponents TransCanada’s proposed Energy East pipeline would transport 1.1 million barrels of oil per day from Alberta’s tar sands to Saint John, New Brunswick. [See: Environmental Threat From Eastern Refineries Exposed] While almost none of the oil would stay in Canada, the small amount not exported could feed three refineries along the pipeline route: the Suncor refinery in Montreal, Quebec; the Valero refinery in Lévis, Québec; and the Irving refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick. Irving plans to build and operate an export terminal to ship most of the tar sands oil (dilbit) through the Bay of Fundy. An Ecology Action Centre Report by Catherine Abreu documents periodic spills at all three facilities and reviews the environmental records of the three refineries from 2012 to 2014. The report concludes that the "findings show that Irving Oil 's environmental record at its Saint John refinery is significantly worse than the environmental records of Suncor and Valero refinery operators". The report also suggests that "Irving Oil’s operating culture, history of regulatory compliance, and relationship with regulators also play a role in determining its poor environmental record". It concludes that "these findings show the environmental mismanagement that can be expected from Irving Oil if it processes oil from TransCanada’s proposed pipeline [and] it highlights the risk of allowing Irving Oil to operate a huge export terminal on the shores of the Bay of Fundy.”
3. New Documentary on Fundy Weir Fishing A newly released documentary, "The Weir: Fishing Fundy’s Giant Tides", by author and film-maker Jerry Lockett features commercial fisherman Darren Porter, who operates one of the last remaining fishing weirs in the Minas Basin. Weir fishing is not only one of the oldest known fishing methods, it is also one of the most sustainable, taking only a limited number of fish on each tide, and with almost no by-catch. The “Porter Weir” has become a focal point for the local community and attracts visitors from far and wide. It also provides unique opportunities for biologists from Acadia University to conduct research into fish populations and movements. The film (22m 37 s) follows the 2014 fishing season, from construction of the massive weir in the spring to its tear down in the fall. It depicts the arduous and unrelenting work involved in a style of fishing that has almost disappeared, and portrays one man’s passion for what he does and for conserving the ocean. It can be viewed at: http://youtu.be/donTQF-5mEE
4. Differing Views on New Federal Aquaculture Rules The CBC reports that "a broad-based coalition is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to halt proposed changes to federal aquaculture regulations, warning they could damage the environment and existing businesses." Coalition members are worried the changes will result in pesticides routinely being dumped into the Bay of Fundy and remove Environment Canada's role in aquaculture activities. A lobster fisherman also stated that "to have DFO authorize pollution from a coastal industry is simply baffling".
However, another CBC report states that the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers' Association says that the "new rules proposed for the aquaculture industry will improve the environmental performance of salmon farmers".
Meanwhile, DFO Insists that the changes will enhance oversight of aquaculture pesticides. According to a report in the Chronicle Herald a DFO spokesman said that concerns about the proposed changes to aquaculture regulations in the Fisheries Act are unfounded.
In response, a vocal group of anti-aquaculture activists have also slammed the new pesticide rules. The Chronicle Herald reports that the group told the Senate’s fisheries and oceans committee that the aquaculture industry had succeeded in getting exempted from environmental laws through years of lobbying. “It’s a big game changer,” said Robert Johnson, sustainable seafood program manager at the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax. “No other industry gets special treatment to put harmful substances directly into our Canadian bays and harbours. To effectively exempt an entire industry, and just one, is unacceptable.”
5. NS Amends Aquaculture Regulations The Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture has announced amendments to the Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act related to aquaculture and recommendations made in the Doelle-Lahey report. In a press release Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Keith Colwell. "We need stronger oversight and to release information more proactively, and this is the first step to make that a reality and build trust between the public, government and the industry." He further added that "We want Nova Scotia to be a leader in managing development of this industry in an environmentally sustainable and accountable way." A CBC News report entitled "Nova Scotia promises new aquaculture regime for fish farms - Independent Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board will have final say on future fish farm sites" suggests that the provincial government still has a long way to go in implementing the recommendations of the earlier stinging report on the need for aquaculture regulation.
6. Cooke Aquaculture Cage Debris Fouls Lobster Traps A report in the Digby County Courier describes "disintegrating salmon cages in St. Mary’s Bay" that are causing problems for local lobster harvesters. The gear, deployed by Cooke Aquaculture, has been snarling lobster traps in the Bay for over a year. The article notes that "Municipal councillor David Tudor says fishermen told him months ago that the cages at two sites operated by Cooke Aquaculture, were in rough shape and the fishermen were concerned about the cages coming apart". Fisheries inspectors confirmed the operator has begun cleaning up the debris. All that Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Keith Colwell had to say about the situation was that "we are serious about our commitment to transparency and will continue to update the public on the situation if there are other developments."
7. Lack of Transparency Over Salmon Farm Virus Infection The Atlantic Salmon Federation is criticizing federal and provincial agencies for not publicizing a preliminary test showing the presence of a potentially deadly salmon virus at a New Brunswick aquaculture operation. The organization says it heard that a strain of infectious salmon anemia was reported by an aquaculture company located along the Bay of Fundy. After the outbreak was detected in one cage the farm was placed under quarantine. Details at: "New Brunswick salmon farm in quarantine after virus detected". Also see CTV News report "Conservation group concerned with lack of public notification of salmon virus".
8. DFO Boosts Funding to Enhance Atlantic Salmon The Chronicle Herald reports that the federal government is providing $400,000 to Nova Scotia in an effort to help dwindling Atlantic salmon stocks. The money will support a two-year habitat restoration project and fund the repair and rebuild of fishways in the province. The Ministerial Advisory Committee on Atlantic Salmon will also develop a strategy to address unsustainable and international fishing practices and areas for advancing science. All these efforts are in response to mounting public concerns about diminished salmon returns, with levels in some areas hitting all-time lows in 2014.
9. Tidal Lagoon in Scots Bay Still on Table Although community engagement sessions are presently on hold , Halcyon Tidal Power is still floating a proposal for a multibillion-dollar tidal energy project for Scots Bay according to a report in the Chronicle Herald. “The project is still very much under development,” Keith Towse, vice-president of development at Halcyon Tidal Power. Obviously, the time scale has slipped a little bit. It’s a long-term process but will make sure we get it right for such a significant project.” The company laid out its plans at a town hall meeting in Kings County early last year for a 10-kilometre-long tidal range lagoon facility spanning across Scots Bay from Cape Split to Baxters Harbour, much like a dam but with turbines in it. Halcyon hopes to harness power from the 10-metre tides to produce up to 1,200 megawatts of electricity, “which is 25 per cent of the province’s energy needs,” Towse said.
10. Mapping Waves and Currents at Tidal Power Site A recent report in the Chronicle Herald describes how a new research project is using marine radar to map waves and currents at the tidal power test site in the upper Bay of Fundy. The project will " help determine the best location for tidal turbines and other infrastructure in the western part of the Minas Passage". Complete article. Also see FORCE Report "New Radar Images Will Assist Marine Operations, Turbine Placement". There is also a short video of the radar tracking images available online.
11. Research on sediment-laden Ice threat to turbines A new report in the International Journal of Marine Energy entitled "Perspective on the risk that sediment-laden ice poses to in-stream tidal turbines in Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy" looks at the possibility that neutrally point ice pans could impact turbines in the upper Bay of Fundy. The authors, Brian Sanderson and Anna Redden, at the Acadia Centre for Estuarine Research, conclude that "Very particular combinations of materials would be required to produce a large ice cake that could be entrained deep into the water column." And, furthermore, that "No evidence has been found for large ice cakes that are near neutrally buoyant".
12. Tidal Turbines to be Installed in Fall The Chronicle Herald article "Parrsboro Tidal Turbines Set to Roll" indicates that Open Hydro will deploy two turbines at the Parrsboro area test site this fall. "This will be the second time OpenHydro has dipped its toes in the Bay of Fundy. A 400-tonne, $10-million prototype had to be pulled from the water in 2010 after it was damaged by the powerful tides.The company later admitted it underestimated the region, which is known as having the highest tides in the world."
13. Tidal Power Cables Interfere with Lobster Fishing? An article in the Chronicle herald entitled "Tidal safety zone plan worries lobster fishermen" suggests that a planned safety zone around undersea power cables at the tidal turbine test site in the upper Bay of Fundy has lobster fishermen in the area worried that they may lose access to traditional fishing areas
14. Muzzling Scientists Controversy at Boiling Point The ongoing controversy surrounding the Harper Governments continuing attempts to muzzle scientists and control their ability to discuss their work came to a boil again recently. World renowned shark researcher Dr. Steve Campana, recently retired from DFO, slammed the conservative government for undermining Canadian science and creating a toxic atmosphere in government research institutions. Details at: "Steve Campana, Canadian biologist, 'disgusted' with government muzzling" as well as in a 1:40 min video interview. Alao see a Fifth Estate episode entitled "Silence of the Labs" that shows how Canada's scientific reputation is being severely damaged internationally for short-sighted ideological reasons. See also CBC News report " FAQ: The issues around muzzling government scientists".
15. Giant ~17 pound Lobster Caught in Fundy CBC reports that a fisherman from Brier Island in South West Nova Scotia recently landed a lobster weighing just under 17 pounds. It also has a picture of Jesse Tudor and his giant crustacean.
16. Alewives Still Allowed on St. Croix River A Maine legislative committee voted unanimously to reject a bill that would have blocked alewives from reaching the upper sections of the St. Croix River. The bill’s supporters, led by registered guides and sporting camp owners in the Grand Lake Stream region, contend that alewives were never historically present in the upper river because several waterfalls or natural formations blocked their upstream passage. They also blame alewives for the collapse of smallmouth bass populations in Spednik Lake and other lakes, when barriers at several dams were removed to allow upstream migration during the 1980s. The alewives’ defenders point to scientific studies saying that the fish, also known as river herring, were historically found well above the Grand Falls Dam while smallmouth bass are an introduced, invasive species in Maine. Leaders of the Passamaquoddy tribal communities in Washington County and across the St. Croix River in Canada have said alewives are an important part of their culture and history. Complete article.
17. 2014 Groundfish Survey Results Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has conducted summer research vessel surveys of trends in groundfish stocks on the Scotian Shelf and in the Bay of Fundy, using a standardized protocol since 1970. Results of these surveys provide information on trends in abundance for most groundfish species in the Maritimes Region. While these data reflect trends in biomass and abundance and are a critical part of science-based stock assessments, a full assessment, including other sources of data, would be required to evaluate the impacts of management measures on population status. The survey information will be used by DFO Resource Management as background for discussions with various industry stakeholders on recommendations for management measures, and to determine which stocks should be reviewed in more detail in 2015. View complete PDF document (66 pages; 2.3MB)
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