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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of BoFEP or its partners. |
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~ FUNDY
TIDINGS ~
November 2015 ~ Autumn Issue | |
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HEADLINES:
B. Partners and other organizations: C. Fundy/GOM and other News: | |
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1. BoFEP 2015 Annual General Meeting - November 20th The BoFEP Annual General Meeting will be held 1-4 pm on Friday, 20 November in the Jennings Dining Hall Banquet Room, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB. (#25 on the map at http://www.mta.ca/mtamap/). The guest speakers will be Scott Kidd who will speak about the OHI (Ocean health Index) project that BoFEP is currently undertaking. He will speak on progress, issues and outcomes toward being able to develop an index for the area of the Bay from the US border to Musquash Estuary. Other agenda items will include discussion of the Retreat Report and moving forward with the recommendations from the report---actions and the look of BoFEP in the future; reports on BoFEP activities such as finances, etc., and of course, election of officers and Steering Committee. Please confirm your attendance by e-mailing: mjanowicz@hotmail.com and also confirm your interest in remaining on, or becoming a member of, the BoFEP Steering Committee.
2. BoFEP Membership Renewal 2015-2016. A reminder that the annual BoFEP membership fee ($25 for individuals and organizations) is now due for 2015/2016. Membership entitles you to vote at the AGM and other benefits. Please renew today!
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B. Partners and other
organizations: 1. Fundy Tidal Test Platform Launched Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE), the Parrsboro-based tidal research facility, has a sophisticated new tool to monitor tidal currents. The Fundy Applied Sensor Technology (FAST) platform is part of a $6.8-million program to learn what goes on in Minas Passage as countless tonnes of water are funnelled through it with each tide. The 650-kilogram, three-metre-long FAST 1 on display in Parrsboro in August will be placed in Minas Passage over the coming months to start gathering data on current strength, turbulence, marine life activity, noise levels and seabed stability. Full article. There was also an article in the Truro Daily News about a FORCE open house in Parrsboro where the FAST was on public display.
2. Monitoring Chemical Runoff into the Bay CBC News reports that Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. is expanding its efforts to map chemical inputs into estuarine areas of the Bay of Fundy to the upper Bay. Researchers are tracking chemical run-off from farms and sewage in an effort to inform future land-use decision making. Full article.
3. DFO Cleans Up Ghost Traps in Fundy Department of Fisheries and Ocean officers have been bringing in boatloads of ghost traps – lobster traps lost or forgotten on bottom after the season ended. many of the traps were full of lobster and many held extremely large lobsters. The DFO officers released them all back into the water. View article.
4. Salt Marsh Restoration and Monitoring Project Ducks Unlimited, along with three universities: Mount Allison University, the University of New Brunswick, Acadia University and the provincial Department of Agriculture, have partnered in a project to restore a salt marsh at Aulac, NB. In 2010, the provincial government had to replace a 1.5-kilometre section of an old dyke that was protecting farmland in Aulac with one farther inland. Ducks Unlimited and the universities took the opportunity to nurture the low land between the dykes to become a marsh. Scientists are measuring how fast marsh flora and fauna are returning to the recently restored marsh. Full article.
5. MEAM Newsletter Goes Digital The monthly newsletter of Marine Ecosystems and Management (MEAM) has been relaunched in an electronic format. Current and back issues are available via the new MEAM website. MEAM serves the global resource management community with news, views, analysis, and tips gathered from experts around the world.
6. Atlantic Canada and Climate Change The September 2015 EcoSystem Indicator Partnership (ESIP) Monthly Journal is titled “Climate Change Products for Atlantic Canada” by Robert Capozi, Climate Change Adaptation Specialist, Government of New Brunswick. The journal discusses an adaptation options guidance document and decision making framework for action on adaptation to climate change and sea level rise in rural, coastal Atlantic Canadian communities.
7. Canada’s Ocean Policy Rapped The Chronicle Herald reports that a new paper entitled "Called Canada at a Crossroad: The Imperative for Realigning Ocean Policy with Ocean Science", by a group of researchers at Dalhousie University finds that Canada has a done a poor job of managing our oceans over the past decade. It calls for the new government "to bring science back into the system". Full article.
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Fundy/GOM and
other News:
1. Future of Farmed Salmon? A short video (3:07 min) in which Carl Purcell, former president of the Nova Scotia Salmon Association, provides input. The video also features "Sustainable Blue", a land-based closed containment operation located on the shores of (not in!) the Bay of Fundy. The video emphasises the benefits of closed containment systems over environmentally unsustainable open pen farms. View video.
2. Fundy Land-Based Salmon Farm Success Sustainable Blue, the innovative company raising Atlantic Salmon in its land-based facilities in Centre Burlington in Hants County made its first major shipment of fish in mid-September. Chefs and Restaurant owners are ecstatic about the quality and availability of the sustainably raised fish. Complete article. Also see: "NS Land-raised Salmon Shows Viability of the Business". See also: What Makes Sustainable Blue Land Based Salmon Special
3. Is a land-based Aquaculture Explosion in the Cards? The journal Fish Farming International reports that a major Norwegian company has had a new economic analysis completed of land-based costs, and the situation is much changed from just a few years ago. The author of the study says that "in terms of volume we will see significant growth in 5-10 years time. Then in maybe 10-20 years time I can see it actually influencing world production.” He also adds that “Aside from opportunities for producers, people forget the fantastic opportunities for service industries that can grow alongside a land-based industry”. For more on this subject see: "Boycott open-pen fish farming products" .
4. TVO Documentary on Tidal Energy TV Ontario presents a documentary (25:29 mins) entitled "Oceans of Energy" featuring "the Water Brothers" investigating the state-of-the-art technologies being deployed off the coast of Scotland, Northern Ireland as well as the site of the world's largest tides in the Bay of Fundy. View video.
5. More Tidal Energy Developments Amongst the tidal wave of reports pertaining to tidal energy developments in the Bay of Fundy region and elsewhere are the following:
6. Fundy Tides Highest in Decades In late September the tides in Fundy were the highest in 20 years, in conjunction with a so called supermoon. See the global news report entitled "Bay of Fundy experiencing highest tides in decades" about the phenomenon. The report also includes a short video (1:49 mins) of the influence on the tidal bore in the Shubenacadie River. See also: Maybe not a Saxby Gale, but we’re anxious
7. Fisheries at Risk from Oil Projects? An article in the Quoddy Tides entitled "Projects to east and west could lead to oil spill" raises serious concerns about the ecological implications for the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine of the proposed construction of the Energy East pipeline to St. John and Shell Canada's exploratory drilling in the nearby Shelburne Basin. The former project could lead to a massive increase in the number of large oil tankers transiting the Bay carrying diluted tar sands bitumen to foreign markets. The latter drilling program is of great concern because of the likely lengthy delay in controlling any blowout and the evident lack of workable containment and oil recovery options in the event of a massive spill in such a dynamic ocean environment. The valuable fishing industry in the region is threatened by both projects. See also: TransCanada Drops Quebec Port in Move that Signals Beginning of Energy East Pipeline's End
8. Excellent Series on Gulf of Main in Distress The Portland Press Herald has published an excellent, in depth series of articles under the banner "Mayday: Gulf of Maine in Distress". The well-illustrated articles include:
9. Climate Change May Eliminate Cod in GOM A National Geographic article entitled: Warm Water May Spell the End of New England’s Iconic Cod reports that marine scientists are suggesting that the decimated cod stocks in the Gulf of Maine may never recover. In spite of a ban on commercial fishing, the rapidly warming Gulf of Maine may reduce reproduction and thus prevent the stocks from ever recovering. The abstract of the scientific paper in the journal Science entitled: Slow adaptation in the face of rapid warming leads to collapse of the Gulf of Maine cod fishery is available online.
10. Book on Impacts of Climate Change in NB A new book entitled “Adaptation to Climate Change and Sea Level Rise. The Case Study of Coastal Communities in New Brunswick, Canada” by Sebastian Weissenberger and Omer Chouinard provides a concise and interdisciplinary outlook on the impacts of climate change on coastal areas and how coastal communities adapt to them.
11. Public Consultations on Mactaquac Dam New Brunswick Power has begun public consultations about the future of the large dam on the Saint John River at Mactaquac. Should it be rebuilt? Should the river be restored? New reports can be downloaded on impacts as NB Power begins the consultation process. They have set a Mactaquac Review website. The following impact reports are also available online : Comparative Environmental Review (CER) Report (85.7 MB) and Social Impacts Review (1.3 MB).
12. Hiking Long Island Near Digby Neck The Fundy coast of Long Island makes for a perfect two-day hike – it could be hiked in a day by fit and driven people, but if you give yourself two days, you’ll give yourself time to enjoy the peace and beauty of the place. The author describes a trek along the coast this past summer. Full article. You might also enjoy a write up about an earlier circumnavigation of Brier Island by the same author.
13. Tidal Bore Site Tourism Potential to be Enhanced A 10-acre parcel near Truro, which once served as a hotel and dining facility, as well as a look-off spot for the Bay of Fundy tidal bore, was purchased by Colchester county last spring. The County is preparing ambitious plans for developing the site to attract more tourists to enjoy the tidal bore the area. Complete article.
14. Video on Fundy National Park The Bay of Fundy Travel Show presents a 6:45 min video featuring the Bay of Fundy National Park and ably hosted by well-know Fundy booster Terri McCulloch. The particular focus is on the coastal hiking trails in the park.
15. Stonehammer Geopark in New Brunswick A short article about the 2,500 Km2 "Stonehammer" Geopark located in southern New Brunswick. The park was designated by UNESCO to highlight various geological features by means of educational programs and by promoting sustainable tourism initiatives. Full article.
16. More Dinosaur Bones Found in Fundy Rocks The constantly eroding sea cliffs around the upper Bay of Fundy near Parrsboro are continuing to yieled a wealth of dinosaur and other fossil remains. An article in the Chronicle Herald entitled Bay of Fundy yields ancient dinosaur bones again describes the valiant efforts of Tim Fedak, Director of the Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro, to make sure that valuable fossils are not lost to the tides.
17. Fossil Hunter Eldon George Focus of New Exhibit An article in the Halifax Chronicle Herald entitled "Parrsboro fossil-hunting pioneer Eldon George celebrated" describes how the local "Rock Star's" fossil "finds, the Parrsboro Rock and Mineral Shop he opened in 1948 in his father’s house, and his contribution to our knowledge of ancient eras are to be celebrated in a museum exhibit".
18. Iconic Rock Arch in Upper Bay Collapses A number of articles lamented the recent collapse of the iconic arch or "eye" on Long Island, one of the Five Islands group near Parrsboro:
19. Right Whales Recovering? The efforts to preserve and protect the North Atlantic right whale population have been on-going for more than three decades. The change to shipping lanes in the Bay of Fundy was a turning point that gave the huge mammals a chance to rebound and evidence of its success has been spotted in the waters off southern Nova Scotia. A CTV news report and video clip (2:30 mins) entitled "Right whale conservation efforts see signs of success" features an interview with Moira Brown is a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium, in Boston.
20. Or Not? A CBC report entitled "Right whale sightings still on the decline in Bay of Fundy" reveals that surveys off Grand Manan in August and September counted only 8 of the whales. Moira Brown suggests that declining food availability in the Bay of Fundy is leading to more of the whales heading to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where sightings are rising. Climate change may be driving this population shift.
21. Humpback Acrobatics Caught on Video This is the awe-inspiring moment a humpback whale soared through the air and performed a backflip in front of stunned whale-watchers. The huge mammal suddenly appears out of the sea and launches itself metres above the sea despite its gigantic size. It twists mid-air and comes down to a crashing splash back into the water. The incredible backflipping whale was filmed in the Bay of Fundy on Canada's east coast. View video.
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