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~ FUNDY
TIDINGS ~
November 2016 ~ Autumn Issue | |
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HEADLINES:
B. Partners and other organizations: C. Fundy/GOM and other News: | |
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1. BoFEP 2016 Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) will be held on Thursday, November 10th, 2016 from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. in Room 125 at the Wallace McCain Student Centre at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB. Our special guest speaker will be Dr. Al Hanson, Research Scientist with the Canadian Wildlife Service, who will give an illustrated presentation entitled: “100 Years of Migratory Bird Conservation: Reflections on the Bay of Fundy”. BoFEP Members and all other with an interest in the well-being of the Bay of Fundy ecosystem are cordially invited to attend.
2. BoFEP Membership - Time to Join or Renew!
Interested in the Bay of Fundy? Members are the heart of our organization!
Membership is open to any individual or organization who shares BoFEP's
vision for protecting, conserving and sustainably using the Bay of Fundy
ecosystem. Have a look at
BoFEP's Vision and Aims.
Take a moment to sign up or renew today. To be eligible to vote at the
2016 AGM (10 November
2016) and to sit on the 2016/17
Steering Committee
your membership form and fees will be accepted at the AGM. Membership application form (PDF)
3. Ecological Risk Assessment Report for Fundy DDT and Hg The final report on this project is now available on the boFEP website. "Ecological Risk Assessment for the Bay of Fundy: DDT and Mercury". Angella Mercer and Karen A. Kidd, Canadian Rivers Institute and Biology Department University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB. BoFEP Technical Report No. 9, June 2015, 159 pages. The Bay of Fundy supports a high diversity of marine life and is an ecologically and economically critical resource for the region. Despite its importance, little is known about whether contaminants are currently threatening the species that inhabit the Bay. It has been more than three decades since the pesticide DDT was banned for use in North America. However, it can still be found in this region because of its persistence and because it is transported long distances in air and water currents from tropical areas where it is still used. Another contaminant of concern is mercury. In contrast to DDT, mercury is present naturally in the environment but its levels in aquatic systems and biota have also been affected by human activities such as burning of fossil fuels or mining. Both DDT and the organic form of mercury concentrate through aquatic food webs to levels that can cause health problems for fish eaters or the fish themselves. This report provides an overview on these two contaminants of concern, reviews the concentrations of DDT and Hg that have been measured in wildlife in the Bay of Fundy, and assesses whether these levels may be posing a risk to these species.
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B. Partners and other
organizations: 1. New Ocean Mapping Tool World Wildlife Canada has just launched a new interactive oceans map that brings together the fullest picture of how people and wildlife use Canada’s oceans. It enables the visitor to generate customisable maps of what is going on in the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, including the Bay of Fundy. This site highlights habitat for important marine species, conservation designations and industrial activity that could affect ocean health.
2. DFO Turns Over Point Prim Lighthouse During the summer DFO turned over the Point Prim lighthouse and associated land to the Municipality of Digby. The Friends of Point Prim Society have been maintaining and improving the site as a popular tourism attraction overlooking the Digby Gut. They plan on installing more signage and improving the coastal trail system as well as generally enhancing the property. It is hoped that two other lighthouse properties at Smith's Cove and Boar's Head will be also be turned over to the Municipality sometime in the future. These have both been maintained by local non profit Groups. More about these lighthouses.
3. NBCC Urges More Marine Protection for Fundy CBC News recently featured a storey entitled "Marine protection for Bay of Fundy pushed by baykeeper: Open house held to discuss protecting 16 ecologically sensitive areas within the Bay of Fundy". The Fundy Baykeeper (Matthew Abbott) of the NB Conservation Council wants he Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to protect more areas of the Bay of Fundy by making them Marine Protected Areas. Thus far 16 areas around the Bay have been identified as "ecologically sensitive" by DFO. Abbott is particularly concerned about protecting these areas from future industrialization, such as oil and gas developments , seabed mining and coastal development.
4. Partridge Island Protected by NS Nature Trust This summer the Nova Scotia Nature Trust announced that it has protected, forever, one of Nova Scotia’s cherished island gems - Partridge Island. Several generous island owners have come together to ensure that this natural, historic and cultural landmark is preserved, though a conservation easement agreement with the Nature Trust. Situated in the narrow passage between the Minas Basin’s north shore and Cape Blomidon, the 21 hectare Partridge Island is a unique and highly significant place. Ringed by steep cliffs rising to 50 meters above the sea, its hiking trail and look-offs provide spectacular views of the surrounding land and seascapes. Known as wa’so’q or “Heaven” by the Mi’kmaq, Partridge Island was a traditional place for gathering the sacred stone, amethyst. It is also the home of the Mi’kmaq god-giant Glooscap’s grandmother. Generations of local families and visitors alike have enjoyed visiting the island, hiking, bird-watching, rock-hounding or searching for the next big fossil find. Parrsboro's Partridge Island getting conservation stamp (Chronicle Herald) Partridge Island, called 'heaven' by Mi'kmaq, protected for generations to come (Chronicle Herald)
5. Aboriginal Aquatic Resource Magazine Available The Summer / Fall 2016 Edition of the Journal MAWQATMUTI'KW (We All Live Together) is now available. This issue includes the articles “History of Lake Utopia Resource Study”, “Aboriginal Peoples Use of Resources” and “American Lobster Settlement Update”. The journal is published jointly by IKANAWTIKET Environmental Incorporated and the Maritime Aboriginal Aquatic Resources Secretariat.
6. Gulf of Maine Climate Reports The binational Climate Network of the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment has issued the Spring 2016 “Gulf of Maine Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook” reports that spring brought major temperature swings to the Northeast states and numerous storm disruptions in Atlantic Canada; precipitation levels in the spring ranged from 50 to 150 percent of normal; and, sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Maine remained abnormally high, a pattern that began last September. The Outlook offers a two-page snapshot with recent weather events and anomalies; regional weather impacts; and a forecast for the subsequent three months.
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Fundy/GOM and
other News:
1. Controversy Over Energy East Pipeline Proposal Still Simmers! The highly controversial Energy East Pipeline Project, which seeks to transport Alberta's problematic tarsands bitumen across the country to Saint John for export by means of a fleet of large tankers transiting the Bay of Fundy, is still simmering vigourously on the back burner. This, even after the National Energy Board hearings were abruptly terminated following serious allegations about the impartiality of the process. Headline highlights include the following:
2. Fishermen Concerned About Tidal Turbines Faced with the immanent installation of a tidal turbine at the Minas Channel test site, fishermen in the region have been raising serious concerns about the adequacy of baseline data on which to assess the ecological impacts of the turbines. They have even challenged (unsuccessfully) the project in court. The provincial government and Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE), seemingly playing the role of boosters of the project, have tended to downplay many questions about possible environmental impacts, claiming that only by installing turbines can they monitor impacts. This despite concerns raised by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) about the adequacy of the available baseline data. A small sampling of the past three month's press reports on the controversial subject include:
3. Further Fabulous Fundy Fossil Finds An Ontario geologist vacationing at Five Islands Provincial Park near Parrsboro came a across a fossilized foot print of a dinosaur dating from the Jurassic Period, about 200 million years ago. The Fundy Geological Museum was alerted and has investigated the find. More…. Meanwhile on the other side of the Minas Basin at Blue Beach, near Hantsport, scientists are working with even older fossils (from 350-400 million years ago) that are shedding important new information about the mysterious evolutionary period when vertebrates were crawling from the waters and beginning to colonize the land. More….
For more information about these and many other amazing fossil discoveries
all around the Bay of Fundy you should also check out the websites of : The Joggins Fossil Cliffs Centre
4. New Population of Endangered Turtle Found Researchers working near Kejimkujik National Park in Southwestwern Nova Scotia have found a new population of the endangered Blandings Turtle. The population, the fourth found so far in the province, could comprise as many as 100-200 animals. This bodes well for ongoing efforts to conserve the species. More…. See also: Conservationists celebrate N.S.'s newest turtle sanctuary
5. Updates on Fundy Whales A number of news stories this summer/fall have focussed on several of the whale species that call Fundy home for at least part of the year. The reports ranged from concerns about the ongoing health of the populations, information about their annual migration, stories of whales successfully released from fishing gear and photos and videos of Right Whales, Humpbacks, Dolphins and Old Tom the solitary Orca who has been visiting Fundy periodically over the last decade. A sampling of these informative items: How Bay of Fundy whales breed despite cold weather (The Weather Network) Rescuers free whale tangled in fishing line (WGME) Right Whale Disentangled in Bay of Fundy (IFAW) Right whale freed from fishing gear in Bay of Fundy (CBC News) Dolphins in Bay of Fundy (Video) Curious humpback whale hangs out with Nova Scotia tour boat (Video) Right whale recovery in North Atlantic stalls (CBC News) Unhealthy Right Whales In Bay Of Fundy Causing Concern (Country 94.1) Whale watchers in Bay of Fundy get inches away from humpback (CBC News - video) Ol’ Tom the Orca is back - off Brier Island (Truro Daily News)
6. Are NS Shark Derbies defensible? Every August several communities around Nova Scotia organize festivals that have a Shark Derby as a centrepiece. This is the only province in Canada that holds shark derbies. There is growing criticism that these derbies send the wrong conservation message about a group of marine animals that are under pressure worldwide. We need to be relieving these pressures, not adding to them with frivolous practices. Is it worth destroying a major top predator in an ecosystem just so that someone can get an ego boost by snapping a picture of themselves standing beside the lifeless carcass of a magnificent creature they have just "vanquished"? DFO justifies the practice, claiming that only a small percentage of the total shark population is killed. They also claim that they "rely" on the derbies for scientific research, despite the fact that most such information seems to end up buried in departmental databases. Their argument seems to mirror that used by the Japanese to justify that country's "scientific" whaling. Shark researchers outside DFO are now beginning to question whether there is really any research benefit that couldn't be better met by other non lethal methods, such as tagging and catch and release fishing. Many conservation organizations view the derbies as "cruel and problematic". It also sends the wrong message to the public by demonising sharks. Maybe it is time to reconsider the practice. For more details check out the following: Shark Week: Possible great white captured on video just as derbies set to start Blue shark numbers can handle bycatch mortality, says DFO Canada's only shark derbies start in Nova Scotia this weekend Shark researchers question DFO policy on catch-and-kill derbies
7. Open Pen Aquaculture Still Controversial Although the federal and NB and NS governments seem intent on promoting and subsidising open pen aquaculture at almost any cost, there is growing opposition to the practice. Onshore aquaculture facilities, which are more ecologically friendly, healthier and produce a higher quality product, are slowly gain ground despite minimal government support. Some relevant press reports include the following: Aquaculture opponents question 'major improvement' in transparency (CBC News) MP's bill to ban open net-cage fish farms gaining steam (Tri City News) Sustainable Blue hitches on global demand for local fish (Chronicle Herald) DFO study confirms 'widespread' mating of farmed, wild salmon in N.L. (CBC News) Cooke Aquaculture Awarded C$3.2 Million to Develop New Process to Battle Sea Lice (The Fish Site) N.B. reports first cases of infectious salmon anaemia since 2012 (CBC News)
8. Major Salmon Restoration Effort in Fundy Park On a more positive note, there has been a major conservation effort to bring populations of Atlantic salmon back in Fundy National Park. More than 500 mature inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon were released into two rivers in the park, the result of years of collaboration between the federal and provincial governments, Fort Folly First Nation, the aquaculture industry, the Canadian Rivers Institute and more. In addition, the Park has developed an educational program to allow visitors to interact with salmon. For more details see: Fundy National Park site of major salmon release (CBCB News) Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation Proving Successful in Fundy National Park (The Fish Site) Fundy National Park program lets visitors observe, monitor Atlantic salmon (CBC News)
9. Hike the Shore of Fundy….. Virtually…..Soon Google Maps will soon feature street views of Canadian nature sites like the Bay of Fundy and P.E.I. beaches thanks to the Google Trekker backpack mounted camera. More…..
10. New Paper on Fishing and Fish Stock Dynamics in Fundy A group of US Fisheries scientists have just published a paper about the relationship between fisheries and fish stock dynamics, based on research carried out in the Bay of Fundy, in cooperation with the Saint Andrews Biological Station. Entitled "A complex past: historical and contemporary fisheries demonstrate nonlinear dynamics and a loss of determinism", the study suggests that "fishing can undermine the dynamics and resilience of marine populations and render fisheries model output less predictable for management". Abstract of paper. Complete publication (PDF)
11. Another US Tidal Turbine Near Fundy A Portland company that is pioneering methods to harness river and tidal energy has received a $5.3 million grant to further its research. The project will be located in Western Passage, an inlet off the Bay of Fundy, off the coast of Maine. In 2012, the company’s tidal power project in Cobscook Bay near Eastport became the first to connect to a utility grid in the U.S. More...
12. Reports on Mactaquac Dam Available A set of reports, dated August 2016, is now available from NB Power on their consultations and studies regarding the possible future of the Mactaquac Dam and the St. John River. Reports can be downloaded as .pdf documents. Set of Reports.
13. New Sonar Vessel for Saint John The Port of Saint John has a new vessel which will allow it to continue mapping the ocean floor in order to tackle the tricky task of removing two constant sources of sediment. The hydrographic survey vessel, named the Tide Line, cost the port authority $416,000. The 30-foot aluminum boat is in itself expensive, but the most costly portion is the sonar equipment. More…..
14. Dike Study Sought as Waters Rise Marshall Rand’s people have been farming land beside the Pereau Dike for 70 years. As sea levels rise and storms intensify due to global warming, he fears the dike that keeps the ocean out of his family’s Annapolis Valley farm will eventually be overwhelmed. More…..
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