Newest Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel Dedicated into Service
On July 13, the Canadian Coast Guard officially dedicated into service the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) John Cabot.
This is the third of three offshore fisheries science vessels built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. These unique vessels serve as floating laboratories outfitted with modern research equipment to collect the data needed for the sustainable management of Canada’s oceans and aquatic resources.
A dockside ceremony was held at the vessel’s homeport, the ...
On the Waterfront — September 2019
CCGS Baie de Plaisance Commissioned in the Magdalen Islands
The Minister of National Revenue, Diane Lebouthillier, on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Jonathan Wilkinson, was in Cap-aux-Meules recently to participate in the official commissioning of the new high endurance, self-righting search and rescue lifeboat, named CCGS Baie de Plaisance.
The vessel was built by the Forillon shipyard and delivered to the Coast Guard in November 2017. To ...
Dalhousie Conducting Oil Spill Research
Risk assessments of potential oil spills in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and improving strategies for oil and water separation (oil decanting) are the focus of two research projects being conducted by Dalhousie University in Halifax.
The projects are being funded under the Multi-Partner Research Initiative of the Ocean Protection Plan.
“Through the Multi-Partner Research Initiative, our government is fostering scientific knowledge to help protect our waters and coasts from oil spills ...
Under the Surface: Ocean Noise and its Effect on Marine Life
Dr. Jack Lawson was about 10 years old when he watched Jacques Cousteau television documentaries and decided he wanted to work with marine mammals.
“Ever since I was a kid, I used to watch Jacques Cousteau on TV. He would often show something on some diving adventure, and I developed an interest in whales from that.”
While Lawson was finishing his undergraduate degree in Alberta, the head of the department, who knew Jack was going to Arizona to undertake a Ph.D. studying scorpions, ...
Another Successful Yarmouth Shark Scramble
Except for a rainy weigh-in, all was well with the 20th annual Yarmouth Shark Scramble, held Aug. 15 – 18, with 50 blue sharks being landed, more than 80 tagged and released and only 1.1 pounds difference between the first and second place prize winning fish.
Chris Cushing aboard the Lurcher Shoal edged out Corey Irons from the vessel Sea Fever III for top place in the scramble, landing a 347.2-pound blue shark. Irons’ shark weighed in at 346.1-pounds. In third spot was Ryan Leblanc from ...
Working Together
Using Indigenous and Local Knowledge and Science to Better Manage Capelin
By Chelsea Boaler, Ph.D. Student
Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland
Centre for Fisheries Ecosystem Research
Capelin (Mallotus villosus) is a prominent pelagic forage fish species for piscivorous predators in North Atlantic and Arctic waters.
It is not only a central food source in marine ecosystems, but also holds important subsistence and commercial value for people. Despite the ecological ...
Citizen Science Pilot Cod Project
Citizen scientists count.
The phrase citizen science may be new to you, but it is an old practice. Before the 20th century, science was done by “gentleman” scientists who worked independently such as Benjamin Franklin, Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.
The phrase “Citizen Scientist” was only added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2014 and it’s defined as “scientific work undertaken by members of the general public, often in collaboration with or under the direction of ...
Flipping an Industry
Above photo: Island Aquatech founders Dylan MacIsaac, Brett McDermott and Jordan Sampson with their oyster cage flipper prototype. The three University of Prince Edward Island students are hoping to turn a second-year engineering project into a viable commercial business. Submitted photos
UPEI Students Launching Aquaculture Tech Company Based on School Project
In 2016, three second-year engineering students at the University of Prince Edward Island were assigned to meet with a local ...
Fishermen Pot Their Own Snow Crab Science
Veteran N.L. Fisherman Wayne Russell Says His Own Survey Shows Crab Stocks Healthy
It’s an old story in Newfoundland and Labrador that fishermen and scientists do not often see eye-to-eye on what’s happening out on the water.
As sure as a cold northerly wind sweeps along the coast in the fall, a wave of disputes over the actual state of fishing stocks will follow in the wake.
The province’s snow crab fishery was dealt a drastic blow this year with huge quota cuts after Department ...
NRC Working on Design of U.S. Polar Icebreakers
The National Research Council of Canada’s (NRC) facility in St. John’s recently hosted dignitaries from the United States Coast Guard (USCG), United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate, and United States (U.S.) Navy to discuss and showcase progress made on the testing and evaluation of design models for the U.S. heavy polar icebreaker acquisition program.
During this phase, the NRC is conducting environmental characterization of ice ...
