Section 2
Science That Matters To Canadians

Building on our previously identified priorities, in 2007-2008 DFO Science continued moving toward an ecosystem approach to science, which improves our understanding of key ecosystem relationships and linkages to human activities. Ecosystem science provides the holistic view essential for making sound ecosystem management decisions related, in part, to fisheries, aquaculture, habitat, ocean resources and the recovery of species at risk. Intergovernmental bodies concerned with aquatic science and management recognize that scientists must try to quantify the effects of fishing and other human activities on the complex interactions of ecosystems. They must also determine whether the effects are reversible, and if so, over what time scales.

DFO's New Ecosystem Science Framework in Support of Integrated Management (www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/Publications/Ecosystem/index-eng.htm) outlines key concepts of ecosystem science, and describes the development and adoption of better tools to monitor and study entire ecosystems. This framework has strongly influenced the 10 essential research priorities and associated areas outlined in the DFO Science Five- Year Research Agenda, 2007–2012 (www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/publications/fiveyear-quinquennal/index-eng. htm), which addresses federal and departmental priorities and public good needs for the next five years.

As we move forward, this approach is being incorporated into ongoing and new DFO Science programs. For example, in 2007-2008 researchers at the St. Andrews Biological Station completed two years of work in support of a new ecosystem approach to managing fisheries. In addition, the multi-species survey, which began in the 1950s, was adjusted in 2007-2008 to collect data for the Ecosystem Research Initiative. This involves gathering detailed information on non-commercial fish and their dietary habits to gain a more thorough picture of the ecosystem.

TARGETED RESEARCH

Tracking Walrus in the Canadian Arctic

Once common on Canada's East Coast, Atlantic walrus now exist only in the Arctic, where they live in widely dispersed groups scattered across the maze of islands. Listed as a species “of special concern” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), reports in recent decades suggest that the walrus population is declining.

In collaboration with Inuit communities, researchers in DFO's Central and Arctic Region, led by Dr. Rob Stewart, are using satellite tracking, DNA analysis, and aerial and boat surveys to identify groups of walrus in the High Arctic and off southeast Baffin Island, and to determine if the stocks are robust enough to support the Inuit harvest.

Along with local hunters, the researchers carefully tranquilize a walrus then attach an electronic tag to one of its tusks to track it by satellite. Preliminary results from tracking in 2007 revealed that there are two walrus stocks in Jones Sound, instead of one as previously thought, and that walrus move between Greenland and Baffin Island. Aerial and boat surveys also led to the discovery of several previously unknown “haul outs” where walrus congregate. To examine stock structure, the researchers also collected small skin samples (130 in 2007) for DNA analysis, which will help resolve joint stock issues between Canada and Greenland, and support the interests of Canadian Inuit.

This research is supported by Natural Resources Canada's Polar Continental Shelf Project, and is being carried out in collaboration with scientists from the Geological Survey of Canada, the Calgary Zoo, Canadian universities, the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and the Danish Ministry of the Environment.

An Atlantic walrus sports a satellite tag on its tusk to track its movements in the High Arctic. The research will help determine stock strength, aid in population management, and resolve joint stock issues between Canada and Greenland.

DFO is evaluating the unmanned Webb Research Slocum electric glider for sampling and surveillance of coastal waters.

Testing Ocean Gliders for Research and Surveillance

DFO oceanographic staff, led by Terry Curran of the Canadian Hydrographic Service, have partnered with the Canadian Centre for Ocean Gliders (CCOG) to evaluate a low-cost, low-power, unmanned glider for untethered sampling and surveillance of coastal waters. Adaptable to a variety of sensors and unaffected by surface weather, the person-sized (1.5 metres long and 52 kilograms) Webb Research Slocum electric glider can collect comprehensive data from the surface to the sea floor over potentially large areas. Missions can last 15 to 30 days using alkaline batteries, making it ideal for surveillance in waters such as the Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area.

The model that was tested in 2007-2008 dives and rises continuously to a maximum depth of 300 metres by changing its buoyancy, while travelling at a horizontal speed of about 0.5 metres per second. Since the glider doesn't have continuously active propulsion, it is very quiet and can sample close to the sea surface with much less disturbance than a research vessel.

Deployed from small boats and other vessels, the glider's GPS receiver periodically determines its location at the surface, when data can be telemetered to shore via satellite. In 2007-2008, the glider was equipped with sensors including a Seabird conductivity-temperature-depth instrument and the Aanderaa dissolved oxygen sensor. The team also demonstrated data downloading in near real time during testing in Saanich Inlet and off the west coast of Vancouver Island. In 2008-2009, the team plans to test the glider in the Strait of Georgia near the Ecosystem Research Initiative, where there are moderate ocean currents and marine traffic.

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (2001-2007)

Since its inception, the Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP) has devoted more than $56 million to research in partnership with industry. Between 2001-2007, 230 research projects had three key objectives: best performance research into new species for Canadian aquaculture (127 projects); environmental performance studies on interactions between aquaculture sites and the surrounding environment (55 projects); and optimal fish health projects investigating disease resistance, surveillance and detection, as well as pathogens, parasites and general health management of the cultured species (48 projects). For more information visit: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/aquaculture/acrdp-pcrda/main_e.htm

Tracking the Fate of Fish Farm “Escapees” in the Wild

At the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in Northwestern Ontario, DFO's Dr. Paul Blanchfield is leading research into the fate of rainbow trout released from an experimental fish farm to determine their potential impact on native fish. One of the most significant ecological concerns associated with aquaculture is the possibility of farmed fish escaping from open-water net pens into the wild. Their impact on native populations depends on their survival and behaviour.

ELA researchers, led by Dr. Cheryl Podemski, reared 10 tonnes of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) annually in a small boreal study lake using standard commercial farming protocols. Each fall (2003–2007), the trout were released into the lake and monitored for their behaviour, distribution and survival using automated positioning telemetry. Findings revealed that:

• once released, the “escaped” farmed rainbow trout had an annual survival rate of about 50 percent in the wild;
• most of the released fish concentrated near the aquaculture operation, especially during normal operation when commercial feed was available;
• farmed fish were primarily detected in the upper few metres of the water column — even at the cage site where feed accumulates at a depth of 15 metres — making them susceptible to avian predation; and
• “escapees” that survived for more than one year continued to rely upon the cage site in their second year.

These findings suggest that the low survival of “escapees” in the wild and their extended attraction to the farm site reduces their potential interaction with native fish. However, wide dispersal, high growth rates and lack of reliance on the cage site by some escaped fish warrants further investigation. The research is part of a whole-ecosystem study funded by DFO's Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program.

DFO fisheries research technician Lori Tate implants a transmitter into a farmed rainbow trout to track its behaviour once released into the wild.

Modelling Sea Lice in the Broughton Archipelago

Scientists at DFO's Institute of Ocean Science (IOS) are using computer models to explore how ocean circulation and environmental conditions affect the spread of sea lice in the Broughton Archipelago. Ocean currents play a key role in the life cycle of this parasite, transporting and spreading the planktonic life stages, including the infective copepodid stage.

The research, led by oceanographers Dario Stucchi and Mike Foreman, could shed new light on how much salmon farms contribute to sea lice infestations in juvenile wild salmon. Sea lice are commonly found on returning wild adult Pacific salmon and can spread to farmed salmon. If left untreated, salmon farms can become over-wintering sites for sea lice, which can then infect migrating juvenile salmon and other farms.

The IOS team developed a computer model of sea lice, including larval behaviour and development, and coupled it with an ocean circulation model to predict how surface water movements driven by local tides, winds and fresh water affect the transport and spread of sea lice larvae from known salmon farms. Besides evaluating the accuracy of these predictions, the researchers also plan to use the coupled models to examine different farm management approaches and the possible distribution of sea lice from wild sources.

DFO is supporting multi-year research on sea lice and working closely with the Province of British Columbia to ensure the salmon farming industry is managed in a way that safeguards the environment and wild salmon stocks.

DFO Research Aids International Management of Salmon Stocks

Every year a varying proportion of adult Fraser River sockeye salmon die during their 100- to 1,200-kilometre upstream spawning migration. Currently, the best estimate of migration mortality is the difference between the hydroacoustic estimate of fish abundance at the river mouth and the upstream spawner enumeration estimate (called the “discrepancy estimate”). High losses (>500,000) have been correlated to extreme water temperatures and flows during migration, which is consistent with current research on the impact of high temperatures on migratory failure in Pacific salmon.

Building on this knowledge, researchers from three science divisions in the Pacific Region have collaborated to develop models to forecast river temperature and flow conditions in the Fraser River. These environmental forecasts are used to predict en route discrepancy estimates.

The Canada-U.S. Fraser River Panel, which is responsible for in-season management of Fraser River sockeye, now uses these discrepancy estimates to increase the probability of reaching its management objectives — for example, decreasing the harvest during difficult migration years to compensate for anticipated en route mortality. Different climate scenarios are also being applied to the discrepancy models to predict the future vulnerability of different salmon populations to changing river conditions. For more information, please visit the Fraser River Environmental Watch Program website: www-sci.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fwh/index_e.htm

Computers models developed by researchers in DFO's Pacific Region forecast the temperature and flow of the Fraser River (above) and aid in the management of sockeye salmon.

Exploring Deep Sea Coral Crucial to Marine Conservation

During the summer of 2007, senior DFO research scientist Dr. Ellen Kenchington led a research team aboard the CCGS Hudson to explore deep water coral and associated species along the continental slopes of Atlantic Canada. Understanding corals and their inter-relationships with other species in deep-sea ecosystems is crucial in order for DFO to meet conservation objectives under both the Fisheries Act and the Oceans Act.

Fantastic deep sea images from the mission, and the excitement of the scientists at their findings, were relayed in extensive media coverage in Canada and around the world. The project involved scientists from the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre (NAFC), Dalhousie University, and the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. The coral research off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador was led by Dr. Kent Gilkinson of NAFC and coordinated by Vonda Wareham.

The team deployed the ROPOS (Remotely Operated Platform for Ocean Science) deepwater submersible in four areas of operation: the Gully Marine Protected Area, the Stone Fence Lophelia Conservation Area and surrounds, the southwest Grand Banks at Haddock Channel, and Desbarres Canyon. The submersible collected more than 3,000 high-resolution digital images, more than 10,000 high-quality frame grabs and many hours of high-resolution colour video. Dives reached previously unexplored depths of 2,500 metres and slightly deeper in some cases.

Coral data have played a key role in the establishment of Sable Gully as Atlantic Canada's first Marine Protected Area (2003) under the Oceans Act. Two additional fisheries closures in the Maritimes Region were established on the basis of coral hotspots: in the Northeast Channel (2002) and at the site of the recently discovered, badly damaged, Lophelia pertusa reef at the Stone Fence (2004). Most recently, coral data from the region played a key role in the establishment of a 12,500 km² voluntary coral protection zone in the northern Labrador Sea in May 2007. It was initiated and implemented by industry, specifically, the Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council, the Canadian Association of Prawn Producers and the Northern Coalition. The purpose of the closure is to try and protect large corals known to exist in that area. Additional steps being taken include:

• the incorporation of coral monitoring into research surveys conducted by industry;
• fishing captains are working cooperatively with independent at-sea observers to collect data on encounters with coral;
• fishing captains stop fishing and retrieve their gear if they believe they are in an area where large treelike corals may exist, even outside coral protection zones; and
• fishing captains do not fish in coral protection zones already established by DFO.

Left to right: The ROPOS deepwater submersible is lowered from the CCGS Hudson on a mission to explore deep water corals along the continental slope of Eastern Canada. Among the images captured by ROPOS: four species of coldwater coral — Paragorigia arborea (pink), Desmophyllum sp. (hard cup coral), Acanthagorgia armata (yellow), and Anthothela grandiflora — in the Stone Fence Coral Conservation Zone at the mouth of the Laurentian Channel; a newly discovered species of shellfish (Acesta sp.) in the GullyMarine Protected Area; and a solitary cup coral (Javania cailleti) off the coast of Nova Scotia (right).

The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and Canada created a Coral Protection Area that is closed to all fishing activity involving bottom contact gear for 2008-2012, when it will be reviewed. The area along the continental slope of the southwest Grand Banks falls largely within Canada's Exclusive Economic Zone.

Transboundary Hake Assessment and Ecosystem Research

U.S. and Canadian fisheries research teams pose on the bow of the U.S. NOAA ShipMiller Freeman on an unusually calm day of the 2007 field program. The vessel logged about 12,000 nautical miles and more than 75 ship days to complete the ecosystem and hake survey.

The Pacific hake fishery is one of the largest fisheries on the west coast of North America, with catches totalling nearly 280,000 tonnes in 2007. Canada and the U.S. share this fishery under the International Hake Treaty at 26.12 percent and 73.88 percent respectively. Since 1992, an international partnership created to assess and manage hake has carried out extensive surveys along the west coast of North America, measuring ocean conditions and acoustically estimating the abundance of hake (Merluccius productus).

The international research team, with Canadian lead Ken Cooke from the Pacific Biological Station, is providing a better understanding of the ecosystem. Its results will help develop new management strategies for highly migratory species such as hake. For example, the surveys reveal that the summer hake distribution clearly shifts in response to climate-related changes in sea surface temperature and coastal upwelling. In 2007, the survey team found hake farther north and closer inshore, resulting in Canadian fish harvesters concentrating their efforts in Queen Charlotte Sound, north of Vancouver Island. The survey also captured 82 jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) at depths of more than 300 metres offshore of the continental shelf along Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands. These animals have been seen more frequently in recent years, an indication that environmental change is providing favourable conditions for other species to expand their range in Canadian waters. The significance of the jumbo squid range expansion is not yet known but will be monitored during future surveys in partnership with U.S. researchers.

Research Reveals Nearshore Habitats Key to Juvenile Cod Survival

When the Atlantic cod fishery collapsed in the early 1990s, little was known about the effects of environmental factors on juvenile cod survival compared to the effects of fishing. DFO scientist Dr. Robert Gregory of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland, has been working to address this knowledge gap since the mid-1990s.

Amature female Atlantic cod can produce up to 30 million eggs during one spawning season, yet the mortality rate can be up to 99 percent per day. The odds of survival increase after 60 to 70 days. Gregory's research involves tracking the distribution of cod eggs and larvae, studying the survivors in their shallowwater sanctuaries and their food chain, and mapping coastal eel grass beds that provide the best habitat for survival.

DFO research reveals that eelgrass beds such as this one in Newman Sound on the northeast coast of Newfoundland — viewed underwater and from the air — provide ideal habitat and protection from predation for post-larval cod.

The research has led to a very clear picture of the type of coastal habitat that post-larval juvenile cod need to survive, and provided stock assessment managers with population numbers for the current crop of juvenile cod, which is essentially a preview of future numbers of adult cod. Since the research began, 2007 has been the best year in terms of juvenile cod survival. For more information, see Nearshore Habitats: Sanctuary for Juvenile Cod: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/Publications/article/2008/24-06-2008-eng.htm

Scallop Seeding Project Prompts Development of Rotational Fishery Plan

Research on scallops (Placopecten magellanicus) led by biologists Leslie-Anne Davidson and Monique Niles has contributed to a new vision for managing this resource. The collection of spat (scallop spawn) has increased understanding of the scallop production cycle, and hundreds of hours of video on scallop habitat have helped to better identify seeding sites and to establish more sustainable harvesting strategies. Following industry information sessions based on the research results, fishers have initiated scallop seeding projects in several sectors of the Gulf of St. Lawrence region.

In 2008, sections of a scallop bed in Chaleur Bay (New Brunswick) that had been closed and seeded five years previously were reopened. The first harvest was very abundant, with landings of three tonnes of scallop meat from a three-kilometre-square section. By contrast, reported commercial landings in 2007 totalled nine tonnes from an intensively fished ground of about 57 square kilometres in Chaleur Bay. As a result, Chaleur Bay scallop harvesters recently voted in favour of developing a rotational fishery plan for the entire area, to come into effect in 2010. Under a rotational fishery, certain sections would be closed to scallop dragging to provide a refuge for the growing scallops, as well as to protect other species that could be affected by dredging.

Based on DFO research, scallop harvesters in Chaleur Bay (New Brunswick) plan to adopt a rotational fishery plan by 2010.

New Lab Explores Contaminants in Marine Life

Claude Rouleau of the Marine Radioecology Laboratory of Rimouski displays sections of a fish that reveal areas where contaminants have accumulated.

In May 2007, the Maurice Lamontagne Institute, in collaboration with the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, officially opened a marine toxicology and radio tagging laboratory, the only one of its kind in North America. The Marine Radioecology Laboratory of Rimouski will enable researchers to learn more about the biological effects and fate of contaminants in marine organisms, and to better study the impact of human activities on the health and productivity of aquatic ecosystems. The team has an instrument that enables it to dissect an entire animal into sections thinner than a human hair. A second instrument precisely pinpoints the distribution of contaminants by means of techniques using low levels of radioactivity. The lab is currently studying the accumulation of cadmium in scallops from the St. Lawrence River and the transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from sediments and water to various marine organisms in the St. Lawrence estuary.

Centre for Aquatic Biotechnology Regulatory Research Established

Biotechnology and genomics are important areas of research and development for Canada, and DFO has new regulatory responsibilities for aquatic organisms with novel traits. The expectation is that there will be an exponential increase in the number and variety of aquatic biotechnology products, particularly as proof of concept for genetically engineered (GE) fish has been established and approval is pending for food use of GE fish by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. DFO created the Centre for Aquatic Biotechnology Regulatory Research (CABRR) in West Vancouver, B.C., to foster world-class research focusing on regulatory science pertaining to genetically distinct aquatic organisms, or aquatic organisms with novel traits. Closely linked to DFO's National Aquatic Biotechnology and Genomics Research and Development Program, the new Centre will increase the coordination and sharing of research results regarding regulatory research.More than 30 species of fish have been genetically engineered to date (e.g., zebrafish, salmon, oysters, prawns) for use in medical research, pharmaceutical production and food production, with two species of fish (growth-enhanced Atlantic salmon and insulin-producing tilapia) being specifically developed in Canada for commercial applications.

Maurice Lamontagne Institute Celebrates 20 Years of Achievement

To mark its 20^th anniversary, the Maurice Lamontagne Institute (MLI) organized a number of activities from May to October 2007. Ariane Plourde, Director of the Institute and Regional Director, Regional Science Branch, and Louise Deschênes, Regional Director, Policy and Economics Branch, used the opportunity to meet with clients and partners and take stock of the MLI's 20 years in Quebec. Some 2,500 people took advantage of the open house to learn about the work carried out at the MLI, especially in the areas of fisheries, aquaculture, marine mammals, navigation, environmental management and protection, habitat, and aquatic resources and ecosystems. The Maurice Lamontagne Institute has changed a lot in 20 years, increasing its workforce from 75 employees when it opened in 1987 to 400 in 2007. To learn more about the Institute see: www.qc.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/iml/en/intro.htm

About 2,500 people participated in an open house at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute in October 2007, celebrating its 20^th year in operation.

Bedford Institute of Oceanography Open House 2007: Celebrating 45 Years

During the third week of October 2007, the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO) welcomed 18,500 visitors, marking its 45^th anniversary. Elementary and high school students from all over Nova Scotia were thrilled to see and touch specimens of living and preserved sea creatures, pan for gold, sit in the Coast Guard rescue chopper, and walk through a giant fin whale exhibit. Some were also able to tour the CCGS Hudson, just back from a research cruise. On the weekend, the doors opened to the public. Local media captured the public's interest in the Open House, especially in the tale of Rex, a lobster as old as BIO; in the up-close opportunity to see and touch specimens of sea life; and the newest permanent display — a 3-D model of Halifax Harbour. The public and media showed special interest in International Polar Year, which was the theme of many of the public lectures.

MONITORING

Voracious Green Crabs Invade Newfoundland Waters

In August 2007, at least 50 years after green crabs invaded the waters of Canada's Maritime provinces, a sharp-eyed fisherman reported the first sighting of the aquatic invasive species (AIS) in Newfoundland at North Harbour in Placentia Bay. Earle Johnson identified the crabs after attending a community AIS presentation. Green crabs are aggressive, fast, prolific breeders, can easily out-compete native crabs and have no natural predators in their adopted waters. This alien invader has already had a significant impact on fisheries in the Maritimes, prompting scientists at DFO's Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre to begin preparing for its arrival in Newfoundland about two years ago.

Within days of Johnson's sighting, an 11 person team, led by DFO research scientist Dr. Cynthia McKenzie, headed to Placentia Bay to assess the extent of the infestation. The good news: the researchers found only small numbers of green crab in other areas of Placentia Bay. The bad news: green crabs are expected to spread from the epicentre of the infestation in North Harbour, where the research team discovered a well-established population. The 2007 survey in Placentia Bay created a baseline for monitoring the spread and growth of the green crab, and will shape future research with a view to controlling their population and the damage they inflict. For more information, see The Green Crab: Alien Invasion: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/Publications/article/2008/10-06-2008-eng.htm

DFO is carrying out baseline research on invasive green crabs in Newfoundland waters in an effort to control their spread. The epicentre of the infestation is at North Harbour in Placentia Bay, where green crabs of all ages reveal a well-established population.

Argo Surpasses 3,000 Float Target

There were 3,283 Argo floats in the world's oceans as this report went to press — a goal of 3,000 floats by 2007, set in 1999, was achieved in November 2007. Dr. Howard Freeland, of DFO's Institute of Ocean Sciences, chairs the Canadian Argo Program and is co-chair of the international program. Argo floats enable scientists to monitor the changing circulation and heat content of the oceans, and supply data that sheds light on the ocean's role in Earth's climate system. More than 20 countries supply floats that transmit ocean temperature, salinity and current data every 10 days. In June 2008, Argo supplied 9,627 profiles — a rate of more than 117,000 per year. The Argo team hopes to demonstrate the value of Argo data for regional and large-scale oceanography, longer-range seasonal weather forecasting and fisheries management. Learn more at: www.meds-sdmm.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/MEDS/Prog_Int/Argo/ArgoHome_e.html

Argo float #4900072: the temperature section (larger background image) illustrates the distribution of temperature versus time (horizontally) and depth (vertically) along the trajectory of the float, as shown in the inset map. The green arrow marks the 2001 launch location near Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and the red arrow shows its location when it sent its last profile in Kamchatka Pass. The downward blue tongues on the temperature chart show deep convection events not previously seen in the Bering Sea.

Monitoring Climate Change in the Labrador Sea

Situated in the northwest Atlantic between the Arctic and the warm subtropics, the Labrador Sea plays a pivotal role in large-scale ocean climate variability while also being vulnerable to climate change. In 2007, DFO scientists at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography continued ongoing monitoring of climate change and its impacts in this important ocean region. Physical, chemical and biological data collected from stations extending from the Labrador Shelf to the Greenland Shelf support DFO's ecosystem monitoring mandate and international research to understand the ocean processes that contribute to regional and global climate variability and change.

Since 1962, BIO has been exploring the regional circulation and the unique deep convection that occurs in the Labrador Sea during severe winters. This circulation is part of the Global Ocean Conveyor Belt — a North-South circulation of ocean water that moderates the Earth's climate. Computer models suggest that the Conveyor Belt will very likely slow down during the 21st century, decreasing the northward transport of heat and potentially moderating otherwise increasing sea surface temperatures in some parts of the northern North Atlantic. A series of severe winters in the early 1990s led to deep convection in the Labrador Sea, creating a uniform pool of 2.8°C water more than two kilometres deep. Since then, these waters have become about 0.5°C warmer and more saline due to exceptionally mild winters.

The mean temperature of the upper two kilometres of the west-central Labrador Sea is nearing the record-high values of the late 1960s. Blue circles represent historical measurements; red circles represent findings from AR7W, a line of stations extending from Hamilton Bank on the Labrador Shelf to Cape Desolation on the Greenland Shelf.

The recent warming has been accompanied by detectable changes in the oceanographic properties that influence the growth and distribution of biota. For example, a distinct shallowing in the depth of the spring/summer surface mixed layer over the past decade has led to more favourable light conditions for phytoplankton growth. Researchers also observed changes in the nutrients necessary for phytoplankton growth — increases in nitrate (used by all phytoplankton species and essential for protein synthesis) and decreases in silicate (used principally by diatoms for shell construction). Despite this, the surveys have not detected any significant changes in the overall phytoplankton biomass, although the composition of the phytoplankton community may be changing.

The response of the oceans to climate change is expected to be complex and difficult to predict. This research and other monitoring programs will help Canada identify, understand and develop a capacity to predict changes in order to help manage Canada's marine ecosystem and resources in the face of climate change.

Species at Risk Surveys and Critical Habitat Workshop

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is one of three federal government departments involved in protecting species at risk. In collaboration with stakeholders, DFO monitors aquatic species at risk (freshwater and saltwater), identifies critical habitat, and develops recovery strategies and action plans for species identified as endangered or threatened. Activities undertaken by DFO Science toward the protection of species at risk include:

• To assist in the implementation of the Species at Risk Act (SARA), DFO organized a National Science Workshop on “Critical Habitat and Recovery Potential Assessment Framework” in August 2007. The workshop provided guidance on best practices for describing and quantifying critical habitat for aquatic species and the further development of the national framework on Recovery Potential Assessments (RPAs) for aquatic species that are listed as ”threatened” or ”endangered” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. RPAs prepared by DFO Science provide other DFO sectors, recovery teams and the public with the best science advice possible concerning the feasibility and approaches to recovery for a species at risk. The proceedings of the workshop are available at: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/Proceedings/2007/PRO2007_057_B.pdf
• In 2007, a DFO survey in partnership with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority discovered previously undetected populations of lake chubsucker (“threatened”) and grass pickerel (“special concern”) in L Lake in Lambton County, Ontario. Data from the survey are currently being used to identify critical habitat for the lake chubsucker. A similar project with the Essex Region Conservation Authority resulted in new records for four species at risk fishes at Turkey Point (Lake Erie), including lake chubsucker, pugnose shiner, warmouth and grass pickerel.
• Recent surveys (2005-2007) of the threatened western silvery minnow (Hybognathus argyritis) in Alberta's Milk River — its only habitat in Canada — reveal that the species is more common than previously thought. The surveys extended the known distribution of this species in the river and found it was the second most abundant fish captured, comprising 29 percent of the total catch.

Ecosystem recovery teams co-led by DFO discovered unknown populations of threatened lake chubsucker (left) during a survey of L Lake (right) in Ontario's Ausable River watershed.

Taking Stock of Canada's Marine Mammals: DFO Supports International North Atlantic Survey

During the summer of 2007, DFO Science contributed for the first time to the international Trans North Atlantic Sightings Survey, a survey of marine megafauna in the North Atlantic coordinated by the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO). It was a world first, due to the geographic scope of the project (from the northeast U.S. coast to northern Labrador, and from the Faroe Islands northwest of Scotland to northern Russia, for a total area of 6 million km²), its short implementation period (one season), and the involvement of more than 20 scientists (and numerous observers) from six different countries (with adjacent surveys in the United States and the United Kingdom).

Jack Lawson of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre in St. John's is the Canadian coordinator for NAMMCO and is responsible for surveys in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region. Jean-François Gosselin of the Maurice Lamontagne Institute near Mont-Joli, Quebec, coordinated surveys in the Quebec and Maritimes regions. The Canadian components of the study covered the continental shelf from northern Labrador to southern Nova Scotia, including the St. Lawrence Estuary and Gulf. In all, 28 different types of marine animals (12,199 individuals) were sighted.

Using boats and aircraft, experienced spotters carried out sightings and counts of a broad range of species including whales and dolphins (known as cetaceans), seals, sea turtles, sharks, tuna and ocean sunfish. The team spotted 20 cetacean species in all, with the most common being dolphins, as well as humpback, minke, fin and (in the Gulf) beluga whales. Endangered leatherback turtles were also seen in the southern portions of the survey. Coordination over such a large marine area is critical to assessing the distribution and abundance of species that migrate large distances and straddle international borders. This survey will help identify regions with high concentrations of these species in the summer of 2007. Such information is essential to oceans management, and will help quantify the potential impact of human activities on marine populations (including several at-risk species) and their habitat. Data from the survey are now in the final stages of analysis. For more information: www.nammco.no/Nammco/Mainpage/Tnass/ and Megafauna Survey in Newfoundland's Waters: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/Publications/article/2008/02-09-2008-eng.htm

Increasing Applications for Multi-Species Survey Data

Data collected by DFO's multi-species surveys off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador are the foundation for determining population trends, assessing stocks, setting catch levels, and monitoring the effects of fishing pressure on various stocks. The surveys, which began in the 1950s, have grown to provide a continuous baseline on the abundance and distribution of many of the major commercial fish and shellfish, dating back to the early 1970s.

A research team from DFO's Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, headed by biologist Bill Brodie, carries out spring and fall surveys to capture data during significant migration and spawning periods. They literally fish for data in “strata” or sample areas of the ocean by towing a net behind the ship at a set speed for 15 minutes. The team then sorts the catch by species and gathers standard information including weight, length, sex, age, maturity, stomach contents, parasites and other health indicators. New applications for the data continue to appear. For example, in 2007-2008 the team began gathering data for the new Ecosystem Research Initiative. This involved collecting detailed information on non-commercial fish species, as well as analyzing the stomach contents of certain species, to gain a more thorough picture of the ecosystem. The survey team packages relevant data for each user's needs, whether to support a research project or fisheries management. For more information, see Fishing for Data: The Multi- Species Survey: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/Publications/article/2008/02-07-2008-eng.htm

ADVICE

The Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) coordinates the DFO science advisory process in collaboration with the regional Centres for Science Advice. This coordination network is responsible for maintaining high standards of excellence in the provision of peer-reviewed scientific information and advice in support of sound decision-making. During the last year, approximately 70 advisory meetings (peer reviews and workshops) were conducted and more than 200 scientific publications (science advisory reports, research documents and proceedings) were produced. These covered standard stock assessment issues and addressed an increasing number of emerging issues such as ecosystem assessments, species at risk, invasive species, aquaculture impacts and others. During 2007-08, several particularly notable advisory reports were released through CSAS, including reports on cod, snow crab and other species of particular interest, as well as framework reports dealing with species at risk and ecosystem overviews. CSAS publications and research documents, and the CSAS calendar of activities, can be found at: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/Home-Accueil_e.htm

A New Direction for Canadian Fisheries Management

As part of the overall agenda to renew Canada's fisheries, DFO Science provided the science basis to support the development of the new Resource Management Sustainable Development Framework that will guide the future management of Canadian fisheries. Science contributions to the new framework included:

• advice on the impact of fishing on sensitive seafloor habitat, which guided the drafting of a new policy to strengthen ecosystem considerations in resource management decisions;
• advice on the minimal conservation requirements of the precautionary approach; and
• collaborations with Fisheries and Aquaculture Management to develop a sustainability checklist for standardizing the collection of key information on Canadian stocks and fisheries. Once completed, the checklist will serve as a key assessment tool for monitoring progress toward conservation goals and for identifying necessary improvements to support sustainability.

Bay of Fundy Geoscience Surveys to Aid Ecosystem Management Decisions and Improve Navigation Charts

During the summer of 2007, scientists from the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) continued multibeam mapping of the floor and water column of the Bay of Fundy in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The three-year (2006-2008) program — Geoscience for Management and Economic Development in the Bay of Fundy — is part of NRCan's Geoscience for Ocean Management (GOM) program. The 2007 survey spanned 147 days and was modified to also collect data in the Minas Passage area, which is the proposed site for Nova Scotia's in-stream tidal generation research projects.

Extent of multibeam bathymetry data collected in the Bay of Fundy from 1992 to November 2008. The multibeam bathymetry data are overlain on an image generated from radar topographic data obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The colour bar for the bathymetry is shown to the right portion of the image.

CHS will use the data to produce improved navigation charts and a series of products to assist in ecosystem management decisions and the development of future scientific endeavours. The resulting 1:50,000 scale maps will be released as part of a new Canadian national marine map series. For more information: pac.chs.gc.ca/files/session_6/6-2_Parrott_et_al.pdf

Science in Support of Marine Protected Areas

When Bowie Seamount was designated Canada's seventh Marine Protected Area (MPA) in April 2008, it marked the beginning of a new phase of DFO Science work toward the preservation of this rare marine area. Situated about 180 kilometres west of Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) off the coast of British Columbia, this undersea volcanic mountain is one of the most biologically rich in the world, supporting a diversity of microscopic plants and animals, birds, fish and other marine life. DFO is working to help ensure the survival of this fragile ecosystem in collaboration with the Haida Nation, community groups and a multi-stakeholder advisory team including the Province of British Columbia.

Under the Oceans Act, DFO is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of marine protected areas (MPAs), which were established to protect and conserve key marine habitats, species and features that are ecologically significant and vulnerable. As the federal government works toward expanding the MPA network, DFO Science supports the Oceans Sector by identifying candidate sites for consideration, providing the scientific rational for new designations, and developing monitoring plans to track whether each MPA is meeting its objectives.

In 2007-2008, DFO Science identified the features of the six designated MPAs — as it will for Bowie Seamount — that will require monitoring, and took steps toward identifying a set of indicators for each feature, as well as the monitoring implications. The regions also worked towards identifying areas and species of importance for each “area of interest” using existing information and national guidelines. DFO Science also held a workshop to review new scientific information on the potential impacts of seismic activities on marine mammals, fish and invertebrates.

Guujaw (left), President of the Haida Nation, drums with Haida performers during the ceremony celebrating the official designation of Bowie Seamount as a Marine Protected Area in April 2008. The Haida people have a special connection to Bowie and elders remember their parents fishing off the mount. This ancient deep sea volcano supports a rich and diverse marine ecosystem, including colourful species such as the Red Irish Lord (Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus). Along with DFO, the Haida will continue their stewardship of Bowie Seamount as part of a multi-stakeholder management team.

Exploring Sensitive Fish Habitat in the Mackenzie Valley

DFO Science is supporting research to increase knowledge of critical habitat for sensitive fish in the Mackenzie Valley of the Northwest Territories. Limited knowledge of how changes in critical habitat could affect certain species increases their vulnerability to the impacts of development activities such as the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project (MGP) and other hydrocarbon developments in the western Arctic.

To learn more about sensitive fish and their habitat, fisheries research biologist Neil Mochnacz gathers environmental and species data from waters such as the Gayna River (above), a tributary of theMountain River in theMackenzie River system.

In 2007-2008, the Sensitive Fish Habitat Associations Program carried out surveys in selected reaches of 14 streams to quantify habitat where fish were captured or observed. The research, which involves northern partners, Canadian universities and the DFO Diving Program, will provide federal regulators and fish habitat managers with key knowledge to facilitate sound and timely regulatory review of development proposals, and to develop effective ways to manage sensitive fish populations. Researchers are also testing methods for detecting groundwater in streams and exploring the importance of groundwater as a factor for survival.

Workshop Explores Closed containment for Saltwater Salmon Aquaculture

To assess the current status of in-water closed containment and waste treatment technologies for rearing salmon, DFO Science held a national peer-review workshop in January 2008. Closed containment has been proposed as one option for the salmon aquaculture industry, which — along with the government departments that regulate it — is under pressure to introduce measures to further reduce the risk of potentially adverse impacts on the surrounding aquatic environment. Closed-containment refers to a range of technologies that attempt to reduce impacts by controlling aquaculture production and restricting interactions between farmed fish and the external aquatic environment.

Outputs from the workshop, which was held in collaboration with DFO's Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, include a science advisory report (SAR), proceedings, and a series of scientific and technical documents. This information will aid in system integration, experimental design and economic analyses for future research and potential pilot projects. For more information, visit: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/Publications/SAR-AS/2008/SAR-AS2008_001_E.pdf

GIS Tool for American Eel Restoration

DFO Science and Habitat Management is developing a geographic information system (GIS) tool to help managers and organizations involved in restoring American eel populations decide where to focus mitigation efforts. Listed as species of “special concern” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, the American eel is vulnerable to freshwater habitat fragmentation due to the incredible scope of its migration. Dams can potentially impact eel populations by restricting access to upstream habitat. The turbines of hydroelectric dams also pose a hazard during downstream passage as they migrate back to their spawning grounds.

Dams and other barriers can reduce access to upstream habitat for the American eel. A GIS tool under development by DFO will assist efforts to restore migratory routes for the eel and other species.

A point-and-click computer-based map will provide users with access to information layers such as the location, type and number of dams in a watershed; a watershed model that rates the suitability of upstream habitat for eels; and an accessibility index that rates how easy or hard it is for eels to pass through a particular dam. Knowing the suitability of habitat upstream from a particular dam, for example, will help managers evaluate whether to undertake mitigation efforts there or not. The tool will also assist in identifying restoration efforts for migratory routes for other species, such as salmon and sturgeon, as they complete their life-cycle. Potential users had an opportunity to discuss their decision-making requirements at a workshop held in March 2008. The tool is being developed in collaboration with DFO's Centre of Expertise on Hydropower Impacts on Fish and Fish Habitats; DFO's Maritimes, Gulf, Quebec and Central & Arctic regions; the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; and Conservation Ontario. For more information about this species, see Underwater World – American Eel: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/zone/underwater_sous-marin/american_eel/eel-anguille-eng.htm

MANAGEMENT OF DATA AND INFORMATION

Improving International Standards and Access to Data

With the volume of ocean data growing at a rapid pace in recent years, the Integrated Science Data Management (ISDM) Branch continues its efforts to effectively manage, archive and provide access to information collected by DFO Science.

ISDM is the data manager for Canadian programs such as the Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program, BioChem (the water sample and plankton database), the Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking Program and the national Argo Program, as well as the international Surface Drifter Program. The Branch is also a partner in the Ocean Tracking Network.

In 2007-2008, ISDM generated approximately 6,000 profiles of ocean temperature and salinity from about 100 Canadian-operated Argo profilers. The Branch also processed and exchanged more than 10 million surface drifter records (a doubling in three years), which report ocean surface temperatures, air pressures and other variables around the globe. Other instruments also showed significant growth.

The Branch made progress on several initiatives to provide access to new and existing ocean data. In collaboration with its data management partners in the regions, ISDM:

• advanced a pilot project to provide Web access to ocean data and information;
• continued development of gridded bathymetry data at 500m resolution for Canadian waters, led by the Canadian Hydrographic Service, and tested a Web delivery of service for these data;
• initiated a Web-based query service for the national database for phytoplankton and water samples (BioChem);
• established national teams to manage existing data, including those collected on marine mammals and hydroacoustics;
• supported the new digital data distribution service for the Canadian Hydrographic Service; and
• continued implementation of the Hydrographic Information Network and expansion of the hydrographic production databases into regional offices.

As Canada's support to an international community of ocean data centres, a staff member of ISDM co-chaired a meeting in February 2008 to develop international data management standards. These standards will help streamline access to ocean data from around the world.

ISDM was also instrumental in the development of the IHO S-100 standard for geospatial data, which details the specifications for all new hydrographic-based products such as electronic navigational charts and gridded data.

DATA PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Milestone: CHS Completes Survey of Labrador Inshore Route

The map indicates the extent of the three-year survey carried out by the Canadian Hydrographic Service. Areas in blue are over 200 metres in depth, while red areas are less than 20 metres—and in many cases much less. Extensive shoal areas and limited access to navigable waters north of Cape White Handkerchief forced the survey team to modify the original plan to survey a two-mile wide corridor.

The Atlantic Region of the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) celebrated a significant milestone in 2007 when it completed surveying the inshore route off Labrador's coast, 75 years after the first efforts to chart these waters began. CHS Atlantic has worked diligently for many years to achieve this goal. In 1932, the newly built survey vessel HMS Challenger began survey operations in a southerly direction from Nain. Seventy-five years later, on August 16, 2007, the CSS Matthew headed north from Nain. It was the first day of an unprecedented 22-day stretch of fair weather that enabled CHS to reach a goal envisioned in 1930, when the Colonial Office requested that the British navy hydrographer begin surveying an inshore route north of Newfoundland.

In addition to completing the inshore route, the survey flotilla also charted McLelan Strait and Grenfell Sound, an approximately 20-kilometre passage between the Atlantic Ocean and Ungava Bay that has been rarely travelled, let alone surveyed. The team, led by Mike Lamplugh of DFO, also charted three access routes from the offshore to the inshore route and established about 20 “harbours of refuge.” This information will eventually be included in a new series of charts, providing mariners with several options for shelter on the north coast of Labrador. Mariners have had to stay well offshore due to the uncharted rocks and reefs along the coast. The new chart series for the Labrador coast, under development by CHS, will include 11 new charts: three at 1:100,000, one at 1:200,000 and seven at 1:40,000 scales.

Mariner's Workshop Explores e-Navigation

In February 2008, the Canadian Hydrographic Service and the Shipping Federation of Canada, in collaboration with Innovation Maritime, organized the Mariner's Workshop in Montreal with the theme of “ECDIS Carriage Requirements and Technology Supporting e-Navigation.” Hosted by Captain Ivan Lantz, Director of Marine Operations for the Shipping Federation of Canada, the workshop attracted more than 120 participants. It was an excellent opportunity for key users and representatives of the navigation industry to discuss their needs and concerns with CHS, which will contribute to the development of better navigation products and services. The Dominion Hydrographer, Dr. Savithri Narayanan, made the keynote address and reaffirmed the commitment of CHS to be part of the e-navigation solution.

High-definition Technology Enhances Electronic Navigation in the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes

The Canadian Hydrographic Service is contributing to the development of technologies for enhanced electronic navigation in the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. As part of a project to deliver modern shipping products and services, the CHS is helping to introduce the S-100 international standard that will make it possible to provide mariners with high-definition bathymetry (water-depth measurement) for three-dimensional navigation. A prototype of this detailed bathymetry has been completed for parts of the Port of Montreal and the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Optimum use of high-definition bathymetry depends on detailed knowledge and modelling of water levels. This has prompted the CHS to update the chart datum (the datum to which depths on nautical charts, tide predictions and water levels are referred) and develop a system of interpolated water level forecasts (known as SPINE) for the St. Lawrence downstream of Montreal. The SPINE system, which was tested in the fall of 2008, will provide accurate water level forecasts in real time, free of charge, for all points in the St. Lawrence River shipping channel.