Key Accomplishments

• Discovered new species of ocean life, ancient corals and more during a 20-day mission led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to explore and document the biology and geology of the ocean bottom surrounding Flemish Cap and Orphan Knoll in the Northwest Atlantic.
• Explored ocean acidification in Canada’s three oceans and its potential impacts in order to help predict how ecosystems and individual marine species will respond to increased acidification.
• Successfully deployed an autonomous underwater vehicle to map the seabed in the North, preparing this new technology to play other roles in long-range, unescorted missions in harsh environments. The bathymetric data collected will help determine the outer limits of Canada’s continental shelf.
• Helped prevent the spread of several invasive Asian carp species to the Great Lakes by sending 15 staff from the Department’s Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in Burlington, Ontario, to join a Canada-United States effort to eradicate the invaders from a six-mile section of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.
• Developed a new genetics-based test to improve the detection of the aquatic disease Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Virus (VHSV). The new test is highly sensitive, fast, recognizes all known strains of the virus and is suitable for screening large numbers of samples.
• Developed the Canada-Newfoundland Operational Ocean Forecasting System (C-NOOFS), which produces 10-day forecasts of ocean conditions in the Northwest Atlantic on a daily basis. Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada are collaborating to combine the system into the next generation Canadian Weather Forecast System.
• Developed and tested a new laser tide gauge system to improve the reliability and timeliness of Canadian tide gauge data, which are used for a variety of purposes, such as making tidal predictions, improving nautical charts, recording sea level rise, and monitoring storm surge and tsunami activity in real time.
• Carried out research in collaboration with the Maritimes herring industry to address priority issues including the improvement of industry-based acoustic surveys and the herring stock assessment in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization herring stock area 4WX.
• Tested new salmon forecasting models developed for assessing stocks of Coho Salmon off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
• Defined biological reference points for inclusion in harvesting strategies for Snow Crab in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and to be compliant with the precautionary approach to managing stocks.
• Developed seven “Pathways of Effects” documents and diagrams — which map the potential stresses of aquaculture activities on the environment and the potential effects of those stressors on ecosystems — to inform the regulation of aquaculture operations.
• Collaborated with industry and academia on research to improve the productivity and sustainability of marine aquaculture practices through the use of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture. Findings are being used to improve commercial operations.