Oceanographic study of the south coast of Newfoundland

Newfoundland is experiencing a significant influx of investment in salmonid farming in the Bay d'Espoir-Fortune Bay area. The increasing biomass, the increase in the number of companies operating, the diversity of production strategies, and the increasing concentration of farm sites in Bay d'Espoir and Fortune Bay, challenge biosecurity and the sustainability of this growth. Currently there is a gap in the oceanographic data avaialable for these areas. This project will establish the infrastructure and foundation for an oceanography program to collect and model the physical environment and map the environmental parameters and identify potential zones of influence. This information will be used to establish production management areas to support fish health management of aquaculture.

For further information, please contact: project leader, Gehan Mabrouk, at Gehan.mabrouk@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.