Ongoing Research Projects

Funding during the first round of proposals (from January to March 2008) focused on computer modeling activities and gathering historical data for the Strait of Georgia. Funding for the second round (April 2008 to March 2009) was focused on continuing these core projects plus additional work on field studies to support the computer modeling as well as studies to address the two central questions.

Summary of the Modelling component

FUNDED PROJECTS 2009-2010

GIS support for SoG ERI: Extended bathymetric and classified seabed dataset
B. de Lange Boom¹, J. Galloway¹, P. Wills¹ and T. Sutherland^2
1DFO, CHS; ²DFO, MEAD 

A spatial framework for species-habitat studies and the integration of land influences in the nearshore region
E. Gregr¹, G. Jamieson², J. Lessard², J. Schweigert² and P. Wills^3
1SciTech Environmental Consulting; ²DFO-Science; ³DFO-CHSG 

End-to-end ecosystem modeling in support of an integrated management strategy evaluation and decision support tool 
C. Fu1, I. Perry1, Y. Shin2 and A. Peña3 
1PBS, DFO; 2IRD, France; 3IOS, DFO 

Large and Small Pelagics Hotspots in the Strait of Georgia
J. Holmes, T. Therriault, K. Cooke, G. Cronkite and J. Schweigert (PBS,MEAD)

Diet and distribution of harbour porpoise and Dall’s porpoise in the Strait of Georgia Study Area
L. Nichol1, J. Ford1, G. Ellis1 and A. Hall2
¹DFO,PBS; 2UBC, Marine Mammal Unit

Interactions between the Strait of Georgia’s predominant apex predator (harbour seals) and their principle prey (hake and herring): bottom-up limitation or top-down forcing
P. Olesiuk and J. Schweigert (DFO, PBS)

Development of generalized indicators for the Strait of Georgia marine ecosystem
I. Perry1, D. Masson2, R. Sweeting1, L. Barton1 and  D. Mackas2 
¹DFO, PBS, ²DFO, IOS

Forage species in the Strait of Georgia ecosystem
J. Schweigert1, T. Therriault1 and C. Robinson2
¹DFO, PBS; 2Parks Canada

Lower Trophic Level Ecosystem Modeling of the Strait of Georgia
A. Peña (DFO, IOS)

Harbour seals as indicators of marine environmental quality: characterizing productivity and contamination in the Strait of Georgia
P. S. Ross (DFO, IOS)

The effect of short-term variability on productivity and ecosystem resilience in the Strait of Georgia
S. Johannessen, R. Macdonald and A. Peña (DFO, IOS)

Historic zooplankton data: archival, tool development, and analysis
D.L. Mackas, M.D. Galbraith and D. Faust (DFO, IOS)

Satellite imaging of phytoplankton and water constituents with MERIS and other optical sensors
J. Gower and S. King (DFO, IOS)

Development of the Strait of Georgia Circulation Model
D. Masson and M. Foreman (DFO, IOS)

Prey quality and food web interactions in the Strait of Georgia
M. Trudel1, S. Tucker1, A. Mazumder2, D. Mackas3, R. Sweeting1 and I. Perry1
¹DFO, PBS; 2University of Victoria; 3DFO, IOS

Strait of Georgia Coho Salmon Smolt Data Recovery and Analysis
J. R. Irvine and L. Godbout 
DFO, PBS

Strait of Georgia Ecosystem Model
Richard Beamish, D. Preikshot, C. Neville, R. Sweeting and K. Lange 
DFO, PBS

Migration timing of juvenile Pacific salmon in the Strait of Georgia using acoustic tags
C. Neville1,R. Beamish1, K. Lange1, R.M Sweeting1 and  C. Chittenden2
¹DFO, PBS; 2 Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromsø

Cowichan chinook salmon, purse seine survey in the Gulf Islands
Richard Beamish, Krista Lange, Chrys Neville and Ruston Sweeting
DFO,PBS

Pink salmon and coho salmon mortality
Richard Beamish1, Chrys Neville1, Rusty Sweeting1, Krista Lange1, Kristi Miller2, Stuart Johnson2, Robert Devlin2 and Tony Farrell2
¹DFO, PBS; 2University of British Columbia

Chinook and Sockeye DNA
R.Beamish, K.Lange, C.Neville and R. Sweeting
DFO, PBS 

Sediment-water column exchange of nutrients and contaminants in the Strait of Georgia
Terri Sutherland1, Robie Macdonald2, Carl Amos (UK)3, Alan Martin4, Jim Galloway5, Diane Masson2 and Bob Elner6
¹DFO, MEAD; ²DFO, OSD; 3Southampton University, UK; 4Lorax Env; 5DFO, CHS; 6EC-CWS

Comparison of coho salmon in the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound
Krista Lange, Rusty Sweeting, Richard Beamish
DFO, PBS

Tracer release study of mixing in the Georgia/Fuca estuary
Patrick Cummins1, Jody Klymak2 and Eric Kunze2 
¹DFO, OSD; 2University of Victoria

Ocean glider observations of the spring bloom in the Strait of Georgia
J. Gower1, T. Curran2 and A. Pena1
¹DFO,OSD; ²DFO,CHS 

Predator-prey dynamics of mammal-hunting killer whales and harbour seals in the Strait of Georgia
John Ford1 ,Graeme Ellis1 and John Durban2
¹DFO,PBS; 2Center for Whale Research, Friday Hbr, WA

Evaluating Bayesian decision-support tools for ecosystem-based management
Janelle Curtis, Carrie Holt and Ian Perry
DFO, PBS

FUNDED PROJECTS 2008-2009

GIS support for SoG ERI: Extended bathymetric and classified seabed dataset
B. de Lange Boom¹, J. Galloway¹, P. Wills¹and T. Sutherland^2 
1DFO, CHS; ²DFO, MEAD

A spatial framework for species-habitat studies and the integration of land influences in the nearshore region
G. Jamieson, J. Lessard, P. Wills and L. Barton (DFO, PBS)

End-to-end ecosystem modeling in support of an integrated management strategy evaluation and decision support tool
C. Fu1, I. Perry1, Y. Shin2, A. Peña3, L. Li4, T. Pitcher4 and B. Fulton5 
1PBS, DFO; 2IRD, France; 3IOS, DFO; 4UBC; 5CISRO, Australia

Large and Small Pelagics Hotspots in the Strait of Georgia
J. Holmes, T. Therriault, K. Cooke, G. Cronkite and J. Schweigert (PBS,MEAD)

Investigation of diet of small cetacean species in the Strait of Georgia Study Area
L. Nichol1, J. Ford1, G. Ellis1and A. Hall2
¹DFO,PBS; 2UBC, Marine Mammal Unit

Interactions between the Strait of Georgia’s predominant apex predator (harbour seals) and their principle prey (hake and herring): bottom-up limitation or top-down forcing
P. Olesiuk and J. Schweigert (DFO, PBS)

Development of generalized indicators for the Strait of Georgia marine ecosystem
I. Perry, D. Masson, R. Sweeting, L. Barton, D. Mackas and R. Beamish 
DFO, PBS, IOS, IOS, PBS, PBS, respectively

Forage species in the Strait of Georgia ecosystem;  Juvenile Herring 
J. Schweigert1, T. Therriault1 and C. Robinson2 
¹DFO, PBS; 2Parks Canada

Lower Trophic Level Ecosystem Modeling of the Strait of Georgia
A. Peña (DFO, IOS)

Time series of winds with high spatial resolution
W. R. Crawford1 and L. Neil2 
¹DFO, IOS; 2Environment Canada

Harbour seals as indicators of marine environmental quality: characterizing productivity and contamination in the Strait of Georgia
P. S. Ross and A. H. Buckman (DFO, IOS)

The effect of short-term variability on productivity and ecosystem resilience in the Strait of Georgia 
S. Johannessen, R. Macdonald and A. Peña (DFO, IOS)

Historic zooplankton data: archival, tool development, and analysis 
D.L. Mackas, M.D. Galbraith and D. Faust (DFO, IOS)

Satellite imaging of phytoplankton and water constituents with MERIS and other optical sensors 
J. Gower and S. King (DFO, IOS)

Development of the Strait of Georgia Circulation Model 
D. Masson and M. Foreman (DFO, IOS)

Prey quality and food web interactions in the Strait of Georgia
M. Trudel1, S. Tucker1, A. Mazumder2, D. Mackas3, R. Sweeting1 and I. Perry1 
¹DFO, PBS; 2University of Victoria; 3DFO, IOS

Strait of Georgia Coho Salmon Smolt Data Recovery
J. R. Irvine1, L. Godbout1, D. Ewart2, G. Bonnell3, C. Cross3 and  R. Beamish1 
¹DFO, PBS; ²DFO, OHEB, Quinsam River Hatchery; 3DFO, OHEB

Continued development of biophysical model linking the changing climate and ocean conditions within the Strait of Georgia to the shifting dominance of upper trophic level species
R. Beamish, C. Neville and R. Sweeting (DFO,PBS)

Database rescue 
R. Sweeting (DFO,PBS)

Spiny dogfish in the Strait of Georgia ecosystem and impacts of past and future changes 
R. Sweeting, R. Beamish (DFO,PBS)

Migration timing of juvenile Pacific salmon in the Strait of Georgia using acoustic tags
C. M. Neville and R.J. Beamish (DFO,PBS)

Pink salmon as an indicator of past and present changes in production in the Strait of Georgia
C. M. Neville and R.J. Beamish (DFO,PBS)

Sockeye salmon in the Strait of Georgia: DNA analysis of September residents
R. Sweeting and R. Beamish (DFO,PBS)

Strait of Georgia Book
R. Beamish and S. McFarlane (DFO,PBS)

Trends in early ocean migrations of juvenile coho and chinook salmon in the Strait of Georgia
R. Beamish, K. Lange and R. Sweeting (DFO,PBS)

Sediment-water column exchange of nutrients and contaminants in the Strait of Georgia
Terri Sutherland1, Robie Macdonald2, Carl Amos (UK)3, Alan Martin4, Jim Galloway5, Diane Masson2 and Bob Elner6 
¹DFO, MEAD; ²DFO, OSD; 3Southampton University, UK; 4Lorax Env; 5DFO, CHS; 6EC-CWS

FUNDED PROJECTS TO MARCH 2008

MODELS

ROMS physical/circulation modeling
D. Masson, M. Foreman and P. Cummins (DFO, IOS)

Lower Trophic Level Ecosystem Modeling of the Strait of Georgia
A. Peña (DFO, IOS)

OSMOSE - upper trophic level model
C. Fu, Y. Shin, A. Pena, L. Godbout, I. Perry, J. Holmes, Lee, J. Schweigert, J. Boutillier and J. Fargo. 

Ecopath model development 
R. Beamish, A. Benson, C. Neville and R. Sweeting

HISTORICAL DATA

Bibliography
R. Beamish and S. McFarlane

Standard species codes for invertebrates 
G. Gillepsie and L. Barton 

GIS/bathymetry/bottom type
R. Hare, J. Galloway and B. deLange Boom (DFO, CHS) 

Current meter data
R. Thomson, S. Mihaly and D. Stucchi (DFO, IOS) 

Meta-data inventory
I. Perry, D. Masson, R. Sweeting, G. Jamieson and L. Barton 

Zooplankton data archaeology
D. Mackas, M. Galbraith and S. Romaine (DFO, IOS)

Forage species; Prawn data; By-catch data/small pelagic fishes; Salmon time series
J. Schweigert, T. Therriault and C. Robinson; Rutherford and L. Barton; R. Sweeting, R.  Beamish, C. Neville, and K. Lange; J. Irvine, L. Godbout, J. Curtis and C. Cross 

Pink salmon time series
R. Beamish, C. Neville and R. Sweeting (DFO, PBS) 

Small cetaceans sightings and diets
L. Nichol, J. Ford, G. Ellis and A. Hall

"Hot spots" for juvenile salmon; Importance of inlets to salmon; Importance of Gulf islands to salmon
R. Sweeting, R. Beamish, C. Neville and K. Lange 

Novel contaminants (eEDCs, PPCPs)
M. Ikonomou, R. Devlin, F. Gobas and C. Helbing 

FIELD

Acoustic tags 
R. Beamish 

Harbour seals / hake and herring 
P Olesiuk and J. Schweigert 

ANALYSIS

Chinook DNA analysis
R. Beamish, K. Lange, R. Sweeting and C. Neville