Effect of wind forcing on the Oceanographic conditions of Fortune Bay - Belle Bay: Identification of changes in water physical conditions and ocean currents, and development of a forecasting tool

Description

Results of a recent Program for Aquaculture Regulatory Research (PARR) project have indicated that the tide accounts for less than 10% of the ocean current variability in most of the Fortune Bay – Belle Bay area of Newfoundland. Present findings suggest that large-scale (e.g. at scale of Fortune Bay and/or the Newfoundland shelf) mechanisms are taking place (affecting water physical conditions and ocean currents) as a response to wind forcing. For example, wind forcing was found to be responsible for storm surges of the order of 1.6 m, vertical displacement of the thermocline of about 30-40 m, and ocean currents of about 0.9 m/s (almost 2 knots) – all of which could have operational implications for the aquaculture industry.

A better understanding of the effect of wind on the water column is necessary to accurately describe oceanographic conditions and develop predictive tools to inform aquaculture site owners and regulators.

This project will identify and describe some of the dominant mechanisms responsible for short-term upwelling and downwelling events, as well as surface and sub-surface oceanic circulation induced by wind forcing. This project will also develop a high resolution numerical (computer) model able to reproduce and forecast the consequences of wind events on oceanographic features.

Results from this project will help inform the aquaculture industry of the impact of wind forcing on oceanographic conditions as they conduct aquaculture operations (e.g. including when best to apply pesticides, choice of aquaculture site locations, and design of infrastructure to prevent failure) towards the goal of sustainably maximizing production while minimizing impact on the environment.

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2015 - 2018

Principal Investigator(s)

Sebastien Donnet
Physical Scientist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Email: Sebastien.Donnet@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Andry Ratsimandresy
Research Scientist
Email: Andry.Ratsimandresy@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Team Member(s)

Dwight Drover, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Newfoundland and Labrador Region

Pierre Goulet, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Newfoundland and Labrador Region

Guoqi Han, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Newfoundland and Labrador Region

Collaborative Partner(s)

Mark Lane, Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association

Julia Bungay, Cold Ocean Salmon Inc.

Jennifer Caines, Northern Harvest Sea Farms Ltd.

Pascal Lazure, IFREMER (French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea).