Coastal Environmental Baseline Program projects in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

Seabirds in Placentia Bay as indicators of status and trends in a coastal ecosystem

Funding recipient: Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Association, Inc.

Project summary: Coastal surveys will measure the abundance and distribution of seabirds, which are good indicators of forage fish dynamics in coastal ecosystems. Beach surveys will gather data on seabird mortality and any incidents of oil-impacted seabirds, oiled shorelines and oily debris.

Capelin spawning sites and multi-species aggregations in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: University of Manitoba

Project summary: Researchers will interview local residents through boat-based surveys and conduct baseline sampling to identify deep-water spawning sites of capelin and associated multi-species hotspots in Placentia Bay. The collected data will be used to characterize the physical features of the study sites, while survey-based techniques will be used to quantify capelin egg and larvae densities at spawning sites.

Distribution and relative abundance of diadromous fishes in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Project summary: This project will involve collecting environmental baseline data to characterize the current state of freshwater and estuarine ecosystems in Placentia Bay. The project will enable Memorial University to train a new generation of researchers to collect environmental data on Canada’s oceans. The results will provide an open source of data that can characterize ecosystems, while supporting evidence-based decision-making for the conservation of diadromous species, such as brown trout and Atlantic salmon. These data could also be critical for developing conservation and recovery plans for native Atlantic salmon on the island of Newfoundland.

Coastal habitat mapping of Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Project summary: Researchers will gather environmental baseline information on coastal marine habitats in Placentia Bay. The project will improve the ability to detect changes over time by collecting high-resolution environmental data, quantifying the presence of megabenthos (deep-sea megafauna) and expanding the mapping of coastal eelgrass and fish habitats.

Temporal and spatial presence, abundance and composition of micro and macro debris across various Placentia Bay habitats

Funding recipient: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Project summary: This project will collect information on the presence, abundance and composition of micro and macro debris at various locations in Placentia Bay, including shorelines, surface waters and sediments. The baseline data will provide insight into how these parameters vary between regions and over time (daily, seasonally and annually).

Chemical and biological baseline data to investigate primary productivity on the land-sea continuum of Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Project summary: This project aims to obtain critical chemical and biological oceanographic baseline data on productivity and food web support in Placentia Bay. Researchers will focus on evaluating temporal and spatial variability in temperature, salinity, nutrient forms and concentrations, dissolved organic matter composition, microbial stocks and corresponding rates of primary productivity and nutrient cycling in resident phytoplankton communities. The data will aid the development of knowledge regarding climate-relevant mechanisms that will likely drive shifts in basal support of food webs in Placentia Bay.

Characterization of eelgrass sites in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Humber Arm Environmental Association

Project summary: This project will involve collecting data on eelgrass presence, distribution and abundance in Placentia Bay. Additional data will be gathered on marine vegetation, structure-providing species (e.g. corals and sponges), water quality, sediment, shoreline characteristics, aquatic invasive species and nearshore species diversity.

Shoreline environmental baseline surveys in Placentia Bay – a shoreline characterization and assessment of biogeochemistry, nutrients, coliforms and hydrocarbons

Funding recipient: Northeast Avalon Atlantic Coastal Action Program (NAACAP), Inc.

Project summary: NAACAP will focus on assessing shoreline characteristics and water properties. They will collect samples at eight representative coastal sites at low tide in Placentia Bay. They will also conduct laboratory analyses and data interpretation in conjunction with Memorial University of Newfoundland. Key activities will include shoreline characterization (morphology and sediment), biogeochemistry and nutrient parameter assessment.

Improving knowledge of lobster populations and change in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union

Project summary: This project will focus on collecting current baseline data about the lobster population and fishery and create a solid base on which to build future research. Placentia Bay has seen shifts in the local lobster ecology and fishery. The project will fill crucial data gaps in understanding fluctuations in the lobster population, based on the local ecological knowledge of lobster harvesters concerning changes they have seen and study locations they have identified, coupled with research on key indicators in the lobster fishery.

Improving knowledge of lobster populations and change in Placentia Bay (year 2)

Funding recipient: Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union

Project summary: This project will use Local Ecological Knowledge from Placentia Bay lobster harvesters and a subsequent study of key indicators in the lobster fishery (e.g. aquatic plants, carapace width, water temperature and growth indicators from tagging studies). The aim is to help fill data gaps in understanding fluctuations in the lobster population in Placentia Bay.

Investigating the distribution and abundance of Mytilus edulis, Belanus balanus and Semibalanus balanus in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Conservation Corps Newfoundland and Labrador

Project summary: Data will be collected on Mytilus edulis, Balanus balanus and Semibalanus balanus as indicator species of various ecological factors, including environmental toxins (specifically hydrocarbons) in Placentia Bay. Understanding the distribution and health of local populations will provide datasets that can be used to determine how ecosystems are changing in Placentia Bay.

Baseline assessment of underwater radiated noise from shipping in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland

Funding recipient: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Project summary: This project uses moorings equipped with hydrophones and connectivity, temperature, depth (CTD ) loggers to collect baseline data on underwater noise. The noise is generated by shipping traffic. Additional data is collected on:

• ocean salinity
• temperature
• pressure
• dissolved oxygen

The data could inform the impact of underwater noise pollution on fish, invertebrates and marine mammals.

Capelin spawning sites and predator critical foraging habitat in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: University of Manitoba

Project summary:This project collects baseline data on the locations of:

• critical foraging habitat of northern gannets
• beach and deep-water capelin spawning sites

The project also collects data to assess interannual variation in site use.

Coastal and beach monitoring of seabird populations in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Association, Inc.

Project summary: This project conducts shore-based surveys to assess the baseline abundance and distribution of seabirds on the east and west shores of Placentia Bay. Data from these surveys provides baseline information on offshore bird species affected by oil pollution in the Atlantic Ocean.

Improving knowledge of lobster populations and change in Placentia Bay (year 3)

Funding recipient: Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW – Unifor)

Project summary: Building on a previous project, this project collects baseline data on lobster settlement and the abundance of pre-recruit (below minimum size for harvesting) and small lobster, with a focus on young-of-the-year (juvenile) lobster. These were identified as key indicators of lobster population size through interviews with local harvesters.

Improving knowledge of lobster populations and change in Placentia Bay (year 4)

Funding recipient: Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW – Unifor)

Project summary: This project builds on the previous project’s work by collecting baseline data on lobster settlement. Data focuses on the abundance of pre-recruit (below minimum size for harvesting) and small lobster. These key indicators for lobster populations were identified in the first 3 years of the project.

Improving knowledge of lobster populations and change in Placentia Bay: assessing lobster settlers and potential predation by green crab

Funding recipient: Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW – Unifor)

Project summary: This project builds on information from 4 years of fish harvester interviews and on lobster settlement data to identify common lobster patterning. This includes information on changes to:

• the nearshore environment
• lobster abundance
• recruitment and habitat
• the lobster’s predators, especially invasive green crab

The data from this project helps to set a baseline to document future ecosystem changes related to lobster settlement and recruitment.

Incorporating environmental DNA for improved benthic habitat mapping

Funding recipient: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Project summary: Researchers use taxonomic information from environmental DNA (eDNA) to confirm species presence in underwater video-generated predictive maps of benthic biodiversity and species assemblages. Incorporating data from eDNA into seafloor habitat maps allows for a more accurate understanding of species presence. These maps will set a baseline to monitor habitat quality changes.

Microplastic and oil pollution in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Project summary: This project collects and analyzes water samples to assess the baseline concentration of hydrocarbons (oil) and microplastics:

• at the sea surface
• underwater
• in sediment

The data from this project will provide a baseline to measure change and give insight into the potential origins and movements of contaminants.

Presence, distribution, abundance surveys of marine vegetation in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Humber Arm Environmental Association

Project summary: Researchers conduct snorkel surveys and underwater autonomous vehicle surveys to document important ecosystem features. Baseline data is collected on all forms of:

• marine vegetation
• structure-providing species (corals and sponges)
• marine sediment
• water quality parameters
• other species, such as aquatic invasive species

The data from this project contributes to a larger baseline dataset that will serve as a reference point to monitor environmental change.

Shoreline environmental baseline surveys in Placentia Bay, NL: an assessment of biogeochemistry, coliform, and beach characterization

Funding recipient: Northeast Avalon Atlantic Coastal Action Program (NAACAP), Inc.

Project summary: Building on a previous project, this project collects baseline data at 8 nearshore sites around Placentia Bay, focusing on shoreline characteristics, biogeochemistry, nutrients and water properties (including Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), Total Dissolved Nitrogen (TDN), pH, temperature). The data collected could help inform future impacts of coastal erosion and contamination on  Placentia Bay’s coastal ecosystem.

Zooplankton, methane and water column microplastics in Placentia Bay

Funding recipient: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Project summary: This project collects biological, physical and chemical water column data to characterize key ecosystem components. This includes the:

• feeding ecology of zooplankton
• methane stocks and cycling
• microplastic distribution

The data collected increases knowledge about the health and functioning of Placentia Bay’s pelagic ecosystem.