Department Of Fisheries And Oceans Research Articles

Biologically Important Areas II for cetaceans within U.S. and adjacent waters - West Coast Region

Here we update U.S. West Coast Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) that were published in 2015 using new data and approaches. Additionally, BIAs were delineated for two species that were not delineated in the 2015 BIAs: fin whales and Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW). While harbor porpoise BIAs remained the same, substantial changes were made for other species including identifying both larger overall areas (parent BIAs) and smaller core areas (child BIAs). For blue, fin, and humpback whales we identified, delineated, and scored BIAs using the overlap between the distribution and relative density from three data sources, leveraging the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches: 1) habitat density models based on Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) line-transect data from systematic ship surveys conducted through 2018, 2) satellite tag data from deployments conducted by three research groups, and 3) sightings of feeding behavior from non-systematic effort mostly associated with small-boat surveys for photo-identification conducted by Cascadia Research Collective. While the previous BIAs were based solely on a more subjective assignment from only the small boat sightings, here we incorporate the other two data sources and use a more rigorous, quantitative approach to identify higher density areas and integrate the data types. This resulted in larger, better-supported, objective BIAs compared to the previous effort. Our methods are also more consistent with the delineation of BIAs in other regions. For SRKWs, the parent BIA was based on a modification of the Critical Habitat boundaries defined by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada; a core BIA highlighting areas of intensified use was identified using both NOAA’s Critical Habitat and kernel density analyses of satellite tag data. Gray whale BIAs were re-evaluated for the migratory corridor of Eastern North Pacific gray whales, for Pacific Coast Feeding Group feeding areas, and for gray whales that feed regularly in Puget Sound.

Spatial ecology of black dogfish (

Context Shark pupping and nursery grounds are essential habitats, yet these areas are undocumented for deepwater species. Young juveniles of black dogfish (Centroscyllium fabricii) were found to be dominant in the Laurentian Channel, prompting an analysis of their distribution in Canadian waters of the Northwest Atlantic. Aims This study documents patterns of distribution by sex and life stage for black dogfish in shelf and slope waters of Canada. Methods Over 40 years of trawl survey data from the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Newfoundland and Labrador Region was analysed to document patterns of distribution of black dogfish by sex and life stage. Key results Free-swimming neonates were found in the Laurentian Channel, along with adult females, including some with pups, indicating that the Laurentian Channel is the pupping grounds for this species. Small black dogfish, highly abundant in the Channel, is largely absent in slope waters, indicating that the Channel is the nursery ground for black dogfish in Canada. Conclusions As they grows, black dogfish individuals undergo a multi-year distributional shift extending over ∼4000 km, originating in the Laurentian Channel out to slope waters, with the largest fish being found furthest from the Channel. No other deep demersal chondrichthyans are known to undergo a progressive migration as they grow, more akin to pelagic sharks where separate pupping–nursery grounds and long-distance migrations are commonly documented. Implications The segregation by life stages shown in the present study differs from previously reported distribution patterns of black dogfish in Greenland and Iceland. Given warm and stable ambient temperatures in the Channel, similar to slope waters, black dogfish is stenothermal, maintaining a narrow thermal profile throughout its life. Identifying the essential habitats of pupping and nursery grounds is crucial to the management and conservation of this species.

A decision tree that can address connectivity in the design of Marine Protected Area Networks (MPAn)

A marine protected area (MPA) is an area of the ocean designated for the conservation and protection of natural or cultural resources. MPAs are spatial tools used to preserve the ecological integrity and biodiversity of an area, protecting ecosystem functions, species and habitats for future generations. In 2015, the Canadian government committed to increasing protection of its coastal and marine areas up to 10% by 2020. To reach this goal, the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is currently in the process of designing and implementing a network of MPAs in the Maritimes Region, on the Atlantic coast of Canada. The design process needs to consider population connectivity, which in turn requires an understanding of life-histories for target species (i.e. the movement of adults and the dispersal of larval life-stages). The population parameters that repeatedly emerge as necessary for deriving estimates of MPA dimensions include the spatial distribution of the conservation priority (species or habitat), movement patterns and oceanographic processes. A decision tree was developed that uses information on species larval dispersal, and juvenile, and adult movement to provide guidelines that can inform definition of size and spacing of individual MPAs in a network. Case studies of species targeted for protection on the Scotian Shelf are presented, to illustrate its use. The decision tree can be used as a tool to help design networks that ensure population connectivity where there is a paucity of biological information, or as a quality control method for assessing other spatial design tools.

Birla to supply carbon black to Linglong

Case studies of the Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlighted factors influencing scientific communication that are contingent on the characteristics of the many dynamic and iterative science-policy interfaces among decision-makers, scientists, and other stakeholders. Direct observations of 15 scientific and management meetings coupled with interviews with 78 scientists and managers revealed aspects of the information pathways, i.e., production, communication, and use of scientific information in these organizations. Unique features of decision-making and information use enable the production of credible, relevant, and legitimate information in each organization, including trade-offs in these attributes to support fisheries governance objectives. For instance, defined processes for producing scientific advice embedded in fisheries management authorities, such as DFO and NAFO, ensure uptake of information in decision-making. As a boundary organization, FAO bridges science and policy-making groups among its member countries. The demand for scientific advice, policy development, and trade aspects are primary drivers in the information pathways. However, organizational aspects such as dispersed units and inadequate communication persist as barriers to information flow. Across the geographic scales of the three organizations, stakeholders apart from government scientists and policy-makers, e.g., the fishing industry, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the public, are increasingly involved in the information pathways. Insights about the information pathways can equip the organizations to evaluate or modify practices to increase the uptake of information in decision-making as fisheries management issues and considerations become more complex.

Understanding the science-policy interface: Case studies on the role of information in fisheries management

Case studies of the Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlighted factors influencing scientific communication that are contingent on the characteristics of the many dynamic and iterative science-policy interfaces among decision-makers, scientists, and other stakeholders. Direct observations of 15 scientific and management meetings coupled with interviews with 78 scientists and managers revealed aspects of the information pathways, i.e., production, communication, and use of scientific information in these organizations. Unique features of decision-making and information use enable the production of credible, relevant, and legitimate information in each organization, including trade-offs in these attributes to support fisheries governance objectives. For instance, defined processes for producing scientific advice embedded in fisheries management authorities, such as DFO and NAFO, ensure uptake of information in decision-making. As a boundary organization, FAO bridges science and policy-making groups among its member countries. The demand for scientific advice, policy development, and trade aspects are primary drivers in the information pathways. However, organizational aspects such as dispersed units and inadequate communication persist as barriers to information flow. Across the geographic scales of the three organizations, stakeholders apart from government scientists and policy-makers, e.g., the fishing industry, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the public, are increasingly involved in the information pathways. Insights about the information pathways can equip the organizations to evaluate or modify practices to increase the uptake of information in decision-making as fisheries management issues and considerations become more complex.

The science-policy interface in fisheries management: Insights about the influence of organizational structure and culture on information pathways

Understanding how information flows between scientific and decision-making communities is essential for the creation of effective strategies to link scientific advice to management decisions. Interviews of scientists and managers in two inter-related fisheries management organizations – the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) – and direct observations at science and management meetings revealed important organizational characteristics that influence the production, communication, and use of scientific information in decision-making. Formal processes for communicating scientific advice to managers – DFO's Canadian Scientific Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) and NAFO's Fisheries Commission's Request for Advice – demonstrate the use of credible, relevant, and legitimate advice for operational decision-making for fisheries management. Such defined processes, in addition to governmental bureaucracy, departmentalization, and de-centralization, can limit communication as highlighted for Canada as a Contracting Party to NAFO. Administrative mechanisms can pose challenges to implementing ecosystem approaches to fisheries management (EAF) and to addressing the impacts of climate change. Emerging organizational structures and behaviours facilitate communication at the science-policy interface, within and between the organizations, thereby improving understanding of science and management needs and promoting trust relationships between scientists and managers. The involvement of multiple stakeholders in the information pathways addresses concerns about scientific uncertainty in assessment advice. A linear model of information flow typifies operational decision-making; however, collaborative models that incorporate different types of information, apart from fisheries science, are required to enable ecosystem-based management. The characteristics of the information pathways are particularly relevant as the organizations address their EAF mandates.

A Mi’kmaw Perspective on Advancing Salmon Governance in Nova Scotia, Canada: Setting the Stage for Collaborative Co-Existence

Issues related to fisheries governance are a source of debate and tension between the Indigenous Mi’kmaq people of Nova Scotia and the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in matters concerning Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. Within the context of the existing governance regime, this analysis compares the concept of salmon conservation and management from a Mi’kmaq perspective and proposes a collaborative co-existence approach for effective salmon governance in Nova Scotia. This approach begins by using co-management as a process, Two-Eyed Seeing as the design, and treaties as the model to achieve shared objectives of maintaining and improving abundances of salmon populations, in spite of differing mechanisms for addressing the interwoven complexities of multiple realities, conservation, and cultural identity.

Muzzles off for Federal Scientists in Canada

In October 2015, Canadian voters elected a Liberal majority government, ousting the Conservative administration of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in power since 2006. Science and scientists have rarely been Canadian election issues. Under Harper, though, the muzzling of government scientists became known internationally. Now, as journalists gain renewed access to scientists, Canadians are gaining a glimpse behind a nearly decade-long curtain of tight communication control. Prior to Harper, journalists could contact Canadian federal scientists directly for interviews. Under Harper, that changed radically. The term muzzle in association with Canadian federal scientists first appeared in the media in 2007. Media use of this word was tracked by Carleton University journalism professor Kathryn O’Hara and Paul Dufour, principal at the consulting firm PaulicyWorks and adjunct professor with the Institute for Science, Society, and Policy at the University of Ottawa. Especially muzzled “were departments where scientists’ regulatory research, a mainstay of governmental science, could potentially impede natural resource development,” they describe in the 2014 book How Ottawa Spends, 2014–2015: The Harper Government— Good to Go? Such applied research included work at Environment Canada, Parks Canada, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). In 2008, Environment Canada scientists and staff were informed by their executive management that “just as we have ‘one department, one website,’ we should have ‘one department, one voice.’” This was leaked by a senior scientist to journalist Margaret Munro. At the time, Gregory Jack, acting director of Environment Canada’s ministerial and executive services, told Munro and Canwest media that the policy shift was to bring Environment Canada in line with other federal departments. He insisted on 1 February 2008 that “there is no change in the access in terms of scientists being able to talk.” But according to Stephen Woodley, a 32-year agency veteran and former chief ecosystems scientist of Parks Canada, he and others were not allowed to speak freely to the press, were not invited to meetings, or had budgets taken away. “It was very difficult to do science inside the federal government and in Parks Canada,” says Woodley, adding that difficulties increased after Harper’s 2011 reelection. Reporters often requested interviews with Woodley on “fairly innocuous” topics, he says. To gain permission to speak to the press, he and other scientists had to go through communications staff, guess which questions reporters might ask, and make up answers for approval. It was a process that “just became absurd,” he says. Art Osborne, then an Ontario region communications adviser with Natural Resources Canada, describes communications controls under Harper as a process that “choked everything almost to a dead stop.” Beyond the policy itself, he explains, was an engrained culture of inertia for fear of adverse reaction. “It was just safer to do nothing,” he says, so “this culture perpetuated the cumbersome policies and ponderous processes.” In 2011, Woodley was asked to speak on Canada’s national science radio show, CBC’s Quirks and Quarks. After getting approval for his answers to guessed questions, “I had to have a minder come and sit in the booth beside me when I did the interview,” says Woodley, an experience he found “very distasteful.” He left Parks Canada shortly afterwards for a job with the International Union for Conservation of Nature. “Morale was in the dumper,” he says. “It was a tough place.” Muzzling, the weakening of environmental laws, funding cuts, and announced closures of internationally renowned scientific facilities, such as the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), sparked unprecedented advocacy. In 2012, hundreds participated in a scientist-led mock funeral on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, dubbed the “Death of Evidence.” Organizers Katie Gibbs, a University of Ottawa doctoral student, and professor Scott Findlay would later establish the nonpartisan advocacy group Evidence for Democracy (E4D). Mike Rennie, now at Lakehead University, was part of an entire unit of DFO scientists forbidden to speak to media following the announced closure of the ELA in May 2012. In response, “people either didn’t talk or did so anonymously.” Rennie started writing an anonymous blog about the experience of being muzzled “because I just couldn’t take it anymore,” he says. The new Trudeau government campaigned with a promise to allow scientists to speak. Renewed communication freedoms were announced at the DFO and Environment Canada soon after the election. Other departments, such as Parks Canada, appear to be slow to change. With concern that there is little to stop the silencing of scientists from happening again, E4D and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) called, on 9 March 2016, for the right of scientists to speak to be included in their collective agreements. It is something PIPSC President Debi Daviau hopes will “prevent in future the kind of chill imposed by communications policies under the Harper government.”

Comparison of water quality in live shellfish retail holding tanks


 Background: Water quality in live retail shellfish holding tanks are vital in increasing shellfish quality and reducing risk of shellfish-associated outbreaks. Poor holding tank water conditions may not only cause mortality of shellfish, but also allow for harmful pathogens to contaminate the shellfish, proliferate in the holding tanks, and ultimately potentially affect consumer health. Shellfish are processed and handled at a variety of levels at the retail stage. Therefore, the purpose of this research project is to compare water quality in live retail shellfish holding systems between processing plants and retail food markets. Differences may indicate a need for attention at a particular level in order to effectively and efficiently reduce mortality and disease among shellfish, and thus potentially humans as well. Methods: 30 water samples were taken from the two types of locations with the help of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Ministry of Agriculture, and the BCCDC. These samples were tested for parameters including temperature, pH, nitrites, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen using a LaMotte Fresh Water Aquaculture Kit and a HACH 2100P turbidimeter. A two-tailed t-test was used to compare the means of each of the parameters among the two types of locations with live shellfish holding tanks. Results: The mean values for all parameters in both retail and processing met the requirements set by the BCCDC. However, temperature and dissolved oxygen showed statistically significant differences between retail markets and processing facilities. Nitrites, pH, and turbidity showed no statistically significant differences between the two types of locations. Conclusion: Differences in dissolved oxygen may have been due to salt levels, failing recirculation systems, or high levels of organic matter from sanitation issues. Differences in temperature may have been due to differences in holding tank size, or inconsistencies from using two different thermal measuring devices. High levels of nitrites were a concern as well due to overcrowding of holding tanks. More attention may be needed for these issues, especially during certain seasons such as Chinese New Years, in order to lower the risk to public health.

The development of a rapid response plan to control the spread of the solitary invasive tunicate, Ciona intestinalis (Linnaeus, 1767), in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

The vase tunicate, Ciona intestinalis, was first confirmed in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) waters in September 2012. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) monitoring program, in collaboration with the Department of Ocean Sciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), detected an isolated infestation of vase tunicate in Little Bay, Placentia Bay. The solitary tunicate was attached to wharf structures, eel grass, and some vessels in the area. Early detection of AIS is one of the primary goals of the DFO AIS monitoring program. This early detection, with the species currently confined to a small area of Placentia Bay, provided a unique opportunity for mitigation activities. This study details the various stages of a rapid response plan, its development through responses to two colonial tunicates, Botryllus schlosseri and Botrylloides violaceus, and its application to control the spread of solitary tunicate, C. intestinalis. Pre-invasion planning and the response plan include key phases of communication, detection and demarcation, containment and risk assessment, mitigation implementation and evaluation. Mitigation trials in Little Bay, Placentia Bay (2013 and 2014) have included floating dock removal, permanent structure cleaning, and recreational and commercial vessel cleaning with application of antifouling paint. Mitigated and unmitigated harbours have been monitored to evaluate the effectiveness of the control efforts. As of 2015, surveys of the mitigated area have only detected very small numbers of C. intestinalis, which were removed. A rapid response plan based on experience, good communication, strong partnerships, and common goals has allowed NL to respond to a high impact AIS tunicate in an effective manner. The new Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations in the Canadian Fisheries Act will provide authority for response, but monitoring, vigilance, prior planning, collaboration between stakeholders and rapid action are the real tools for an effective control plan.

Surface buoyant plumes from melting icebergs in the Labrador Sea

Canada׳s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) conducts annual surveys in the Labrador Sea along the repeat hydrography line AR7W. The occupation of the AR7W line in May 2013 was followed by the experiment aimed at resolving the imprint of melting drifting icebergs on the upper layer thermohaline characteristics in the Labrador Sea. We present high-resolution observations around two icebergs conducted with the towed undulating platform Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP). The first iceberg drifted in relatively warm water of Atlantic origin (~2.5–3.1°C) off Greenland, while the second iceberg was on the Labrador shelf in cold water below 0°C. Both icebergs had a lengthscale of O(100m). In both cases surface buoyant plumes fed by melt water and attached to the iceberg were observed. The plumes were evident in the anomalous thermohaline characteristics of the seawater. Their density anomalies were sufficiently strong to produce visible frontal structures, which imply a development of the intrinsic dynamics associated with a plume. The first plume formed over a time interval of ~10h, while the second plume formed over several days and extended for more than 1km (tenfold the iceberg׳s size). Strong vertical displacements of the pycnocline were observed near the second iceberg. They are interpreted as the internal wave wake. This interpretation is based on the temporal scale of these oscillations (local buoyancy frequency), as well as on the spatial orientation of these waves with respect to the iceberg drift relative to the pycnocline. The observed internal waves partially overlapped with the plume and affected its structure. The saline seawater splashing by swell contributed to the surface melting of the icebergs. Scaling analysis of the second plume suggests that it could be in the “rotational” dynamic regime with recirculating anticyclonic flow.

A numerical model to simulate the droplet formation process resulting from the release of diluted bitumen products in marine environment

ABSTRACT A numerical model that simulates the dispersion of oil due to the action of waves in the marine environment is presented. Model validations were performed in association with the wave tank experiments conducted in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada. Two dilbit products were considered: Access Western Blend and Cold Lake Blend. The oil droplet size distribution in the subsurface water column obtained from the experimental observations was reproduced using the droplet formation model. Special consideration was made for the simulation of wave effects on surface oil spills. Modeling results show the successful use of droplet formation model in the simulation of oil spills due to wave actions.

Is Canada fulfilling its obligations to sustain marine biodiversity? A summary review, conclusions, and recommendations1This manuscript is a companion paper to Hutchings et al. (doi:10.1139/a2012-011) and VanderZwaag et al. (doi:10.1139/a2012-013) also appearing in this issue. These three papers comprise an edited version of a February 2012 Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel Report.

Canada has made numerous national and international commitments to sustain marine biodiversity. Given current and potential threats to biodiversity from climate change, fisheries, and aquaculture, we provide a summary review of Canada’s progress in fulfilling its obligations to protect, conserve, recover, and responsibly exploit marine biodiversity. We conclude that Canada has made little substantive progress, when compared to most developed nations, in meeting its biodiversity commitments. Much of Canada’s policy and rhetoric has not been operationalised, leaving many of the country’s national and international obligations unfulfilled in some key areas, such as the establishment of marine protected areas and incorporation of the precautionary approach to fisheries management. We conclude that regulatory conflict within Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the absolute discretion exercised by the national Minister of Fisheries and Oceans contribute significantly to an unduly slow rate of policy and statute implementation. We recommend new approaches and measures to sustain Canadian marine biodiversity and new research initiatives to support scientific advice to decision-makers. Many recommendations focus on management actions required to meet existing commitments to biodiversity conservation. Overall, we conclude that the most effective strategy is to protect existing biological diversity and to rebuild depleted populations and species to restore natural diversity. By improving and protecting the biodiversity in Canada’s oceans, such a strategy will restore the natural resilience of Canada’s ocean ecosystems to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change and other anthropogenic activities with consequent long-term benefits for food security and social and economic well-being.

Species Listing under Canada's Species at Risk Act

In a preliminary analysis of listing decisions under Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA), Mooers et al. (2007)demonstrated an apparent bias against marine and northern species. As a follow-up, we expanded the set of potential explanatory variables, including information on jurisdictional and administrative elements of the listing process, and considered an additional 16 species recommended for listing by SARA's scientific advisory committee as of 15 August 2006. Logistic model selection based on Akaike differences suggested that species were less likely to be listed if they were harvested or had commercial or subsistence harvesting as an explicitly identified threat; had Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) as a responsible authority (RA); were located in Canada's north generally, and especially in Nunavut; or were found mostly or entirely within Canada. Subsequent model validation with an independent set of 50 species for which a listing decision was handed down in December 2007 showed an overall misclassification rate of <0.10, indicating reasonable predictive power. In light of these results, we recommend that RAs under SARA adopt a two-track listing approach to address problems of delays arising from extended consultations and the inconsistent use by the RAs of socioeconomic analysis; consider revising SARA so that socioeconomic analysis occurs during decisions about protecting species and their habitats rather than at the listing stage; and maintain an integrated database with information on species' biology, threats, and agency actions to enable future evaluation of SARA's impact.

A Web-Based and Mobile Environmental Management System

This paper describes a Web-based and mobile system specifically developed to monitor fish species at risk. Such a system integrates spatial functionality to allow users not only to visualise maps and metadata of the area of concern but also to perform context-aware queries and updating of spatial datasets. The spatial datasets are provided by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the prototype is customised to the specific needs of the Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (GLLFAS) Fish Habitat Section requirements for fish species at risk assessment. Currently, researchers, habitat biologists and enforcement officers have access to the fisheries database, containing layers of biological information solely from the office. Delivering these data overlaid on base maps of the Great Lakes region to a GPS-enabled hand-held device and linking it to each task currently being investigated allows for mobile DFO biologists and enforcement officers in the field to make informed decisions immediately. In this paper we describe the system and demonstrate how it is used by the DFO in practice.

Honorary Doctorate from Göteborg University, Sweden conferred on, Dr. Mohiuddin Munawar, Chief Editor of AEHM

Announcement| March 10 2008 Honorary Doctorate from Göteborg University, Sweden conferred on, Dr. Mohiuddin Munawar, Chief Editor of AEHM Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management (2008) 11 (1): 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1080/14634980801903889 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation Honorary Doctorate from Göteborg University, Sweden conferred on, Dr. Mohiuddin Munawar, Chief Editor of AEHM. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 10 March 2008; 11 (1): 1–5. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14634980801903889 Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectiveMichigan State University PressAquatic Ecosystem Health & Management Search Advanced Search It is a great pleasure for us to inform the readers of this journal that its Chief Editor, Dr. M. Munawar, received the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Faculty of Science, Göteborg University, Sweden, on 20 October 2007.For those of us, among many, who have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Munawar as he communicates and stimulates the practice of Aquatic Ecosystem Health around the globe, this comes with great satisfaction but not complete surprise. The highlights of Dr. Munawar's highly productive career are described by Dr. Goran Dave. Nonetheless, in addition to Dr. Munawar's long term research efforts in the North American and other Great Lakes of the world, recognition is due to the high quality of the intellectual environment within the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) over the years that provided not only the opportunity to conduct world-class research, but also to pursue... You do not currently have access to this content.

Sustainability Challenges in the Geoduck Clam Fishery of British Columbia: Policy Perspectives

The geoduck clam fishery, worth approximately CDN $40 million1 in annual landed value, is British Columbia's most valuable invertebrate fishery. This fishery has been co-managed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Underwater Harvesters Association (UHA) since 1989. Earlier input control measures such as effort regulation, seasonal closures, and licenses failed to work effectively for more than ten years, resulting in excess fishing capacity, over harvesting, poor economic returns, and unsafe fishing practices. Output control measures such as the individual vessel quota system (IVQ) have, to some extent, proven successful in improving revenues, controlling excess fishing capacity, gaining compliance with regulations, and involving fishers in the joint decision-making processes. However, there are public concerns about a common property resource at risk of being dominated by a few UHA license holders. Additionally, there are concerns about the job losses resulting from IVQ implementation, as well as distribution and equity issues. This article traces and examines the policy context for fisheries management in the British Columbia (BC) geoduck fishery, discusses the major concerns surrounding the exploitation of long lived Methuselah's clams and concludes with areas for further research in sustaining this lucrative fishery.

Oxidative Stress and Sex Steroid Levels in Fish Following Short-Term Exposure to Pulp-Mill Effluents

This study investigates the relationship between oxidative stress and reproductive dysfunction in wild white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) with short-term exposures to pulp-mill effluent. Hepatic oxidative damage, as quantified using 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), was often increased with effluent exposure within 4–8 d, but responses varied by species, sex, and effluent. Fatty acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) oxidase (FAO) and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activities were also significantly induced between 4 and 8 d of exposure. There were marked species differences in oxidative stress, as TBARS, FAO, and EROD responses in white sucker differed dramatically from those of longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus) exposed under identical conditions. Exposure for 8 d to pulp-mill effluent delayed ovulation in white sucker, and these delays were independent of changes in circulating testosterone and 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one titers. Evaluations of the effects of pulp mill effluent on in vivo plasma steroid levels and in vitro steroidogenic capacities were compromised due to caging stress. In vivo preexposure to pulp-mill effluent did not reduce in vitro ovarian follicle steroidogenic capacities when exposed to additional reactive oxygen species (ROS) generators. Endocrine and oxidative stress parameters may be interrelated, as the in vivo administration of ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe3+NTA) significantly reduced circulating sex steroids. Administration of a superactive GnRH analog containing a dopamine inhibitor significantly increased TBARS within 24 h, indicating endocrine status is capable of modifying oxidative stress responses. This study provides new knowledge regarding the onset of oxidative stress and changes in reproductive endpoints in fish following pulp-mill effluent exposure. The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of P. Boutot, C. Chisholm, S. Currie, K. Daynes, M. Edwards, M. Gray, E. LeBlanc, L. Luxon, C. Portt, D. Stevens, and G. Tetreault. We thank D. Roy of the Atlantic Salmon Federation for the loan of fish tanks. We thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments, which greatly strengthened the article. This work was supported by Canadian Network of Toxicology Centers (CNTC), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Environment Canada, and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada grants to G. Van Der Kraak. K. D. Oakes received financial support from CNTC, DFO, NSERC, and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship program.

Silences and Lies: How the Industrial Fishery Constrained Voices of Ecological Conservation

In combination with historical research, this paper uses interviews of fishers, fishery workers, scientists, and Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) enforcers and observers to recount the communication processes that occurred before the 1992 collapse of the cod fishery in Atlantic Canada. As the fishery industrialized over the course of the twentieth century, those who worked in the industry became increasingly segregated. Distinct discursive realms emerged, among them "fishers' vernacular," "scientific language," "product talk," and DFO's "official word." There was little dialogue between the groups and little collective opposition to the overfishing. DFO's "official word" claimed that the stocks were strong despite protestation to the contrary from several fishers' groups and DFO's own scientists. The outcome for the region was economically and ecologically devastating.

Proposed guidelines to assist the geophysical exploration industry in meeting the requirements of Canada's Fisheries Act

Conflicts of values and interests are a natural occurrence in the course of exploitation of Canada's natural resources—such has been the case between the geophysical exploration industry and fisheries interests. In the early days of seismic exploration, high-velocity explosives, detonated within the water column, were the energy source for most geophysical surveys. Open-water detonations, however, were injurious or lethal to many kinds of aquatic fauna. In the mid-1960s the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) became active in assessing the effects of seismic exploration on fish. In the absence of good data, knowledge, and experience, DFO felt it prudent to proceed with caution. At the time, the only clause in the Fisheries Act pertaining to the use of explosives was Section 26, which stated: “No one shall hunt or kill fish or marine mammals of any kind other than porpoises, whales, walruses, sea lions or hair seals, by means of rockets, explosive materials, explosive projectiles or shells.” This section, however, was not deemed applicable to the issue of the protection of fish and marine mammals from the use of explosives. DFO was cognizant that in many instances, there were no alternatives to explosives for hydrocarbon exploration. Consequently, in 1968 the Northwest Territories Fishery Regulations were amended with the inclusion of Section 5(5), which stated: “No person shall use an explosive for any purpose on or in any waters except under the authority of and in accordance with a licence issued by the Minister.” This article empowered DFO to impose terms and conditions for the conduct of geophysical exploration in waters frequented by fish and marine mammals. But it was necessary to develop a broader set of guidelines. In 1972, DFO undertook a cooperative study with industry to compare the effects of using point-source explosive charges, linear explosives, and small air …