Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) – Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
Since 2022, Aquatic Conservation Iniative has been involved in the removal of the invasive European Green Crab species from coastal waters in St. Mary’s Region in Newfoundland, with the main goals to better understand species distribution and population of green crabs.
This work includes the setting and bating of traps at low tide and removing green crab from the ecosystem. We also manage and count bycatch of native species such as cunners, sculpin, rock crab etc.
As apart of this project, we educate locals on the impacts of aquatic invasive species, with special attention to green crab. This has included recruiting undergraduate students from Memorial University and students from the local school St. Catherines Academy to trap green crab.
If you would like to more about the European Green Crab check out the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Info Page here! Or email us to chat about it.
Coastal Environmental Baseline Project – SEM Ltd. & DFO & Mi’kmaq Alsumk Mowimsikik Koqoey Association (MAMKA)
The Coastal Environmental Baseline Project will include the collection of coastal environmental baseline data to assist the characterization of the current ecosystem conditions in the Bay D’Espoir Estuary.
In this project, we will investigate coastal biogeochemical baseline assessments through water quality assessments and investigate American Eel migration and habitat use.
American Eel are considered a threatened species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Furthermore, American Eel are a keystone species in the Bay D’Espoir Estuary as a high-level predator, scavenger, and nutrient transporter between freshwater and marine ecosystems. American Eel have a longstanding cultural significance for the Indigenous peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador. To further understand American Eel migrations and habitat use, NAACAP will track eel populations using hydroacoustic tagging, Visual Implant Elastomer (VIE) tagging, eDNA analysis, and study species identification through fin clippings to confirm or deny presence of European eel populations in the Bay D’Espoir Estuary.
