Quantifying Demographics and Monitoring Movement of American Lobster in the Minas Passage and Basin

The project consists of lobster fishing in Minas Passage during the fall lobster season to collect, assess and tag lobsters in this area, then fishing in Minas Basin from April to May to assess the spawning characteristics of lobster tagged the previous fall, then returning to Minas Passage to fish for tagged lobster during the June-August period. This will allow the researchers to track lobster from Minas Passage to their suspected spawning grounds in Minas Basin, then back again to Minas Passage. The study will use local lobster fishers to support the research staff while tagging and retrieving lobsters. The project will create baseline information on lobster movement that can be used to help identify both near and far field impacts of tidal development. It will provide valuable information to the local lobster fishing community. It will also close knowledge gaps identified by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which will be critical to the continued development of the tidal industry in the Bay of Fundy.

Team

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michael. J. Dadswell, on behalf of Big Moon Power Canada

Date
October 2017 – March 2019