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This paper describes the Coastal Ice Ocean Prediction System for the East Coast of Canada (CIOPS-E) running operationally at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). CIOPS-E uses a one-way downscaling technique on a 1/36° horizontal grid (~2 km) to simulate high-resolution ice and ocean conditions over the northwest Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL). CIOPS-E is forced at its lateral boundaries with ECCC's Regional Ice-Ocean Prediction System (RIOPS) and tidal conditions from the Oregon State University TPXO model. The three-dimensional temperature and salinity fields are spectrally nudged towards the RIOPS solution offshore of the 1500 m isobath to, effectively constrain mesoscale features in the Gulf Stream area. Over the continental shelf and the GSL, the CIOPS-E solution is free to develop fully according to model dynamics. CIOPS-E is evaluated over one year from March 2019 to February 2020. Overall, the CIOPS-E improves the representation of tides compared to ECCC's lower resolution systems: RIOPS (1/12°) and the Regional Marine Prediction System – Gulf of St. Lawrence (RMPS-GSL, 5 km). The accuracy of the tides are comparable to the TPXO at most coastal tide gauges. Sub-tidal water levels from CIOPS-E agree well with the observed seasonal variability and show improved errors statistics at all stations compared to RIOPS and RMPS-GSL. Improvements are especially noted for the GSL. Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) from CIOPS-E are lower (higher) in spring (fall) over most of the GSL compared to satellite-derived analyses and RIOPS. Comparison with in-situ observations of SST show significant improvement in CIOPS-E with respect to the RMPS-GSL. Lastly, sea ice conditions in the GSL are compared with the Canadian Ice Service (CIS) charts and the RMPS-GSL model. The sea ice cover and thickness from the pseudo-analysis component (without data assimilation) shows an overestimation compared to the CIS estimates, which is subsequently corrected in the forecast phase through the direct insertion of a Radarsat image analysis product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Atlantic Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, is a large member of the family Acipenseridae, historically reaching lengths of at least 4.6 m in length (with some estimates of 5-6 m). In North America, A. o. oxyrinchus occurs in major rivers and coastal environments along the east coast from Labrador, Canada to Florida, USA; there are also naturally occurring European populations in the Baltic and North Seas. There is evidence that at least 35 North American rivers historically supported spawning populations, although only about 27 rivers are currently known or suspected to support spawning populations. All North American populations are greatly reduced from their historical levels of abundance. The commercial fishery for A. o. oxyrinchus reached its height in the late 1800s, and, in part, caused a population crash from which the species has not yet recovered. In 2012, the species was listed as threatened or endangered under the US Endangered Species Act throughout its range in the United States. It remains unlisted under the Species At Risk Act in Canada although two populations are listed as Threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Nevertheless, the Atlantic Sturgeon remains the subject of a regulated commercial fishery in Canada. There is a growing understanding of the biology of A. o. oxyrinchus, and this paper reviews the current state of knowledge of its biology, ecology, life history, conservation, and recovery, and provides an overview of the historical fisheries for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between environmental factors and complex life‐history characteristics of marine organisms produce the genetic diversity and structure observed within species. Our main goal was to test for genetic differentiation among eastern oyster populations from the coastal region of Canadian Maritimes against expected genetic homogeneity caused by historical events, taking into account spatial and environmental (temperature, salinity, turbidity) variation. This was achieved by genotyping 486 individuals originating from 13 locations using RADSeq. A total of 11,321 filtered SNPs were used in a combination of population genomics and environmental association analyses. We revealed significant neutral genetic differentiation (mean FST = 0.009) between sampling locations, and the occurrence of six major genetic clusters within the studied system. Redundancy analyses (RDAs) revealed that spatial and environmental variables explained 3.1% and 4.9% of the neutral genetic variation and 38.6% and 12.2% of the putatively adaptive genetic variation, respectively. These results indicate that these environmental factors play a role in the distribution of both neutral and putatively adaptive genetic diversity in the system. Moreover, polygenic selection was suggested by genotype–environment association analysis and significant correlations between additive polygenic scores and temperature and salinity. We discuss our results in the context of their conservation and management implications for the eastern oyster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no single, objective place from which to assess risk, and the best way to assess and minimise risk is through seeking input from a variety of different knowledge agents focusing on different sources and dimensions of risk and using multiple methodologies. This paper draws on Wynne's work on constructivist-realism and on the feminist literature on masculinity to examine fish harvesters' understandings and experiences of risk and safety in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador on Canada's east coast. Using data drawn from focus groups, phone interviews and from individual boat tours with Newfoundland fish harvesters, it is argued that their understandings and practices of risk and safety are dynamic and that this dynamism reflects the intersection of everyday requirements to get the job done in what are often uncertain and constrained circumstances associated with the interacting and changing regulatory, industrial and environmental contexts in which this work is done. From this perspective, while quantifying fisheries risks in terms of fatality, accident or Search and Rescue incident rates is important, the inclusion of fish harvesters' experiences and related safety knowledge in research and policy-development designed to reduce risk is imperative. The view from the deck of the vessel and fish harvesters' experiences on the water not only informs their observations and interpretations of risk but offer potential insights into risk and into expert claims about risk that should be taken into account when trying to understand fishing risk and improve safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the writing, publication, and reception of the 1972 book "Death on the Ice: The Great Newfoundland Sealing Disaster of 1914" by Cassie Brown with Harold Horwood, an account of the deaths from exposure of dozens of sealers seen as stemming from corporate indifference to their welfare. The book, an international bestseller written by and about Newfoundlanders, is seen as a landmark in Newfoundland print culture and cultural identity. Topics discussed include sealing in Newfoundland literature, Brown's early career and development as an author, and the life cycle of her book.

Memorial University of Newfoundland, located in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, has seen significant increases in the enrolment of both out-of-province Canadian and international students over the past several decades. Since the mid-1990s, the enrolment levels of students from the nearby Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island have increased almost tenfold. Much discussion has been generated as a result of this increased enrolment, and the reasons for this increase have been the subject of much speculation. It has been suggested that Memorial's low tuition fees relative to other institutions in the Atlantic Canadian region have had a significant impact upon students' institutional choices and enrolment patterns. This research study was carried out to provide further insight into the changes in enrolment patterns among Maritime students and to provide a contextualised account of the reasons why these students choose to attend Memorial University. This research adds to the ongoing dialogue on the changing structure of higher education, the cost of fees, and efforts to widen university access and participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the strandings of sperm whales on the North Atlantic Coastlines of the British Isles and Eastern Canada during the full moon phase; Causes for the stranding events; Association between sperm whale strandings and lunar cycles.

We investigated the nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) of predatory dogwhelks (Nucella lapillus) on intertidal barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides) recruitment through field experiments on the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast and the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. We studied the recruitment seasons (May-June) of 2011 and 2013. In 2011, the Gulf coast had five times more nearshore phytoplankton (food for barnacle larvae and recruits) during the recruitment season and yielded a 58% higher barnacle recruit density than the Atlantic coast at the end of the recruitment season. In 2013, phytoplankton levels and barnacle recruit density were similar on both coasts and also lower than for the Gulf coast in 2011. Using the comparative-experimental method, the manipulation of dogwhelk presence (without allowing physical contact with prey) revealed that dogwhelk cues limited barnacle recruitment under moderate recruit densities (Atlantic 2011/2013 and Gulf 2013) but had no effect under a high recruit density (Gulf 2011). Barnacle recruits attract settling larvae through chemical cues. Thus, the highest recruit density appears to have neutralized dogwhelk effects. This study suggests that the predation risk perceived by settling larvae may decrease with increasing recruit density and that prey food supply may indirectly influence predator NCEs on prey recruitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]