Hillary Lane successfully defended her thesis entitled “Variation in the nutritional value of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) from the Bay of Fundy, Canada” in April 2009.

Herring are often called a “keystone species” and are an important link between the zooplankton and whales, porpoises, seals, seabirds, and large fish in the Bay of Fundy. Prior to this project, little was known about the nutritional value of herring in the Bay. Understanding how the nutritional value of herring varies is crucial to our understanding the biological dynamics in the Bay.

Fish were collected from various weirs and purse seine nets around Grand Manan during summers from 2005-2008 and the total amount of fat in each fish was determined using standard laboratory procedures in Dr. Koopman’s lab in North Carolina.  Some fish were also collected in the winter of 2006-2007.

The amount of fat (a measure of nutritional value) in herring is variable over many scales.

However, spatially, there was no difference in the amount of fat in fish collected from weirs compared to fish collected from purse seine nets, nor between different weirs.

The variation found in herring fat content is likely due to varying nutritional value or abundance of their zooplankton prey. The variation found in the amount of fat in herring has implications for predators. Since different predators eat different sizes of herring, those predators are receiving prey that are worth different amounts nutritionally and can be particularly significant.  Puffins, for instance, feed their chicks small herring.  Less lipids in herring can increase foraging effort, increase the time to fledging, increase the amount of prey the adults must eat, and in particularly poor years, result in the death of chicks when adults can not provide sufficient prey for their chicks.

Funding for this project in 2008 came from the Herring Science Council.  We would also like to thank Connors Brothers in Blacks Harbour, and the weir operators and purse seiners who provided herring samples.

INVESTIGATING HABITAT, DIET AND FEMALE BODY SIZE ON EGG QUALITY IN THE AMERICAN LOBSTER (Homarus americanus).

The lobster fishery is one of the most important fisheries in the Bay of Fundy, however, little is known about egg viability.  In this pilot study, the effects of three factors, body size, habitat and diet, that potentially affect the quality of eggs (egg size, lipid (fat) content and composition) produced by a given female were examined. Eggs were also sampled at three points in the development cycle (immediately post-spawning [September], mid-development [December] and just before hatching [June]) to determine whether eggs produced by various females exhibited the same seasonal patterns of lipid levels and utilization.

Although there is a lot of variation in the preliminary data (which is why we will continue this study in 2009) there are several trends that seem clear:

• There appear to be both female size and temporal influences on the lipid content of lobster eggs. Depending on the sampling period, either the smallest or the medium lobsters had the highest lipid content. However at no time period did the large lobsters have the greatest amount of lipid in their eggs, which is an interesting observation. Once the female size effect was removed, eggs from December had greater lipid contents than either September or June. This is difficult to interpret and we will wait for further samples from 2009 before attempting to explain this pattern.
• There appear to be both female size and temporal influences on the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the eggs. Large lobsters had consistently lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids than small or medium lobsters. Once female size was taken into account, overall omega-3 levels were highest in September and then lower in December and June, which could be interpreted as use of these developmentally important fatty acids during early phases of growth of the embryos.
• There is a temporal effect on the levels of triacylglycerols, but less of an effect of female size (although overall the large females did have less of this lipid class). Triacylglycerols were highest in September, lower in December, and lowest in June, which makes complete sense if developing embryos are relying on this important storage lipid for energy during development.
• Our limited sample size for egg measurements suggested no obvious relationship between female size and egg size, however it did appear that the eggs of larger females had higher indices of development than did those of smaller lobsters.

What does this mean? Our first year of data suggests that eggs from larger females >140 mm (carapace length (CL)) might contain less total lipid and fewer omega-3 fatty acids than females with CL <140mm. Lipid content and omega-3 fatty acids are known to be important for proper and rapid development of eggs into healthy larvae and if the differences we observe are biologically important, it could mean that eggs produced by larger lobsters might not grow as quickly, or have the same probability of post-hatching survival as those from smaller lobsters. Our egg measurement data hint at variable rates of embryonic development among females, with larger females potentially carrying eggs that either develop much more rapidly or much more slowly than those of their smaller counterparts. However, we have only collected samples from one year, and only from 90 lobsters, so we are unable to make any firm conclusions at this point. It is important to also remember that this research took place in a calendar year (2008) but the reproductive cycles of lobsters do not follow this schedule. The eggs we sampled in 2008 were not all from the same cohort (i.e. the eggs sampled in June were spawned in summer 2007, while those sampled in September and December were spawned in 2008) but rather represented two different cohorts. The additional year of sampling should help to clarify our results and allow us to be more confident in our interpretation of the data.

Funding for this project was awarded to Dr. Koopman, Biology and Marine Biology, UNCW from Maine Sea Grant and North Carolina Sea Grant.  All samples were taken under a Fisheries and Oceans permit.

HARBOUR PORPOISE RELEASE PROGRAM

In 2008 the GMWSRS completed the 18th year of the Harbour Porpoise Release Program (HPRP).  Harbour porpoise entrapment rates were low this year, which was not surprising since Grand Manan herring landings were extremely reduced compared to previous years.  Typically porpoise and herring catch rates are closely related.  It is unclear why the herring stayed off shore during 2008 but some have linked it to an over-abundance of freshwater in the Bay of Fundy during the spring and some heavy rainfall in the summer.  The HPRP worked with local weir fishermen to ensure that the few porpoises that did swim into weirs in 2008 were released successfully. 

The 2008 Harbour Porpoise Release Program began in the first week in July with the arrival of the release team at the field station on Grand Manan.  Formal weir checks began on July 12th and were carried out until September 1st.  Although some years we check weirs well into September and do have entrapments, we decided that given the high cost of fuel and the few porpoise entrapments, it would be alright.  Had any entrapments have occurred, the weir operators would have alerted us.
This year the Release Program recorded a total of 14 porpoises in weirs, which was down slightly from the 21 recorded in 2007.  Most entrapments occurred in August, which is typically when we see the greatest number of porpoises in weirs.  Of these 14 entrapped porpoises, six swam out unassisted, and eight were actively released.   We did not experience any mortalities during 2008.  No other whales were reported in Grand Manan weirs during 2008.  We did record at least 3 basking sharks in weirs, all of which were released alive.

A large portion of our success is due to the frequent use of our mammal seines.  These nets are used to release porpoises and whales while leaving herring inside the weir.  We helped develop the first mammal seine in 1991 and also helped in obtaining the second larger net in 2002.  Our data show that porpoise mortality rates are far less when fishermen use the mammal seine (2%) vs. a herring seine (11%) so we strongly encourage its use.  We have discovered that individual seines are better suited for use in specific weirs and as such guide the fishermen on which seine to use.  All porpoise seines were carried out using the mammal seines this year, which likely contributed to our high success rate.

Entrapments over the season
A sharp decline in overall herring landings was observed in 2008.  Porpoises like to stay close to their prey, and remained with the herring offshore.  The few weir entrapments we recorded were not associated with herring catches and probably represent random porpoises swimming into weirs.  The irregular nature of porpoise entrapment rates weirs makes it difficult to predict what will happen in 2009 (see Fig. 1). 

Porpoises handled this year
Together with the help of Grand Manan weir fishermen we successfully released eight porpoises during the 2008 field season.  We were able to obtain some measure of information from all eight of these individuals.  Here is a summary of the harbour porpoise releases from 2008 (each weir is named individually):

The largest porpoise (GM0805) caught during 2008 was a male who was 141 cm in length and weighed 45 kg, The smallest porpoise (GM0802) was a tiny calf who was not responsive in the boat and was thus quickly returned to the water before measurements could be taken.  In addition we had a recapture of a female porpoise (GM0806 Aug 16, 140 cm and 40 kg in 2008) that was first caught in 2007 (GM0706 Aug 28, then 127 cm and 41 kg). 

We clipped small, uniquely numbered plastic roto-tags on the dorsal fins of all five porpoises (Green for females and Orange for males—we change colours every year); these tags allow us to identify individuals if they are later re-sighted.  Several of the porpoises we roto-tagged in previous years were sighted around Grand Manan over the course of the summer.

It is difficult to predict what 2009 has in store, but as usual the GMWSRS will be standing by ready to assist local weir fishermen with porpoise and whale entrapments.  The GMWSRS as a small non-profit organization struggling along with the rest of Canada during these hard financial times, is very grateful for the continued support and look forward to continued support in 2009.

THANK YOU to our funding partners, private donations, and the weir operators for their continued support: Down to Earth Conservation and Education, Connors Brothers, Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society, McLean Foundation, Huntsman Marine Science Centre.

THE BAY OF FUNDY AS A STOP-OVER FOR MIGRATORY SEABIRDS: CRITICAL HABITATS AND HEALTH OF SHEARWATERS. Rob Ronconi
The study of shearwaters in the Bay of Fundy continued in 2008.  The field season ran from 21 July and 11 September during which time we captured, processed and released  95 Greater shearwaters and 2 Sooty shearwaters. The main findings of the study were as follows:
   
Seabird health: Over four years we have banded nearly 300 shearwaters and recorded standard measurements (weight, size, wing moult) for all birds. In 2008 this accounted for 95 Greater shearwaters and 2 Sooty arwaters and although it was hoped to band more birds, the concentrations of shearwaters were not present in 2008, increasing the difficulty of capturing individuals. The most significant finding from these data is that shearwaters gain weight and complete their wing-moult while foraging in the Bay of Fundy. This shows the importance of the Bay of Fundy as foraging habitat to replenish body reserves for long-distance migration.

As a follow-up to these findings, in 2008 we initiated a new study investigating other techniques to monitor health changes in seabirds during this critical staging period. We tested for seasonal changes in health from hematology (blood cell counts, n = 39), triacylglycerols (TAG) levels (lipids in the blood that represent fat reserves, n = 52), and corticsterone (stress hormones, n = 47). Hematology parameters showed changes within seasons and among years suggesting that this may be a valuable tool for health monitoring and also corresponds with migration timing. TAG levels were highly variable and showed no seasonal trends, but were positively correlated with bird mass, confirming that bird mass is an overall good indicator of fattening. Corticosterone analysis encountered problems in the lab and results are not available for reporting at this time.
   
Seabird diet: More than 50 blood and 70 feather samples were collected from shearwaters for dietary analysis. Greater and Sooty Shearwater diets show inter-annual differences in the Bay of Fundy (blood samples) but no differences at moulting grounds (feather samples). Stable isotope mixing models show both krill and herring to be the major components of shearwater diets. There were subtle but consistent differences in diet among shearwater species. Stable isotopes analysis of bird blood show detectable differences in diet among years, suggesting that sampling of seabird diets can be a useful tool for tracking ecosystem changes in the Bay of Fundy.

We have now completed four years of sampling shearwater diets in the Bay of Fundy and have expanded the number of prey species in the analysis, adding 50 prey samples in 2008 including krill, squid and several fish species.
Tracking studies: This was the third year of satellite tracking studies. Satellite tags were deployed on 2 Sooty shearwaters and 9 Greater shearwaters in August 2008. These birds were tracked for approximately 110 days on average (minimum 38 and maximum 181 days).  Mapping of tracks show distinct “hotspots” of activity around Grand Manan and we observed several new patterns with tracking this year. This included: 

These new discoveries highlight the individual variability in animal movements that exist within a population, and thus the need to include a large sample size, spread among years.

Permits for capture, banding, tagging and sampling (feathers and blood) were obtained from the Canadian Wildlife Service (#SC2599) and the Bird Banding Office (sub permit under Dr. Tony Diamond, UNB, permit #10480 S). University Animal Care Certificate for research protocols was issued to Dr. Heather Koopman, University of North Carolina Wilmington (certificate #2007-007). U.S. Federal Fish and Wildlife import permit under the Migratory Bird Act was obtained to send blood samples to North Carolina for laboratory analysis (#MB112041-0). We also obtained an Industry Canada license for the use of transmitters designed for wildlife.

Rob Ronconi, a Research Biologist at the GMWSRS, successfully defended his PhD at the University of Victoria in April 2008 and has started a post-doctoral fellowship at Dalhousie University in Halifax. The shearwater project in 2008 was funded through the New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund, and Envronment Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund. The research station also relies on the generous donations of many individuals for this project.

RED-NECKED PHALAROPES
We worked with Robin Hunnewell again in 2008 and were able to catch red-necked phalaropes at night for her research.  She attached tiny radio transmitters to the birds to track their movements.  Normally these phalaropes will spend about three weeks in the Bay gaining enough weight to continue their migration.  However we do not see them in one location for a sufficient length of time for this fattening process to occur.  It was hoped that the radio transmitters might allow Robin to track their movements while in the Bay.  The signals could be picked up from land promontories but better reception was obtained from the air, using the local air charter service on Grand Manan. 

Robin was able to determine that the tagged phalaropes were travelling back and forth across the Bay from off Grand Manan to off Brier Island in Nova Scotia which may explain why birds are not seen for extended periods of time in one location as used to happen when the birds stopped between Campobello and Deer Islands in large numbers.  She plans to continue her work in 2009 as part of her PhD. Thesis.

RIGHT WHALES

Right Whale Stewardship

• provide detailed information about the process of disentangling whales to a diverse group ranging from youth who may become involved in marine trades to aquaculture to fishermen to recreational boaters to some government departments,
• determine in the local communities whether there are individuals who would like to learn more about the process and possibly become part of the whale disentanglement team, and
  
• build a stronger network of individuals/groups who may be able to help with this.

Right Whale Notes

MUSEUM & GIFT SHOP

PERSONNEL IN 2008

FRIENDS FOR 2008
If you wish to continue or are not already a Friend please fill in the form. If you know someone who would like to be added to our list, please pass this information along. 

Mary Lou Campbell, Grand Manan NB (our founding donor) (all categories, excluding right whale adoptions but including memoriams) Shirley Alcoe, Fredericton, NB Eric Earle Aubanel, Fredericton, NB Dave Barbara, Rahway, NJ Linda Baty, Alburquerque, NM Pam Bennett, Scarborough, ON Simon Brunner, Hillsburgh, ON Mary Lou Campbell, Grand Manan, NB Laurie Campbell, Fredericton, NB Carol Carter, Arnprior, ON Kirk & Holly Cheney, Grand Manan, NB Fred & Eileen Christensen, Newmarket, ON Ann Chudleigh, Chelsea, QC Jennifer Clarke, Hamilton, ON Eldon & Lena Clelland, Kincardine, ON Marie Cousineau, Saint-Lazare, QC Sue Corey, Owen Sound, ON Ray & Mary Cousins, Aurora, ON Patricia Cove, Mallorytown, ON Marie Crawford, Etobicoke, ON John & Joan Creager, State College, PA James Cruikshank, Needham, MA Anne Dagg, Waterloo, ON Brenda Dale, Sherwood Park, AB Halton Dalzell, Fredericton, NB Virginia & Stephen Damon, Tamworth, NH Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust, Charlottetown, PE Terry Davidson, Grand Manan, NB Keith Davis, Nepean, ON Lee & Alma Day, Bright's Grove, ON Ernest Donaldson, Belwood, ON Larry & Wendy Findlay, Calgary, AB Fischhoff Family, Pittsburgh, PA James Gardiner, Scarborough, ON Audra Gimzauskus, Hamilton, ON Joan Green, Fredericton, NB Bill & Pam Gudgeon, Burlington, ON Sarah Haney, Bolton, ON Pennie & Leonard Harvey, Scarborough, ON Larry Hassler, Lynchburg, VA Maureen Huber, Shanty Bay, ON Linda Hutchings, Calgary, AB Barb & Gene Ingersoll, Grand Manan, NB Douglas Jackson, Fredericton, NB Charles Jefferson, Ottawa, ON Anne Jeffrey, Columbus, OH Anne Koopman, Campbellville, ON Brigitte Krukowski, Linwood, ON Linda L'Aventure, Grand Manan, NB Paul Lebl, Oakville, ON Roger LeBlanc, Moncton, NB Andrea Lebowitz, North Vancouver, BC Marion Leeman, Fredericton, NB Velta Ligers, Hamilton, ON Foon Lum, Mississauga, ON Derek Matthews, Vestal, NY Gordon Maxfield, Holliston, MA John & Dodie Toronto, ON Marlene McVicar, North York, ON Nancy Mersereau, North Lancaster, ON Richard Nason, Glen Mills, PA Dr. Ieva Neimanis, Hamilton, ON Richard Peckham, Bedford, NS Ann Posen, Toronto, ON Dr. Yolande Prénoveau, Pierrefonds, QC Helen Prinoid, Guelph, ON Jan Purvis, London, ON Roberta Quay, Sparta, MI Robert Righter, Denver, CO Terrance Schappert, Newmarket, ON Verola Sennhenn, Columbus, WI Andy Silber, Toronto, ON Heather Silliker, Upper Coverdale, NB Dan & May Sinnett, Hammond, ON Basil Small, Grand Manan, NB Jane Smart, Toronto, ON Marcia Stephen, Orillia, ON Lloyd Strickland, Ottawa, ON Jerry Tompkins, Piton, ON Michael Turner, Scarborough, ON Rohan van Twest, Guelph, ON Edith Weber, Wyevale, ON

Ron Harris & Wendy Rogers, Nasonworth, NB Brian,Wiese, Shanty Bay, ON Allan & Loretta Wilkins, Grimsby, ON Dennis Wood, Toronto, ON Jim & Lee Young, Pickering, ON Diane Zierold, Lubec, ME Rosemarie Zucker, Toronto, ON Legislative Assembly Library, Fredericton, NB Berner Trail Public School, Scarborough, ON Victoria University Library, C.K. Socknat, Toronto, ON Grand Manan Teachers Association, Grand Manan, NB Five Anonymous donations through United Way, Charlottetown, PE, and Ottawa, ON, and Canada Helps SYMBOLIC RIGHT WHALE ADOPTIONS: (see www.AdoptRightWhales.ca for list of adopters): Doris Applebaum, Oak Park, MI Michael & Vanessa Bass, Sackville, NB Cynthia & Jim Bast, Austin, TX Susan & Matthew Collier, Powell, OH Susan Corey, Owen Sound, ON Robert Cormack, Lafayette, CA Robin Cormier, Halifax, NS Kelly Danyow, Ferrisburg, VT Joyce Derksen, Windsor, ON Karen Doak, Memramcook, NB Susan Durant, Cambridge, ON Mary Catherine Edwards, Kingston, ON Debby Esch, Toronto, ON Ann Firman, Oshawa, ON Anna Maria Forrest, Fredericksburg, VA Anne Green, Toronto, ON Diane Gregory, Waterloo, ON Peter Hall, Ferguson Cove, NS Matthew Aaron Hall, Vancouver, BC Sarah Haney, Bolton, ON Mark Hatchette, Calgary, AB Lisa & Robert Henderson, Arthur, ON Kent Hunter, Newmarket, ON Linda Hutchings, Calgary, AB Cathy James, Hernando, MS Hannah Johnston, Chevy Chase, MD Rose Jones, Kingston, ON Kris Kearns, Sagamore Hills, OH Agnes Koller, Fredericton, NB Donald Kumpula Jr., Seattle, WA Catherine Laratte, Shediac, NB Daniel Lavan, Ottawa, ON Chantal Léger, Montréal, QC Eleanor Linberg, Schenectady, NY Doug Long, Mountain, ON Sheila MacDonald, East Gore, NS J. Philip McAleer, Bedford, NS John McCrory, Raleigh, NC Debby McNamara, Tallahassee, FL Sue Ann Ostrom, Kimball, MI Craig Pitts, Wolfe Island, ON Dr. Yolande Prénoveau, Pierrefonds, QC Melissa Rock, High River, AB Marilyn Ross, Fayeteville, PA Judy Stone, Grand Manan, NB Sue Stymest, Grand Manan, NB Lindsay Tamarri, Highwood, IL Trish Toll, Grand Manan, NB Deborah Turkovich, Wainfleet, ON Jayne Turner, Grand Manan, NB Jason Vick, Pierrefonds, QC Elizabeth Walker, Aurora, ON Sarah Weston, Halifax, NS Kathy Wheeler, Nepean, ON Dede Wilson, London, UK Mary Viviano, Pearl Lean Elementary, Warren, MI Sheila Weeks Bonnar, South Devon Elementary, Fredericton, NB Alison Wells, Margaret Park School, Winnipeg, MB Leo Baeck Day School, Thornhill, ON Susan Rendell, Cambridge & District Elementary School, Cambridge Station, NS Jamie Nyland, Pineview Public School, Athens, ON Yuki Harimoto, U. of Toronto Innis College Residence Environmental Committee Toronto, ON Joanne Carney, Tall Ship Adventures, St. Andrews, NB Becky Jo Farrington, Clean Water Action, East Lansing, MI Kate Engler, AMEK, San Diego, CA

THANK YOU for IN KIND SUPPORT

We would like to thank everyone who has donated time and effort to our work and projects including the Weir Operators, whale watch companies (Whales-n-Sails Adventures, Quoddy Link Marine), Dr. Tony Diamond, Campobello Whale Rescue, Marine Animal Rescue Society, Jerry Conway, Grand Manan Fishermens Association, Yan Guilbault and especially Andrea Kelter.  For those who supplied herring for the lipid project: Jeff and Carter Foster, Matt Lambert, Blaine and Stacy Brown, Danny and Russell Ingalls, Earl Wayne Green and their crews, Connors Bros. and the St. Andrews Biological Station.

Congratulations to both Zach Swaim and Rob Ronconi for successfully defending their graduate degrees, a Masters and a PhD, respectively.

Dr. Aleksija Neimanis, who has been with the GMWSRS for many years and works as a  wildlife pathologist at the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre in Saskatoon, is starting a new job at the Pathology and Wildlife Disease Division of the National Veterinary Institute in Uppsala, Sweden.

PUBLICATIONS 2008/9

Scientific Papers, Book Chapters:

• Bellefleur, D., P. Lee and R.A. Ronconi. In press. The impact of recreational boat traffic on Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus).  Journal of Environmental Management.
• Meagher, E.M. , W.A. McLellan, A.J. Westgate, R.S. Wells, J.E. Blum, D.A. Pabst. 2008. Seasonal patterns of heat loss in wild bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ). Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology (2008) 178:529–543
• Neimanis, A.S., H. N. Koopman, A. J. Westgate, K. Nielsen, and F. A. Leighton. 2008. Evidence of Exposure to Brucella sp. in Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the Bay of Fundy, Canada  Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 44(2) pp. 480–485
• Swaim, Z., H. Koopman, A. Westgate, R. Rolland, and S. Kraus. 2009. Metabolism of ingested lipids by North Atlantic right whales.  Endangered Species Research Vol. 6: 259–271
  
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Learned Societies Presentations

• Lane, Hillary. Ontogenetic, seasonal, and annual variation in lipid content and composition of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) from the Bay of Fundy, Canada. American Fisheries Society Tidewater Chapter Meeting, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Glouchester Point, VA, March 6-8 2008.
• Lane, Hillary. Temporal and ontogenetic variation in the nutritional value of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), an important prey species in the Bay of Fundy, Canada. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC, March 28-30, 2008. Awarded best talk by a master's student.
• Lane, H and HN Koopman. Ontogenetic and temporal variation in the nutritional quality of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) from the Bay of Fundy, Canada. Annual Meeting, Tidewater Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (2009, Wilmington NC).  Awarded second best talk by student.
• Murison, L and P. Hamilton. Contributions to the Right Whale Catalogue from a Canadian whale watch vessel. North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Annual Meeting.  Nov. 5-6, 2008, New Bedford, MA
• Murison, L and Mackie Greene. Community outreach to increase awareness and involvement in whale disentanglement. North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Annual Meeting.  Nov. 5-6, 2008, New Bedford, MA
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• Ronconi, R.  2008.  Patterns and processes of marine habitat selection: foraging ecology, competition and coexistence among coastal seabirds. PhD. Thesis, University of Victoria, British Columbia.
• Swaim, Z. 2008. Lipid metabolism by right whales: Using fecal samples to assess assimilation of copepod triacylglycerols and was esters. Master’s Thesis. University of North Carolina, Wilmington.
• Lane, H. 2009. Variation in the nutritional value of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) from the Bay of Fundy, Canada. Master’s Thesis. University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

• Harbour Porpoise Release Program (HPRP Team).  Our team will arrive in July and respond to any entrapments.
• Whale Watch Data Collection (Laurie Murison).  Locations, numbers, species identification and photo-identification data will again be collected on Whales-n-Sails whale watch trips. 
• Nutritional Quality of Herring for Higher Predators (Heather Koopman & Hillary Lane). Herring from weirs and purse seiners will be collected during the summer and later analyzed in Dr. Koopman’s lab in North Carolina. Funding through the Herring Science Council. Final year.
• Large Whale Disentanglement Network (GMWSRS).  We will be ready to respond to any entanglements during the summer.
• Diet Analysis and Satellite Tracking of Shearwaters and Gulls (Rob Ronconi).  Shearwaters, and now gulls, will be caught at sea, banded, sampled, and a few satellite tracked.  Check http://www.seaturtle.org for updates on the project.  Emphasis will be placed on defining essential feeding habitat. Funding from New Brunswick Wildlife Trust, Environmental Damage Fund and Royal Caribbean Ocean Fund. Bowdoin College Research Station on Kent Island will also be involved in the gull component of this study which will constitute an undergraduate thesis project.
• Locating, Capturing and Radio Tagging Red-necked Phalaropes.  We will provide logistical support to Robin Hunnewell from Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and a PhD. Candidate at Univ. of New Brunswick to capture red-necked phalaropes at sea
• Tracking Basking Sharks (Caitlin McKinstry & Andrew Westgate) a preliminary study will be undertaken to attach a satellite tracking tag to a basking shark as a Masters of Science project.  Funding from PADI.
• Lobster Egg Lipids (Heather Koopman) a pilot study to determine the energy content of eggs from wide size range of female lobsters.  Maine & North Carolina Sea Grant funding to Dr. Koopman.
• Right Whale Stewards (Laurie Murison) developing a program for schools to learn more about right whales. Funding from Government of Canada, Habitat Stewardship Program.
• Future work: Energy and contaminant levels of food provision by Leach’s Storm Petrel to chicks. Masters of Science project.
  

Without the cooperation of all of our personnel, we would not be able to accomplish the work undertaken each summer.  It is not unusual for our researchers to release a porpoise in the morning, collect zooplankton samples in the afternoon and then prepare herring for analysis in the evening.  We are also grateful that most are able to volunteer their time and expertise to accomplish our research and conservation goals.  

• We appreciate your support and look forward to a continued friendship. Please fill out the donation form
  and help us continue our programs.

 
(previous newsletters: 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 )

GMWSRS Grand Manan Whale & Seabird Research Station Inc. 24 Route 776, Grand Manan, NB, Canada, E5G 1A1 www.gmwsrs.org E-Mail info@gmwsrs.org © 2009 Grand Manan Whale & Seabird Research Station Inc. This page maintained by revised June 25, 2009