Each summer, environmental groups collect data to determine if groupings of fish, shrimp and crab – what is called a community – can be used as an indicator of the health status of bays and estuaries. Sampling was conducted from May through September for the first years then from June through August. Data for the years 2004 to 2019 are available. In 2018 and 2019, the sampling was conducted just once in each estuary. Community group members and staff sample six stations once a month in their designated estuary.
Fish, shrimps and crabs are collected with a beach seine net and later released live back to the water once identified and counted. From this, the community groups provide important information to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, including:
- identification and numbers of fish, shrimp and crab species
- water conditions and samples
- information on aquatic plants
- sediment samples
With this information, Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists working with government agencies and Universities can conduct analyses to determine the suitability of indicators to assess the health of bays and estuaries.
