Canada

1
Canadas Marine Environments
2
The Arctic Ocean

• Coldest ocean area
• 173 000 km of coastline
• Seasonally covered in ice
• Key Polynyas in the region
• These are biological hotspots, unfrozen sea ice

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• Subsistence hunting and fishing are the major
  human uses in the region

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• Only a small arctic char commercial fishery
• It was probably fished at or above the maximum
  sustainable yield
• Large marine mammals dominate the region
• Some subsistence hunting of whales, even the
  endangered Bowhead whale
• Bioaccumulations and biomagnifications are large
  problems with marine life in the arctic

5

• Hydroelectric dams on rivers flowing into the
  arctic region are having serious affects on
  anadromous fish species
• Climate change is the largest and most serious
  threat to the Arctic marine environment
• Will/is having dramatic affect on sea ice cover
• Oil/gas exploration as well as diamond mines are
  also threatening the area

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Pacific Ocean

• Smallest coastline
• Warmest waters
• Mixing of north and south currents creates a
  highly productive region
• Major fish species include 5 species of salmon,
  3 species of trout

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• Cod, flounder, lingcod, herring, shrimp, crabs,
  scallops, clams are all important commercial fish
• Commercial fishing in BC employed 5400 people
  (declining) made 358 million
• Recreational fishing in BC employed 8900 people
  and made 675 million
• Today the BC salmon fishery is collapsing
• - see articles posted on website

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Threats include

• Rising ocean temps
• El nino
• Wastewater is the worst offender

• Urban and agricultural runoff
• Oil
• Chemical spills

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Atlantic Ocean

• Used to be worlds richest ground for Cod
• Said to be so thick they would slow ships
• 1992 moratorium on cod
• Stocks declined 97 in 30 years
• Cod is now and endangered species

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• Coastline is about 40 000 km
• Large continental shelf
• High levels of biological activity because of the
  meeting of warm Gulf Stream and cold Labrador
  Current
• Upwelling occurs here lots of nutrients
• Nova Scotia current also plays a role

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Threats

• Lack of knowledge
• Marine pollution
• Municipal and industrial effluent
• Heavy metals
• Improper total allowable catches

• Pulp and paper mills
• Mines
• Food processing plants
• Agricultural runoff
• Discarded fishing nets (ghostfishing)
• bycatch