Leo Hayes High School – Day 2 and 3

Yesterday morning the students got all bundled up to head out on the Huntsman research vessel, the Fundy Spray.  While onboard the vessel they collected plankton, counted animals collected using the benthic drag, and gathered temperature and salinity data for Passamaquoddy Bay.  The students had a lot of fun, even the people that had to count over 400 sea urchins!
 
Back in the lab the students had a chance to look at the plankton samples that they had collected while onboard the boat.  There were great examples of many different species including Coscinodiscus sp., Thalassionema sp., Asterionella sp., Ceratium sp., and Copepod sp.  The phytoplankton were so beautiful with their vibrant green colouration.
 
After lunch the crew visited the aquarium where they helped staff clear the animals out of the touch tank so that it can be cleaned.  Half of the students stayed in the aquarium and helped to feed the animals, while the other half went to check out the aquaculture facilities on campus and job shadow the aquaculture technicians.  With the aquaculture technicians the students got to feed the salmon and take part in a dissection of a deceased broodstock fish to determine its cause of death. 
 
After getting all cleaned up the students headed into St. Andrews for supper and a night on the town…haha!
 
This morning the students switched jobs with half going to work at the aquarium and half going to work with the aquaculture staff before heading back to Fredericton just before lunch. 
 
Thank you for all of your hard work!

The students onboard the Fundy Spray.

Playing plankton bingo!

Taking the animals out of the touch tank.

Some of the animals ready to move to their temporary home.

Genny and the girls getting food ready for the animals.

Feeding salmon with the aquaculture technicians.

Salmon ready for their post-mortem exam.

The boys helping to get the last of the lobsters and fish out of the touch tank.