Laval Senior Academy - Day 1 & 2

Tuesday we welcomed 45 sec IV and V students from Laval Senior Academy in Quebec to campus for a marine biology field course.  The first day was busy and exciting for the students as they sampled the benthic and plankton communities and gathered oceanographic data while aboard our research vessel the Fundy Spray, used microscopes in the lab to study plankton and toured the Huntsman Fundy Discovery Aquarium.

On day two the students conducted a classification lab using the live animals they collected the previous day, explored the diversity of life that lives in a rocky intertidal zone, helped to gather data on the invasive green crab and studied seaweeds in the lab.

Pictures of all the students adventures will be posted throughout the week on the Huntsman Education Department Twitter account, as well as here on our blog.

Pressing pause on marine debris at the Huntsman

Over the past few months at the Huntsman we have been looking at ways to reduce marine debris in the Bay of Fundy. Marine debris is any unused man-made object that makes its way (intentionally or unintentionally) into the ocean. A lot of the marine debris throughout the world’s oceans is plastic, and the Bay of Fundy is no exception. 

Collected by five people kayaking for one hour in the Bay. 

View of the Bay of Fundy from Green's Point.

Plastic pulled up in a drag from the bottom.

You may have heard some buzz about this over the past year with some studies coming out showing that there may be more plastic than fish (by weight) it the oceans by 2050! Another study estimated that over 8 million metric tonnes of plastic are entering the oceans each year- this is bad news for animals that might mistake it for food or get caught in it, and for the ocean and beaches which are quickly becoming something of a dumping ground. Most of this garbage takes a long time to break down, if it ever does.

The good news? This is an issue everyone can take part in preventing and correcting! We can each do our part in reducing the amount of plastic in the ocean by going back to the good old 3 R’s: Reduce- Reuse- Recycle.

  

Reduce:

There are lots of tiny things we can do that result in a big reduction in the amount of garbage we produce:

• When shopping, be aware of packaging, and see if the item you need comes in biodegradable or even better, without any packaging.
• Remember your reusable bags at the grocery store.
• Say no to straws!
• Watch out for sneaky hidden plastics in everyday products like toothpaste and face wash. Look at the ingredients list- if ‘polyethylene’ or ‘polypropylene’ is on the list that product contains microbeads!

The blue spots in the toothpaste image are microbeads.

Polyethylene is an ingredient in this face wash.

Reuse:

We can reuse products in their original form to prevent more waste, and often save money.

• Carry your reusable water bottle and coffee cup with you. Some shops provide discounts if you bring your own coffee cup.
• Embrace tupperware and sporks!
• Clothing, books, toys, or electronics can be donated and given a second life- making your trash another person’s treasure. 

From today's lunch.

Recycle:

Finally, if you have any leftover materials that you couldn't avoid, and couldn't find a way to re-use, you can recycle them so they can be turned into something else useful and stay out of the landfill or the ocean.

• Recycling facilities are different in different regions; check with your local service commission about what you can recycle or return for rebate and where. 

If you would like to get more involved in cleaning up a coastline or beach close to you, check out the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up and start or join a clean-up anywhere in Canada! 

Huntsman staff cleaned a beach on Ministers Island in the fall.

Students from Leo Hayes helped clean the Huntsman beach.

10 Reasons the Bay of Fundy is a Great Classroom

This article was published a few years ago in our newsletter, SeaWords. I thought it would be fun to share again.

Beyond Classroom Walls 

With 160 billion tonnes of water flowing in and out of the Bay of Fundy with each tidal cycle – more than the combined flow of the world’s rivers – it is easy to see why its one of the seven natural wonders of Canada. For over 30 years the Huntsman Education Department has introduced 42,000+ students to the wonderful classroom that is the Bay of Fundy.

Ten Reasons the Bay of Fundy is a Great Classroom 

1. Live specimens – Being able to touch and closely observe live marine creatures is an amazing opportunity that engages and excites students.

2. Real time data – Students are able to gather data on invasive species, marine mammals, fish, invertebrates, zonation patterns, and temperature and salinity gradients.

3. Cross curricular – Marine biology is the main focus however, math, art, history and language arts are all by-products as students analyze statistics, complete biological drawings, learn about the area and fishing history and pick up new vocabulary.

4. Biodiversity –As one of the most biologically rich and productive environments on our planet, the Bay offers encounters with invertebrates, fish, seabirds, marine mammals, seaweeds, plankton and more. One group of students identified over 30 species of invertebrates they had collected from the benthic and intertidal environments!

5. Engages all senses – While out on our research vessel, students use all their senses, even taste. Sample a scallop you just caught, smell the salt air, touch a slippery sea cucumber, listen to the gulls and see the beautiful ocean around you.

6. Highest tides in the world – These amazing tides, that drop eight meters, in six hours allow students to walk on the ocean floor and get a firsthand view of an ‘underwater habitat’.

7. Encourages teachable moments – Being in the field allows teachers to take advantage of ideas that capture a student’s interest, without the constraints of bells and class schedules.

8. Flexible – Engages students of all learning styles and encourages curiosity.

9. Unplugged – Why would you want to be plugged in when you could be on the search for a four foot worm on the mud flats?

10. It’s Canada – What better place to explore and understand but those habitats which are your own backyard.

And last, but not least, its fun!

To make the Bay of Fundy your classroom book a field trip. Visit our website for more details.

SeaWords - Fall 2015

Hot off the presses is the Fall 2015 edition of our newsletter, SeaWords: Marine Biology in the Classroom.  In this edition you will find:

• The Bay is it a changing - notes from the 2015 field season
• Whale sightings - 2015
• NEW - The Marine Debris Program
• Activity: The Great Diatom Race
• Sea Creature Facts: Phytoplankton
• Dates for our summer field courses

Hands-on Learning

The Huntsman Marine Science Centre Education Department offers lots of exciting, hands-on learning opportunities for people of all ages. Here is a comprehensive list (click on the links for more information):

• Ocean Exploration for Homeschoolers
• Introduction to Marine Biology - for 5-18 year olds
• All Things Marine - NEW program for FAMILIES
• Young Explorer Days - day camps for 7-12 year olds
• Young Explorer Week - week-long camp for age 7-12
• University Field Courses - the summer of 2016
• University Marine Semester - the fall of 2016
• Road Scholars - for adults

We also offer programs for school groups that would like to come for a day or for a week.  These can be a lab and tour at the Huntsman Fundy Discovery Aquarium or a program tailored to fit your curriculum and interests while staying on campus at our residences.

To register or ask questions about our programs send us a note or call (506) 529-1200.