Pelagic Fish Telemetry in Bay of Fundy Aquaculture Region

Acoustic telemetry data tracks pelagic fish and predator movements in Passamaquoddy Bay and the Bay of Fundy to assess aquaculture impacts. The network monitored tagged species including 340 hatchery-reared wild salmon, 30 wild alewives, and 99 farmed Atlantic salmon. Data collection occurs annually from April to December, with network deployment planned through 2025.

Use Cases

• Analyze movement speed and migration routes of tagged salmon, mackerel, and herring relative to aquaculture site locations.
• Estimate survival rates and identify suspected predators from acoustic detection sequences across the receiver network.
• Model species interaction and residence times at specific aquaculture sites using time-series detection data.
• Assess seasonal distribution patterns from April to December for species like white shark, porbeagle, and striped bass.

Strengths

• Data collection spans multiple years, specifically citing releases in 2018, 2019, and 2021.
• Monitors a diverse species list including salmon, mackerel, herring, sharks, and marine mammals.
• Network deployment covers specific, ecologically significant areas: Passamaquoddy Bay, the Bay of Fundy, and aquaculture sites.
• Project has a defined long-term scope with network placement continuing into 2025.

Limitations

• Exact sample sizes for most species beyond the initial salmon, alewife, and farmed salmon releases are not provided.
• Data is geographically focused on a specific Canadian coastal region, limiting broader ecological inferences.
• The description does not specify the temporal resolution (e.g., hourly, daily) of the acoustic detections.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, collected via the Ocean Tracking Network OBIS IPT.

Collection Method

Acoustic telemetry using a network of receivers deployed annually from April to December across passageways and aquaculture sites.

Time Range

Monitoring occurred in 2018, 2019, and 2021, with annual deployments from April to December continuing through 2025.

Freshness

Data was last updated in the system on March 24, 2026, indicating recent maintenance.

Geography

Passamaquoddy Bay and the Bay of Fundy, Canada, including specific aquaculture sites and passageways.