Maritimes Conservation Network: St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area (MPA) Acoustic Tracking Study

The St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area was established in June 2017. In support of the long-term management of this MPA, an ecosystem monitoring program is currently being designed to evaluate performance relative to conservation objectives.

Data describing the spatial-temporal patterns of species movement relative to MPA boundaries is essential for evaluating species composition and to gauge the protective capacity of the MPA. In 2015, a snow crab (Chionoceotes opilio) movement monitoring project was established in the St. Anns Bank area, with collaboration between industry, the OTN and DFO (previously projects V2LSCF and ZSC).

Acoustic receiver arrays deployed as part of this project provide an opportunity to record the presence of tagged species who reside in, or transit through, the MPA. In particular, acoustic monitoring of tagged focal species (Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Atlantic striped wolfish (Anarhichas lupus)), Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus), and snow crab inside the MPA and beyond the receiver array, will provide important information for performance evaluation and design.

As part of the Maritimes Conservation Network, this tracking study will contribute to understanding species connectivity among sites of conservation interest in the region.