Restoring Hope – Report 2018

Community engagement and interest

Josh March, a natural resource technician and Green Team member with the Conservation Corps, has worked on this project for the past two years. As part of his work, Mr. March has been involved with the development of an aerial map that illustrates the presence and absence of eelgrass along the coast of Placentia Bay, and he’s planted and harvested eelgrass along the coast.

Community engagement and interest

Josh March, a natural resource technician and Green Team member with the Conservation Corps, has worked on this project for the past two years. As part of his work, Mr. March has been involved with the development of an aerial map that illustrates the presence and absence of eelgrass along the coast of Placentia Bay, and he’s planted and harvested eelgrass along the coast.

Community engagement and interest

Josh March, a natural resource technician and Green Team member with the Conservation Corps, has worked on this project for the past two years. As part of his work, Mr. March has been involved with the development of an aerial map that illustrates the presence and absence of eelgrass along the coast of Placentia Bay, and he’s planted and harvested eelgrass along the coast.

Josh March

Mr. March, who is from Blaketown, Trinity Bay, says he spends a lot of time in Placentia Bay.

“I live around that area and I’m a big salmon angler—a lot of my salmon angling is done out in Placentia Bay,” said Mr. March. “A lot of my recreation is done out there with trouting, salmon angling and even some bird hunting. The area is important to me and any work out in this area—it’s good to see it done.”

Mr. March says that the local community is interested in the project—especially the fish harvesters.

“This year a lot more people are interested in a positive way,” said Mr. March. “They’re coming down and seeing what’s being done, asking questions. It’s nice to be able to share information with people while you’re doing good work in the area. Most fishermen I talked to are excited about this. A lot of local fishermen in the area are actively involved in the project—removing the green crab—so they’re out in the field, doing a lot of the work. They’re excited about it.”

"I think a lot of great things can come from the project."

- KILEY BEST

Kiley Best, a fisheries biologist at the Marine Institute, says the project model could be used elsewhere. She hopes the results of this project and the information collected could be helpful for other areas of the province and contribute to global efforts.

“If we have success with this system—if the method works for restoring eelgrass—then we can use this model elsewhere in Newfoundland and Labrador to help even more places outside of this project,” said Ms. Best.

“I think a lot of great things can come from the project from the academic research side, to the ecological benefit side, to the community engagement side—it’s a well-rounded piece of work that Marine Institute should be proud of.”

Mr. March, who is from Blaketown, Trinity Bay, says he spends a lot of time in Placentia Bay.

“I live around that area and I’m a big salmon angler—a lot of my salmon angling is done out in Placentia Bay,” said Mr. March. “A lot of my recreation is done out there with trouting, salmon angling and even some bird hunting. The area is important to me and any work out in this area—it’s good to see it done.”

Mr. March says that the local community is interested in the project—especially the fish harvesters.

“This year a lot more people are interested in a positive way,” said Mr. March. “They’re coming down and seeing what’s being done, asking questions. It’s nice to be able to share information with people while you’re doing good work in the area. Most fishermen I talked to are excited about this. A lot of local fishermen in the area are actively involved in the project—removing the green crab—so they’re out in the field, doing a lot of the work. They’re excited about it.”

"I think a lot of great things can come from the project"

- KILEY BEST

Kiley Best, a fisheries biologist at the Marine Institute, says the project model could be used elsewhere. She hopes the results of this project and the information collected could be helpful for other areas of the province and contribute to global efforts.

“If we have success with this system—if the method works for restoring eelgrass—then we can use this model elsewhere in Newfoundland and Labrador to help even more places outside of this project,” said Ms. Best.

“I think a lot of great things can come from the project from the academic research side, to the ecological benefit side, to the community engagement side—it’s a well-rounded piece of work that Marine Institute should be proud of.”

Mr. March, who is from Blaketown, Trinity Bay, says he spends a lot of time in Placentia Bay.

“I live around that area and I’m a big salmon angler—a lot of my salmon angling is done out in Placentia Bay,” said Mr. March. “A lot of my recreation is done out there with trouting, salmon angling and even some bird hunting. The area is important to me and any work out in this area—it’s good to see it done.”

Mr. March says that the local community is interested in the project—especially the fish harvesters.

“This year a lot more people are interested in a positive way,” said Mr. March. “They’re coming down and seeing what’s being done, asking questions. It’s nice to be able to share information with people while you’re doing good work in the area. Most fishermen I talked to are excited about this. A lot of local fishermen in the area are actively involved in the project—removing the green crab—so they’re out in the field, doing a lot of the work. They’re excited about it.”

"I think a lot of great things can come from the project"

- KILEY BEST

Kiley Best, a fisheries biologist at the Marine Institute, says the project model could be used elsewhere. She hopes the results of this project and the information collected could be helpful for other areas of the province and contribute to global efforts.

“If we have success with this system—if the method works for restoring eelgrass—then we can use this model elsewhere in Newfoundland and Labrador to help even more places outside of this project,” said Ms. Best.

“I think a lot of great things can come from the project from the academic research side, to the ecological benefit side, to the community engagement side—it’s a well-rounded piece of work that Marine Institute should be proud of.”

Mr. March, who is from Blaketown, Trinity Bay, says he spends a lot of time in Placentia Bay.

“I live around that area and I’m a big salmon angler—a lot of my salmon angling is done out in Placentia Bay,” said Mr. March. “A lot of my recreation is done out there with trouting, salmon angling and even some bird hunting. The area is important to me and any work out in this area—it’s good to see it done.”

Mr. March says that the local community is interested in the project—especially the fish harvesters.

“This year a lot more people are interested in a positive way,” said Mr. March. “They’re coming down and seeing what’s being done, asking questions. It’s nice to be able to share information with people while you’re doing good work in the area. Most fishermen I talked to are excited about this. A lot of local fishermen in the area are actively involved in the project—removing the green crab—so they’re out in the field, doing a lot of the work. They’re excited about it.”

"I think a lot of great things can come from the project"

- KILEY BEST

Kiley Best, a fisheries biologist at the Marine Institute, says the project model could be used elsewhere. She hopes the results of this project and the information collected could be helpful for other areas of the province and contribute to global efforts.

“If we have success with this system—if the method works for restoring eelgrass—then we can use this model elsewhere in Newfoundland and Labrador to help even more places outside of this project,” said Ms. Best.

“I think a lot of great things can come from the project from the academic research side, to the ecological benefit side, to the community engagement side—it’s a well-rounded piece of work that Marine Institute should be proud of.”

Mr. March, who is from Blaketown, Trinity Bay, says he spends a lot of time in Placentia Bay.

“I live around that area and I’m a big salmon angler—a lot of my salmon angling is done out in Placentia Bay,” said Mr. March. “A lot of my recreation is done out there with trouting, salmon angling and even some bird hunting. The area is important to me and any work out in this area—it’s good to see it done.”

Mr. March says that the local community is interested in the project—especially the fish harvesters.

“This year a lot more people are interested in a positive way,” said Mr. March. “They’re coming down and seeing what’s being done, asking questions. It’s nice to be able to share information with people while you’re doing good work in the area. Most fishermen I talked to are excited about this. A lot of local fishermen in the area are actively involved in the project—removing the green crab—so they’re out in the field, doing a lot of the work. They’re excited about it.”

"I think a lot of great things can come from the project"

- KILEY BEST

Kiley Best, a fisheries biologist at the Marine Institute, says the project model could be used elsewhere. She hopes the results of this project and the information collected could be helpful for other areas of the province and contribute to global efforts.

“If we have success with this system—if the method works for restoring eelgrass—then we can use this model elsewhere in Newfoundland and Labrador to help even more places outside of this project,” said Ms. Best.

“I think a lot of great things can come from the project from the academic research side, to the ecological benefit side, to the community engagement side—it’s a well-rounded piece of work that Marine Institute should be proud of.”

In addition to restoring eelgrass beds in Placentia Bay, N.L., the Marine Institute and its industry and community partners are building artificial reefs to create new fish habitats in the region as part of the federal government’s $71-million Coastal Restoration Fund

In addition to restoring eelgrass beds in Placentia Bay, N.L., the Marine Institute and its industry and community partners are building artificial reefs to create new fish habitats in the region as part of the federal government’s $71-million Coastal Restoration Fund.

Restoring Hope

For Mr. Hussey, the project instills hope for the potential redevelopment of the coastal fishery.

“I think it’s going to help if we get this eelgrass back and get a handle on the green crab,” said Mr. Hussey. “Hopefully, if we get rid of these little critters, the future would be better for the fishery.”

Mr. March says the project is getting people more interested in the coastal area, and it’s building optimism for the restoration of the fisheries in Placentia Bay.

“It’s bringing back some interest in the ocean that might have been lost,” said Mr. March. “It’s helping the fishermen as well. It gives them some hope.”

Restoring Hope

For Mr. Hussey, the project instills hope for the potential redevelopment of the coastal fishery.

“I think it’s going to help if we get this eelgrass back and get a handle on the green crab,” said Mr. Hussey. “Hopefully, if we get rid of these little critters, the future would be better for the fishery.”

Mr. March says the project is getting people more interested in the coastal area, and it’s building optimism for the restoration of the fisheries in Placentia Bay.

“It’s bringing back some interest in the ocean that might have been lost,” said Mr. March. “It’s helping the fishermen as well. It gives them some hope.”

Restoring Hope

For Mr. Hussey, the project instills hope for the potential redevelopment of the coastal fishery.

“I think it’s going to help if we get this eelgrass back and get a handle on the green crab,” said Mr. Hussey. “Hopefully, if we get rid of these little critters, the future would be better for the fishery.”

Mr. March says the project is getting people more interested in the coastal area, and it’s building optimism for the restoration of the fisheries in Placentia Bay.

“It’s bringing back some interest in the ocean that might have been lost,” said Mr. March. “It’s helping the fishermen as well. It gives them some hope.”