Scientists to spend years studying human impact on Canada’s coastlines

Fisheries and Oceans Canada says in a release that scientists will spend the next several years collecting data from six areas where there is existing vessel traffic, or the potential for increased vessel traffic. (Wikimedia Commons, Fair Use)

VANCOUVER — The federal government plans to spend more than $50 million to collect data on Canada’s coastlines to help determine how humans are impacting marine ecosystems.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada says in a release that scientists will spend the next several years collecting data from six areas where there is existing vessel traffic, or the potential for increased vessel traffic.

The areas in the study include the Port of Vancouver and Port of Prince Rupert in B.C., the St. Lawrence Estuary in Quebec, the Port of St. John in New Brunswick, Placentia Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador and an undetermined location in the Arctic.

Fisheries and Oceans says officials will look to Indigenous and coastal communities to determine what data should be collected in each area.

The release says information gathered under the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program will help detect changes in the environment and determine the effects of human activity

The ministry says the data will also be used to make decisions that could impact sensitive marine habitat and species.