Casco Bay Island – Dive Deeper

Depth: 60.7 m
Equipment: Coastal Drop Camera System

Horse mussels Modiolus modiolus are very dense in some parts of the Quoddy Region. These beds are important habitats. The mussel’s byssus threads stabilise sand and mud seabeds. Their shells provide shelter or attachment points for many animal and seaweed species.

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Underwater photograph of silty seabed with dense horse mussels

(Photo: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Mixed Seabed

Depth: 78.1 m
Equipment: Coastal Drop Camera System

The northern red anemone is the most common anemone species in the Quoddy Region. Individuals can be up to 20 centimetres in diameter and are thought to be able to live for over 50 years.

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Underwater photograph of mixed seabed with boulders and large red anemones

(Photo: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Bedrock

Depth: 77.2 m
Equipment: Coastal Drop Camera System

Northern sea stars Asterias rubens can grow to over 50 centimetres in diameter. The largest ones are usually found in areas where their prey is abundant, such as horse mussels beds.

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Underwater photograph of rocky seabed with northern sea stars and many northern red anemones

(Photo: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Ocean Canada)

Horse Mussel Bed

Depth: 76.0 m
Equipment: Coastal Drop Camera System

Densities of up to 158 horse mussels per square metre have been recorded in the Bay of Fundy. Horse mussel beds provide shelter, nurseries for young, and feeding grounds for many species, including commercially important species such as scallops. Bottom trawling can damage beds and they can take many years to reform.

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Underwater photograph of silty seabed with horse mussels, northern sea stars and northern red anemones

(Photo: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Sea Potato Forest

Depth: 27.9 m
Equipment: Coastal Drop Camera System

The sea potato Boltenia ovifera is a stalked sea squirt. It is associated with areas with strong tidal currents and is very common in the tide-swept channels of the Quoddy Region. Numbers have declined significantly in the Bay of Fundy in recent years. Sea potatoes can be seriously damaged by bottom fishing.

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Underwater photograph of rocky seabed with many sea potato sea squirts

(Photo: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Encrusting Sponge

Depth: 25.3 m
Equipment: Coastal Drop Camera System

It is not always possible to identify all animals to species level from appearance. We can tell this is an encrusting sponge but if we want to know the species we need to take a sample and look at its skeleton using a microscope. In photographic surveys it is not usually possible to take samples. So scientists can identify many sponges only to phylum: ‘Porifera’. This means the true biodiversity of areas can be underestimated.

Underwater photograph of rocky seabed with patch of bright yellow sponge and some sea potato sea squirts

(Photo: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Mixed Seabed

Depth: 22.5 m
Equipment: Coastal Drop Camera System

On gravel and sand seabeds the Atlantic deep-sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus is often found. People fish this species commercially using drags. These are bags made of metal rings which boats tow over the seabed to scoop up the scallops. Drags can capture or damage other seabed dwelling species.

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Underwater photograph of mixed seabed with occasional scallops and urchins

(Photo: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Rocky Seabed

Depth: 22.9 m
Video Credit: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Equipment: Coastal Drop Camera System

Video Description:A lead weight, dangling from the frame of the drop camera, travels sideways over a rocky seabed. It brushes the tops of dense patches of sea potato sea squirts and bounces off boulders. Many northern red anemones are dotted over the seabed. Occasionally we see a flash of light as the camera takes a photograph. The weight that is suspended from the frame of the camera is visible. When this touches the seabed the cable on the weight becomes slack. This then triggers the camera to take a still image. This video has no sound.

Black & White Survey Footage

Credit: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Equipment: Urchin 1 Drop Camera System

Video Description: This black and white underwater video was taken by Peter Lawton’s team in 2002. It was actually taken slightly south of this area in Curry Cove, Campobello Island. We see the frame of the video camera bouncing over the sea bed. It is hard to make out much detail on the seabed but we can see large northern sea stars, northern red anemones, occasional sea potatoes and branching sponges. For this camera system a scientist managed the cable that kept the camera at the right distance from the seabed by hand. They let down or pulled up cable, estimating how much from looking at a small video monitor. It could be hard for them to see this clearly as they were often working in bright sunlight on the deck so the footage is less smooth than on more automated systems. This video has no sound.

Rocky Seabed with Acadian Redfish

Depth: 33.8 m
Video Credit: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Equipement: Urchin 2 Drop Camera System

Video Description: In this underwater video we see a boulder seabed with occasional bright yellow sponges and sea squirts. An orange acadian redfish fish is visible at the base of one boulder. The camera zooms in on the fish. We can see it has a very large eye and dark markings on its body, together with the shape of its fins, these characters help the scientists to identify it. We can see numbers at the top of the video screen. These indicate the time and the geographical position. The red lasers visible on the video are 10 centimetres apart and provide a scale to measure organisms against. Scientists control the camera from the ship and are able to change zoom in on interesting species. This video has no sound.

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SCUBA Diver & Bedrock Wall

Depth: 20.0 m
Video Credit: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Equipment: SONY V101 Camcorder

A SCUBA diver took this video in 1992. This was part of a series of diving surveys led by Peter Lawton. The work was funded by Fisheries and Oceans and the Province of New Brunswick. The aim was to identify sensitive coastal areas for invertebrate fisheries. This was in connection with the major phase of aquaculture development in south-west New Brunswick.

Video Description: A SCUBA diver descends down the steep wall of Casco Bay Island through green tinged water. He passes through a forest of sea potatoes. Under an overhanging ledge a wolffish peers out from its den. The camera zooms in on the wolffish’s mouth letting us see its jagged teeth. This video has no sound.

Travelling on 'Seawolf'

Video Credit: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Equipment: GoPro Hero Action Camera

Video Description: We travel with Peter Lawton and his team out to their dive site on the ‘Seawolf’. ’Seawolf’ is a grey, 8 metre long, RHIB (Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat). The trip is bumpy, travelling at speeds of up to 46 kilometres per hour, ‘Seawolf’ bounces over the crest of waves. Peter’s team sit on special vibration reducing seats and wear protective helmets. We hear the roar of the engines. Spray splashes over the boat’s sides as it crashes through the waves.

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Lobster Walking

Depth: 15.0 m
Video Credit: Peter Lawton, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Equipment: Blackmagic 4K Video Camera (Setup for SCUBA)

Video Description: We follow a lobster as it slowly walks over a rocky seabed. Despite the fact that the depth is only 15 metres, there is little natural light and it is flood lit by the camera’s bright LED lights. The lobster marches past pink-heart hydroids, green sea urchins, sea potatoes and a northern red anemone. An Atlantic rock crab scuttles out of its path. This video has no sound.

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Bedrock with Anemones

Depth: 10.4 m
Equipment: Housed Compact Camera

Rock seabed is important habitat for many species. Some like the northern red anemone grow on top of it. Others, such as lobsters are found hiding in crevices in bedrock and between boulders.

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Underwater photograph of rocky seabed with large northern red anemones and lobster

(Photo: Connie Bishop)

Bedrock Community

Depth: 13.7 m
Equipment: Housed digital SLR camera

The sea vase Ciona intestinalis is not native to Canada and was first introduced to New Brunswick in 1852. It is becoming very common in the Bay of Fundy. It can cause problems for native species and industries like aquaculture.

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Underwater photograph of rocky seabed with dense clusters of sea vase sea squirts and a bright red encrusting sponge

(Photo: Claire Goodwin)

Bedrock with Green Urchins

Depth: 7.5 m
Equipment: Housed digital SLR camera

The green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis is very common around Casco Bay Island. If sea urchins become too abundant they can create areas with no seaweed. These are known as urchin barrens. But if there aren’t enough urchins, seaweed may become over-abundant. It is important to manage pressures as far as possible to keep the ecosystem balanced.

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Underwater photograph of rocky seabed with many green sea urchins

(Photo: Claire Goodwin)

Sea Potato Forest

Depth: 13.1 m
Equipment: Housed digital SLR camera

Sea potatoes Boltenia ovifera are stalked sea squirts. They are very common around Casco and in other tide-swept areas of the Quoddy region.

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Underwater photograph of clusters of stalked sea potato sea squirts on rocky seabed

(Photo: Claire Goodwin)

Sea Raven

Depth: 15.0 m
Video Credit: Chris Harvey-Clark

Video Description: A sea raven slowly swims over a seabed of sand and small boulders. We can hear the exhalations of the diver filming the fish in the background. As the camera zooms in we can see its large pectoral fins, fringed mouth and large rays of its dorsal fin. The branched fleshy tabs under its jaw help us distinguish it from other fish species. Several rows of sharp teeth arm its wide mouth. It is a voracious predator, feeding on many species of fish and invertebrates. It is well camouflaged on the sea bed – looking rather like a seaweed-covered rock. It waits for prey to approach then lunges.

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Reviewing Video

Peter Lawton and a student Callum Mireault review live images onboard the Viola M. Davidson. They are monitoring the camera on the seabed. The boat is position to take advantage of tide and wind conditions to drift across underwater locations of interest. The science team make adjustments including starting and stopping recording of the video feed.

Photograph of Peter Lawton and student watching a live feed of video from the seabed

(Photo: Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

The ‘Viola M. Davidson’

The larger cameras used in deep water need a boat with a crane to lower them to the seabed. For this work Peter uses the 18 metre long Canadian Coastguard vessel ‘Viola M. Davidson’.

Photography of the Canadian coast guard vessel Viola M. Davidson with rocky cliff in the background

(Photo: Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Peter Lawton Prepares to Dive

Fisheries and Oceans Canada researcher Peter Lawton and dive buddy Monica Finley prepare for a survey dive from the ‘Seawolf’. The seawater can range from 2-14°C, depending on the time of year. The divers wear drysuits, thermal layers and thick neoprene hoods and gloves to keep them warm.

Photograph of Peter Lawton and colleague onboard the ‘SeaWolf’ dressed in SCUBA gear and ready to dive.

(Photo: Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Casco Bay Island Accessible Exploration

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