Canadian Information Session
on Remote-Sensing Applications to Fisheries
Bedford Institute of Oceanography
March 13, 2009

Fish harvesters know that the colour of the sea changes from place to place and from season to season.
Generally speaking, water that is more greenish indicates a place that is more biologically rich, due tohigh phytoplankton production, and therefore more favourable to fish. We can quantify thesedifferences in colour using optical instruments and thus convert ocean colour into estimates ofproductivity and biomass. Furthermore, we can obtain estimates over wide spatial scales usinginstruments carried on spacecraft orbiting the Earth, giving continuous information over the entire
global ocean. This method, called remote sensing, yields rich information on the marine ecosystem. It
allows us to observe the state of the ecosystem in real time at low incremental cost. We can see thegeographical differences in the form of maps, then the seasonal changes and the variation between
years when we present the data as time series.
Why is this of interest to fish harvesters? Fish harvesters know that healthy fish populations depend on
healthy ecosystems, so an economical way to keep watch on the ecosystem must be of value. Also,annual ecosystem changes affect the recruitment and growth of exploited populations. Suchapplications have already been demonstrated in Atlantic Canada for a groundfish (haddock) and an
invertebrate (Northern shrimp). It is time for the fish harvesters to be informed about what is available
and what might be possible.
Free registration, lunch provided and limited travel funds available. Registration is essential. Online
registration form www.geosafari.org should be emailed to forgetmh@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca or faxed to902-426-9388 by 6 March 2009.

Canadian Information Session
on Remote-Sensing Applications to Fisheries
Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Provisional Agenda

Friday, March 13, 2009
8:30am to 8:45am

Trevor Platt - Introductory Remarks

8:45am to 9:00am

Tana Worcester – On the use of remotely-sensed data forfisheries harvesting, science & management

9:00am to 9:45am

Venetia Stuart – Introduction to remote sensing

9:45am to 10:15am

Break

10:15am to 11:00am

Marie-Hélène Forget - Approach development to guide fishermen
for profitable fishing using remote sensing: experience in theJapanese and Indian waters.

11:00am to 11:45am

Discussion session on Remote Sensing Applications to FishHarvesting

11:45pm to 1:00pm

Lunch

1:00pm to 1:30pm

Trevor Platt and Cesar Fuentes-Yaco – Ecological indicators of theocean by remote sensing: the haddock example

1:30pm to 2:00pm

Alida Bundy - From space to sea: remotely sensed ecosystem
indicators and ecosystem approaches to fisheries management

2:00pm to 2:30pm

Peter Koeller - Shrimp egg hatch and phytoplankton bloom times
match throughout the North Atlantic

2:30pm to 3:00pm

Break

3:00pm to 3:30pm

Kimberly Hyde and Trevor Platt - Application of Ocean Color andSea Surface Temperature Products to Fisheries Research andManagement

3:30pm to 4:00pm

Nick Dulvy – Toward predicting the influence of climate change
on global fish production

4:00pm to 4:45pm

Discussion session on Remote Sensing Applications to Fisheries
Management

4:45pm to 5:00pm

Workshop synthesis and recommendations