Partnership among NGOs, universities, government agencies and volunteers is fundamental to the ongoing success of this project. Baseline data is gathered to better understand the health condition of particular estuaries. NGOs provide manpower once a month to collect data. Universities and colleges often help with monthly collection and several students use the data gathered in their various research projects.

Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) scientists coordinate data acquisition. DFO staff also provides training, in-kind material support in the form of nets and meters, and in-depth analysis of the data.

Biological data is collected with beach seines. Fish and crustaceans are captured and later released. From this, the community groups gather important information, such as:

• identification of fish and crustacean species;
• numbers of fish and crustaceans;
• water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen;
• general aquatic vegetation profiles;
• sediment samples;
• water samples.

*(Excerpt taken from DFO website on CAMP)

For more information about the program visit the DFO website.

Beach Seining - Courtesy of Nelson Cloud

Silverside	Four-spine Stickleback	Mud Crab	Smooth Flounder	Sand Shrimp
Examples of aquatic species that are commonly found during CAMP on the Miramichi

CAMP sites for Miramichi

MREAC became involved with this program in 2004 monitoring 6 sites along the Miramichi estuary. Once a month for five months (May-September), staff visits each site and collect a variety of fish species using a beach seine net. These fish are sorted, identified and counted for all species collected. Other data such as vegetation and water quality parameters are also collected. During the final sample run, sediment samples are collected. The final run in September also acts as a training session for the NBCC Environmental Technology students, who accompany MREAC staff and obtain hands on field work training by participating in this program.

To view MREAC's CAMP 2010 poster illustrating all results to date click here.

Map indicating the 6 CAMP sites on the Miramichi Estuary

Chart illustrating the percentage of fish species collected during the summer of 2010 for CAMP for the Miramichi River

Map of the Southern Gulf of the St. Lawrence, indicating all 29 CAMP sites in 2008 (SGSLCS)