SAINT JOHN HARBOUR MONITORING

Saint John Harbour Environmental Monitoring

ACAP Saint John has historically sampled water quality across Saint John as well as fish communities in Marsh Creek and Courtenay Bay. In 2018 we expanded this work as part of the Coastal Environment Baseline Program, a Fisheries and Oceans Canada initiative focused on developing environmental baselines for some of the busiest ports in Canada (including Port Saint John). As part of this program, we monitored water quality at 22 sites within the Saint John Harbour and surrounding waterways. We also conducted sediment sampling (for contaminant analysis) at 13 sites and biotic community (fish and crustaceans) monitoring at 8 sites. This program ran from September 2018 to October 2021, and monitoring is continuing for the 2022 field season.

Water quality was measured bi-weekly or monthly between May and October. The parameters measured include temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH, turbidity, fecal coliforms, phosphates, and ammonia. There was generally good water quality at most Harbour sites, except for certain sites, especially those in Marsh Creek and Little River. Nutrients (phosphates and ammonia) were elevated at many sites, but the most frequent water quality issue was high levels of E. coli (a common fecal bacterium).

Sediment sampling was conducted at least three times per year, and samples were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are a group of contaminants that are released into the environment from the incomplete combustion of wood, coal, and fossils fuels. Sources of PAHs include car exhaust, industrial emissions, marine traffic, and residential emissions, and they are also used in products like pesticides, asphalt, and creosote. PAHs are toxic to aquatic life above certain levels. PAHs were highest in Marsh Creek (MCDS) and Spar Cove (SC); see the map below with the average PAH levels from 2018 to 2021.