Located on the shores of the Bedford Basin in Dartmouth Nova Scotia, the Bedford Institute
of Oceanography – also known as BIO – is Canada’s largest centre for multi-disciplinary
ocean research.
At BIO, Fisheries and Oceans Canada science teams work collaboratively with partners to
monitor and research changes and important issues facing our oceans.
Together they’re studying a large range of things - from the growth and movement of
plankton which is critical in the aquatic food chain - to identifying important habitat
and sensitive areas using seabed mapping, and the study of the species that live there
– like deep water corals and sponges.
As a Benthic ecologist, I study the organisms which live on or in the sea floor.
So it’s really important to have an understanding not only of the sediment or sea bed structure
that they are found on but also on the overlying water masses which may control their distribution.
Fisheries science work at BIO provides the foundation for science advice that fisheries
managers require to make evidence based decisions about Canada’s important aquatic resources.
In BIO’s virology lab, scientists are studying fish viruses to safeguard the health of our
aquatic animal resources, including species that Canadians depend on for food and their
livelihoods.
With the help of traps like this one - set up all over the eastern coast - BIO scientists
are tracking aquatic invasive species in efforts to control their spread in Canadian waters.
Scientists here are also conducting ongoing research and monitoring of marine mammals,
turtles, and other species at risk that contributes to their conservation.
The pier at BIO provides a launching point for science teams heading into the field to
collect samples and gather data on the seabed, ecosystems and habitats, fish populations,
and physical ocean properties.
Scientists are using both traditional and cutting edge oceanographic technologies to
monitor changes in our oceans - such as temperature, salinity, acidity, and oxygen - over time…
These gliders are autonomous sampling tools that are being used to study the water column
on an ongoing basis.
Once launched they travel the Scotian Shelf for a month at a time collecting data at a rate
not possible before.
The glider program is a program that helps us to monitor the ocean
to do sampling in the water column further offshore.
The long term monitoring program is very important to notice any changes in the water column
that can affect biology and sea life.
BIO has a long history of innovation, and scientists have access to some of the most
sophisticated tools to conduct their research and monitoring.
In the case where a tool doesn’t exist, the engineering and technical staff can make
them.
If I want to make a specific kind of measurement in a hostile place like the arctic with limited
resources, I can go down the hall to some of my colleagues who are brilliant designers
and electronic technicians and engineers, and we can work together to come up with a
solution that gets the science done….
It’s a fabulous place to work.
BIO also has a science team that works to protect the ocean from man-made problems like
oil spills.
This wave tank is designed to study these effects.
The goal of their research is to better understand how oil might behave in a natural environment
and identify best methods to respond to spills.
The work that’s being done by Fisheries and Oceans Canada Science staff and partners
at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography is increasing our understanding of our oceans
and marine and coastal resources, to ensure healthy, productive, and navigable waters
for current and future generations.