We had a super amazing first day of camp with a really awesome group of campers.
Here's a little peek at what we're going ot be doing tomorrow:
 |
| Click to enlarge. |
See all you Camp 1 campers tomorrow!
Peace, Love, and Jellies!
-The IPYNC Staff
Agenda: Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Hello everyone,
We had a super amazing first day of camp with a really awesome group of campers.
Here's a little peek at what we're going ot be doing tomorrow:
See all you Camp 1 campers tomorrow!
Peace, Love, and Jellies!
-The IPYNC Staff
We had a super amazing first day of camp with a really awesome group of campers.
Here's a little peek at what we're going ot be doing tomorrow:
See all you Camp 1 campers tomorrow!
Peace, Love, and Jellies!
-The IPYNC Staff
Agenda: Monday, July 9, 2012
Hello everyone,
We are all very excited that Camp 1 begins on Monday, and for those of you who don't know, during the camps, you can always check here to see the schedule for the coming day and get an idea of what the campers will be doing! So, without further ado, here is the schedule for the first day of the 2012 camps:
We look forward to seeing all of our campers. :)
Peace, Love, and Jellies!
-The IPYNC Staff
We are all very excited that Camp 1 begins on Monday, and for those of you who don't know, during the camps, you can always check here to see the schedule for the coming day and get an idea of what the campers will be doing! So, without further ado, here is the schedule for the first day of the 2012 camps:
 |
| Click to enlarge the agenda. |
We look forward to seeing all of our campers. :)
Peace, Love, and Jellies!
-The IPYNC Staff
Shark Tagging Success!
Hello Everyone!
We just wanted to let you all know that our July 5th Shark Tagging Adventure was a success and an amazing experience for everyone involved. :)
We would like to extend a very special thanks to Brendal Davis, our shark expert and guide on the trip, for all her incredible work and dedication to this project and to the shark population in general. We love Brendal!
We would also like to thank Captain Art of Blue Shark Charters for being an excellent captain, for sharing his knowledge and experience with us all, and for taking a chance and allowing us to give this amazing opportunity for young people to study sharks in a hands-on way that has not been attempted before in this area.
We are also happy to announce that the media has picked up on the story of our trip and we have been given several amazing opportunities to share our experience and raise awareness about the plight of sharks in today's world.
You can listen to an interview with Brendal, camp counsellor Arielle and camper Kyra on CBC's "Mainstreet" here: http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/podcasts/mainstreetns_20120706_45377.mp3
You can read an article on Openfile.com featuring interviews with campers Sophie and Jarrett as well as Brendal and Arielle here: http://www.openfile.ca/halifax/story/kids-get-their-hands-halifax-shark
Keep an eye out for our upcoming article in The Chronicle Herald and an interview on the radio station 97.5 tomorrow!
Thank you all for your support in this project.
Sincerely,
The IPYNC Staff
We just wanted to let you all know that our July 5th Shark Tagging Adventure was a success and an amazing experience for everyone involved. :)
We would like to extend a very special thanks to Brendal Davis, our shark expert and guide on the trip, for all her incredible work and dedication to this project and to the shark population in general. We love Brendal!
We would also like to thank Captain Art of Blue Shark Charters for being an excellent captain, for sharing his knowledge and experience with us all, and for taking a chance and allowing us to give this amazing opportunity for young people to study sharks in a hands-on way that has not been attempted before in this area.
 |
| Picture by Don McCrimmon |
We are also happy to announce that the media has picked up on the story of our trip and we have been given several amazing opportunities to share our experience and raise awareness about the plight of sharks in today's world.
You can listen to an interview with Brendal, camp counsellor Arielle and camper Kyra on CBC's "Mainstreet" here: http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/podcasts/mainstreetns_20120706_45377.mp3
You can read an article on Openfile.com featuring interviews with campers Sophie and Jarrett as well as Brendal and Arielle here: http://www.openfile.ca/halifax/story/kids-get-their-hands-halifax-shark
Keep an eye out for our upcoming article in The Chronicle Herald and an interview on the radio station 97.5 tomorrow!
Thank you all for your support in this project.
Sincerely,
The IPYNC Staff
Shark Tagging Presentation with Brendal Davis
Hey everyone,
For those of you are coming on our shark-tagging adventure this Thursday, but were unable to attend the saftey and information briefing today, we took a video for you to watch. So, if you are coming on the trip, please be sure to watch this before you come.
For those of you are coming on our shark-tagging adventure this Thursday, but were unable to attend the saftey and information briefing today, we took a video for you to watch. So, if you are coming on the trip, please be sure to watch this before you come.
Finally, here is a brief summary of the presentation if you would like to re-read the key points:
Brendal’s Shark
Presentation
·
Art will give briefing about the actual boat
once we get there.
·
Be at the
dock at 7am!
·
Bring snacks and drinks; there will be a cooler
onboard.
·
Normally ends at 5:30pm, but it’s totally up to
us when we want to leave
·
Parents should be on stand-by to pick up kids.
·
Sharks get a bad rap; Jaws is not reality.
·
Normally, the types of interactions humans have
with sharks is diving, shark finning (shark fin soup), research
What makes sharks unique?
· They are chondrichthyes (Cartilage fish), slow to
reproduce
·
Sharks have survived 5 major extinctions, but
haven’t been threatened until people came along.
·
Sharks’ global conservation status
·
Big populations of sharks are in danger! Shark
fin soup and by-catch are the main threat. Populations are declining rapidly.
We kill 100 million sharks per year, and sharks kill about 5 people (by
mistake!)
What can we do?
·
Mitigate gear
·
Education! Like what we’re doing.
·
Working with fishermen
·
In order to give sharks legal protection, we
need research and information, and that’s why we tag sharks.
·
Porbeagles are an endangered species in Canada;
Makos are rare here too. We may not see these.
·
We will most likely see the Blue Sharks, as they
are pretty common in the area.
·
Shortfin Mako: the fastest fish in the ocean.
·
We might also see a Thresher Shark, which are
incredibly rare.
Take Home Messages:
·
Sharks are great predators, but they’re
vulnerable to increased mortality.
·
Large species in particular are declining in our
region.
·
This has probably led to cascading changes in
the ecosystem
·
Improving the conservation of shark species will
require creative new approaches.
·
Number 1
rule: Don’t go near the shark’s head and mouth!
We are super excited to see some of you on Thursday morning at the dock. :) Don't hesitate to contact us or Brendal (see earlier post) if you have any questions or concerns. For those of you who won't be joining us, don't worry, we'll take tonnes of pictures and post them here later.
Peace, Love, and Sharks!
-The IPYNC Staff
Amazing Shark-Tagging Adventure!
Hi everyone,
As some of last year's campers will remember, the IPYNC supports SHARCC, an organisation dedicated to the preservation of shark populations. But why?
Well, due to several declining fish populations, climate change, and habitat degradation, it is important for scientists to consistently track marine species, so that we may determine spatial and temporal trends in their behaviour and movement. For sharks, tagging (i.e. acoustic, satellite, or radio) can provide us with the most up to date movements of these species as they cross vast ocean distances, or whether they remain close to shore. We can determine their catch location, how they were caught, and where they traveled too! This type of information is extremely valuable for both sharks and fisheries managers. Policy makers need the best scientific information available, if they are to implement effective conservation measures for sharks.
With that in mind, we would like to invite you all to take part in marine conservation through hands-on shark-tagging! Check it out:
If you are interested in participating in this event, we encourage you to sign up now, as there are only 8 spots available. We are giving away the spots on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those who sign up will need to attend a safety and orientation presentation at Dalhousie, in Room 812, 8th floor of the Biology Department in the Life Sciences Building, from 10:00am-11:30pm.
We are really excited to be working with Blue Shark Fishing Charters, and they are giving us a great deal for this expedition- normally, it would cost $140/person! If you're interested in finding out more about Blue Shark Charters, check out their website: http://www.bluesharkcharters.com/Tagging.htm
If you have any questions about the trip, please contact Art, the Captain at Blue Shark Fishing Charters, or Brendal Davis: Art- (902) 830-4115, art@bluesharkcharters.com or Brendal- (902) 579-8155 brendal.a.davis@gmail.com
We'd also like to share some instructional information that Brendal sent us about shark tagging, so that those who want to join us will know what to expect:
1. tagging pole
2. tags, data cards
3. tagging information sheet
4. measuring tape
5. pencil
Shark Species:
1. Blue shark
2. Shortfin Mako
3. Porbeagle Shark
1. Place a tag in the slot in the applicator and use the elastic to secure the tag to the tagging pole (See figure 1.).
2. When a shark is caught that is suitable for tagging try to bring the shark up along side the boat using the leader or boat hook. Do not gaff the shark and try to minimize damage if the animal is to be tagged and released. If the shark is small enough, it can be brought on board or rested on the side rail of the boat while the tag is applied. Always use caution when handling live sharks.
3. Insert the tag into the back muscle tissue just to the left or right of the dorsal fin. The tag should pierce the skin easily when applied with a quick motion and some force (see figure 2.)
Figure 1
4. Determine the sex of the shark (Fig. 4) and measure the shark as accurately as possible by taking fork length (tip of snout to fork in the tail) or total length (tip of snout to tip of the tail) (Fig. 5) and record on the data card.
Figure 4
Picture 1
Porbeagle shark (Picture 2)
Shortfin Mako shark (Picture 3)
This information was provided by:
Warren N. Joyce
ph/tél: +1-902-426-6382
fax/téléc: +1-902-426-1506
e-mail/courriel: Warren.Joyce@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
P.O. Box 1006, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth
Nova Scotia, Canada, B2Y 4A2
We look forward to seeing some of you for this exciting opportunity!
Peace, Love, and Sharks!
-The IPYNC Staff
As some of last year's campers will remember, the IPYNC supports SHARCC, an organisation dedicated to the preservation of shark populations. But why?
Well, due to several declining fish populations, climate change, and habitat degradation, it is important for scientists to consistently track marine species, so that we may determine spatial and temporal trends in their behaviour and movement. For sharks, tagging (i.e. acoustic, satellite, or radio) can provide us with the most up to date movements of these species as they cross vast ocean distances, or whether they remain close to shore. We can determine their catch location, how they were caught, and where they traveled too! This type of information is extremely valuable for both sharks and fisheries managers. Policy makers need the best scientific information available, if they are to implement effective conservation measures for sharks.
With that in mind, we would like to invite you all to take part in marine conservation through hands-on shark-tagging! Check it out:
If you are interested in participating in this event, we encourage you to sign up now, as there are only 8 spots available. We are giving away the spots on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those who sign up will need to attend a safety and orientation presentation at Dalhousie, in Room 812, 8th floor of the Biology Department in the Life Sciences Building, from 10:00am-11:30pm.
We are really excited to be working with Blue Shark Fishing Charters, and they are giving us a great deal for this expedition- normally, it would cost $140/person! If you're interested in finding out more about Blue Shark Charters, check out their website: http://www.bluesharkcharters.com/Tagging.htm
If you have any questions about the trip, please contact Art, the Captain at Blue Shark Fishing Charters, or Brendal Davis: Art- (902) 830-4115, art@bluesharkcharters.com or Brendal- (902) 579-8155 brendal.a.davis@gmail.com
We'd also like to share some instructional information that Brendal sent us about shark tagging, so that those who want to join us will know what to expect:
Shark Tagging
Materials used:
1. tagging pole
2. tags, data cards
3. tagging information sheet
4. measuring tape
5. pencil
Shark Species:
1. Blue shark
2. Shortfin Mako
3. Porbeagle Shark
How to Apply Tags:
1. Place a tag in the slot in the applicator and use the elastic to secure the tag to the tagging pole (See figure 1.).
2. When a shark is caught that is suitable for tagging try to bring the shark up along side the boat using the leader or boat hook. Do not gaff the shark and try to minimize damage if the animal is to be tagged and released. If the shark is small enough, it can be brought on board or rested on the side rail of the boat while the tag is applied. Always use caution when handling live sharks.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
5. Record the location information (Lat and Long), the date, species and condition of the shark as well as any other information (water temperature) before releasing the shark.
6. Place a new tag in the tagging pole so that it is ready for the next shark
Figure 4
Identifying sharks:
Blue shark (Picture 1)
The blue shark is a slender, slim shark with a blunt rounded snout when viewed from above. The pectoral or side fins are long and scythe shaped. The tail has an elongated upper lobe which curves backward. Teeth are triangular and serrated in the upper jaw and long and pointed in the lower jaw. (Picture 1)
Picture 1
Porbeagle shark (Picture 2)
The porbeagle is a stout shark with a more pointed snout than the blue shark. The pectoral fins are shorter and there is a white patch on the trailing edge of the dorsal fin. The upper and lower lobes of the tail fin are similar in size. There are lateral keels on the base of the tail and there is a set of smaller secondary ridges just below the main keels. Teeth are sharp and pointed and have two smaller points or cusps on either side of the main cusp.
Picture 2
Shortfin Mako shark (Picture 3)
The mako is very similar to the porbeagle. The body is similar in shape but more streamlined and the snout is more tapered and pointed. There is no white patch on the dorsal fin and there are no secondary ridges on the base of the tail. The teeth are long, curved and very sharp and often protrude from the mouth even when the mouth is closed.
Picture 3
Warren N. Joyce
ph/tél: +1-902-426-6382
fax/téléc: +1-902-426-1506
e-mail/courriel: Warren.Joyce@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Canadian Shark Research Laboratory
Bedford Institute of Oceanography P.O. Box 1006, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth
Nova Scotia, Canada, B2Y 4A2
We look forward to seeing some of you for this exciting opportunity!
Peace, Love, and Sharks!
-The IPYNC Staff
Expert Update :)
Hey there everyone!
If you look back a couple of posts, you'll see our announcement about our guest experts for this years' camps, and we just wanted to give you all a little update. We are excited to announce that our friend Stephanie, the lobster expert, has gotten an amazing opportunity to study snow crabs off the coast of Labrador in July.
Sadly, this means that she will be unable to come to our first 2 camps, but don't dispair, we have an equally awesome seaweed expert named Lauren coming instead! Lauren studies the effects of eutrophication (a process where water bodies receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth) and climate warming on rockweed.
If you look back a couple of posts, you'll see our announcement about our guest experts for this years' camps, and we just wanted to give you all a little update. We are excited to announce that our friend Stephanie, the lobster expert, has gotten an amazing opportunity to study snow crabs off the coast of Labrador in July.
 |
| A snow crab- they can be between 9.5 and 15cm wide! |
Sadly, this means that she will be unable to come to our first 2 camps, but don't dispair, we have an equally awesome seaweed expert named Lauren coming instead! Lauren studies the effects of eutrophication (a process where water bodies receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth) and climate warming on rockweed.
We would like to extend the warmest welcome to Lauren and we look forward to working with her this summer! :)
Peace, Love, and Seaweed!
-The IPYNC Staff
Camp Registration Update
Hello Everybody,
We'd just like to give you all a little update on this year's camps and let you know what's going on. :)
We are happy to announce that all the camps are now filled except for the August 13-17 camp, which is currently about half full. If you were hoping to send your child to an IPYNC Camp this summer, the time to sign up is now!
We would also like to remind parents who have already signed up their children in other camps that you will receive an additional 10% discount if you sign your child up for more than one camp.
Hope to see you all soon!
Peace, Love, and Jellies,
-The IPYNC Staff
We'd just like to give you all a little update on this year's camps and let you know what's going on. :)
We are happy to announce that all the camps are now filled except for the August 13-17 camp, which is currently about half full. If you were hoping to send your child to an IPYNC Camp this summer, the time to sign up is now!
We would also like to remind parents who have already signed up their children in other camps that you will receive an additional 10% discount if you sign your child up for more than one camp.
Hope to see you all soon!
Peace, Love, and Jellies,
-The IPYNC Staff
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