Investigation into sturgeon feeding excavations using RPAS : initial site assessments / Casey M. O'Laughlin, Brent A. Law, Vanessa S. Zions.: Fs97-6/3323E-PDF

"Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) use inner Bay of Fundy tidal flats and channels to feed on buried infauna, leaving feeding excavations in bottom sediments. As commercial development of tidal power resources continues, future outlook suggests that up to several hundred turbines may be proposed to occupy the area. The potential for interaction between sturgeon and tidal turbines has been described as concerning, as sturgeon are poor swimmers (Stokesbury et al. 2016). This work is intended to establish linkages between Atlantic Sturgeon feeding grounds in the inner Bay of Fundy, where feeding excavations are observable at low tide from the ground and air, and site-specific sediment characteristics (e.g. grain size). This includes RPAS (remotely piloted aircraft systems) surveys of intertidal areas, to construct surface models of sturgeon feeding grounds, coupled with traditional grain size methods. Surveys confirm springtime feeding in large numbers, in bottom material with a median grain size of approximately 30 μm. During summer months, a less-dense patchwork of feeding excavations were identified in coarser material, with median grain sizes of 60-80 μm, at several locations. These data will contribute to a more complete understanding of sturgeon habitat use through linkages with sediment characteristics"--Abstract, page v.

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