A fish sampling protocol for the Musquash Estuary Marine Protected Area

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In 2006, the Musquash Estuary was designated as a Marine Protected Area (MPA). To support the monitoring of the MPA, a fish sampling protocol is proposed in this document. The main objectives of this protocol are to: 1) Understand the nekton community within nearshore habitats of Musquash MPA by characterizing baseline spatial and temporal variability and environmental drivers; 2) Assess the health of the estuary across multiple habitats for long-term evaluation of potential human sources of contamination; and 3) Compare Musquash fish community to reference locations outside of the MPA. Two sampling gears (beach seine and fyke net) are proposed for the collection of nekton data at four Musquash Estuary nearshore habitat sites (Black Beach, Five Fathom Hole, Hepburn’s Basin and Gooseberry Cove) and three reference sites (Saints Rest Marsh, Dipper Harbour and Chance Harbour). The protocol also recommends potential locations for salt marsh habitat sampling by fyke net. Sampling considerations such as timing of sampling and specific site accessibility are discussed. Data to be collected on fish communities includes: species richness, abundance, and lengths. Atlantic silversides are also proposed for collection for use as a sentinel species to assess potential impacts of contamination. Data to be collected on free-swimming invertebrates includes species richness and abundance, which will provide complementary data on the community utilizing nearshore habitats. This information will provide insight into the annual variability associated with the Musquash Estuary MPA fish community.