A Quantitative Baseline Survey of the Ichthyoplankton, Invertebrate Zooplankton and Microplastics in Saint John Harbour

This study was part of the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program Initiative under the Oceans Protection Plan of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which aimed to collect a baseline of data on the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick. It aimed to provide updated information on the ichthyoplankton and zooplankton communities in the harbour, and their interactions with microplastics. Samples were collected at six sampling stations (three in the inner port and three in the outer port). These were sampled at eleven timepoints between 2019 and 2022. At each station, for each timepoint, three replicate plankton tows were conducted. Ichthyoplankton and zooplankton from these was identified by the Huntsman Marine Science Centre's taxonomic laboratory. Abundances for different taxa are given. Data on temperature and salinity was collected for each station. A selection of different taxa were pulled from the samples for microplastic analysis. These samples were digested using standard procedures in the UNB microplastics laboratory. The colour, type and size of suspected microplastics were recorded, and FTIR analysis was performed to determine particle composition.