Menu Close

Articles on St. Lawrence River: In Depth

Displaying 1 - 20 of 23 articles

The habitats used throughout the halibut’s life and the movements between them are difficult to characterize. (Charlotte Gauthier)

How do halibut migrate? Clues are in their ear bones

Atlantic halibut are making a strong comeback in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. But how do we know where the fish move throughout their lives?
The majestic St. Lawrence River, a jewel of economic, historical and environmental importance, reminds us of the need to preserve this essential ecosystem. (Ludovic Pascal)

Oxygen in the St. Lawrence Estuary is decreasing – and having a major impact on small animals living there

The waters of the St. Lawrence are running out of breath and bottom-dwelling organisms are already feeling the effects. Here’s how ecosystems are reacting.
The industrialization of the fishing industry and changes in the environment have raised many issues about the management of our fisheries. (Fanny Fronton)

Gulf of St. Lawrence: Analyzing fish blood can show us how healthy they are

Blood isn’t sterile, and analyzing the bacteria in it could help assess the health of fish and prevent the collapse of their populations.
Not only do corals inhabit the cold waters of the St. Lawrence, but the species that holds the title of largest marine invertebrate on the planet is present at the entrance to the Gulf. (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Discover 6 fascinating animals that live at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River

In the vast St. Lawrence River, an impressive variety of animals live on the seabed. This group of organisms is called benthos or benthic invertebrates.
The warming of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is causing upheaval in the balance of species, with direct repercussions on the commercial fishing sector. Shutterstock

Warming waters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are disrupting commercial fishing

The warming observed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is causing upheaval in the balance of the species living there. That is having direct repercussions on the commercial fishing sector.
The SS “Leecliffe Hall” sailing on the Welland Canal, Ontario, shortly before it sank in the St. Lawrence. (Matt Miner Collection)

Discovering the three largest shipwrecks in the St. Lawrence River

The St. Lawrence is one of the most difficult rivers in the world to navigate. It has been the site of collisions, groundings and shipwrecks. Several thousand wrecks lie beneath its surface.
The O d'écH2osystème is a wheel four meters in diameter that can be attached by crane to the deck of a ship, a wharf or the banks of the small and large municipalities along the shores of the St. Lawrence River. (Geneviève Dupéré)

Exploring the St. Lawrence River through the performing arts

This article crosses from the river to the stage, to explore the St. Lawrence at the meeting point of marine and freshwater sciences, the fishing, maritime and port industries, and the circus arts.
A study suggests that the best practice is to eat the muscle, heart, and liver from weaned seals that are less than six weeks old. (Pierre-Yves Daoust)

What you should know about eating grey seal meat and products from the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Choose the meat, liver and heart of young grey seals (less than six weeks old) and apply standard sanitary measures when handling seals and their products.
Algae in the St. Lawrence River. The cold waters of Québec are conducive to their growth. Shutterstock

A gourmet revival for St. Lawrence River marine algae

The abundance, versatility and quality of seaweed from the St. Lawrence makes this resource a real asset for Québec. We must now integrate it into our kitchens.
UV absorbents and industrial antioxidants can reach aquatic environments through the degradation of plastics, or via wastewater treatment plant effluents. (Environment and Climate Change Canada)

Contaminants of emerging concern, found in sunscreens and plastics, end up in the St. Lawrence River

UV absorbents and industrial antioxidants are used in many household goods to protect them from UV radiation. They can have an adverse impact on ecosystems.
The round goby is an invasive fish that has become established in the St. Lawrence River over the past two decades, following its introduction into the Great Lakes. (Cristina Charette)

St. Lawrence River zones that are hostile to invasive species can be refuges for native fish

Wetlands can help limit the spread of the voracious round goby, an invasive species that has infiltrated the Great Lakes and has become widespread in the St. Lawrence River.
A container ship moves up through the winter ice in the St. Lawrence River, near the Port of Montréal. Approximately 8,000 merchant vessels travel the St. Lawrence annually. The importance of the river in all aspects of the economy is enormous and is expected to increase in the years to come. (Shutterstock)

How the St. Lawrence Seaway will continue to become more important to the economy

Approximately 8,000 merchant vessels travel the St. Lawrence each year. Its ports have become the catalysts that link trade, development and industrial innovation.
Riverbanks are reinforced to reduce flood risks, but these techniques reduce biodiversity and limit public accessibility. (Shutterstock)

We must rethink the way we build along the St. Lawrence River

The sustainable and inclusive development of the St. Lawrence River is essential. A prolonged laissez-faire attitude will have harmful consequences on people and the environment.
A study showed that an endangered population of beluga whales in the St. Lawrence River had one of the world’s highest concentrations of the flame retardant, PBDE, in their blubber. (Shutterstock)

Banned flame retardants continue to accumulate in the St. Lawrence River and the whales and fish that live there

Flame retardants are added to consumer products — and end up in the environment and harming aquatic wildlife.
Exceptional high tides hit eastern Québec in 2010 and 2016. (Groupe Facebook Grandes Marées 2010)

Can scientists predict when the next exceptional high tide will occur along the St. Lawrence River?

Popular belief suggests the highest tides in the St. Lawrence River are reached around the equinoxes. In truth, they arrive close to the solstices.

Top contributors

More