Environmental DNA and RNA (eDNA) is the genetic material organisms leave behind in their environment, including in water, soil and air. 

Increased ship traffic in Atlantic Canada’s ports and harbours provides important economic benefit but also raises serious concerns about environmental impacts on local biodiversity. This new project will use eDNA to deliver more comprehensive and efficient biodiversity measurement solutions than traditional methods allow, ensuring sustainable management of marine ecosystems.

Conventional methods for measuring biodiversity are labour-intensive and targeted to small groups of organisms (e.g. fish), making comprehensive surveys impractical. eDNA opens the door to new solutions. All organisms shed DNA into their environment, so by collecting seawater from the ports and analyzing the DNA contained within, it is possible to assemble a nearly comprehensive picture of biodiversity to monitor changes over time.

• Four geographically distributed ports of varying sizes and ship traffic in Atlantic Canada are participating in a pilot project to evaluate the ability of eDNA to perform routing biomonitoring.  The participating ports are the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia; the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick; the Port of Summerside, Prince Edward Island; and the Port of Cornerbrook, Newfoundland and Labrador.
  
• Two Atlantic Canadian companies are involved in the project, with Dartmouth Ocean Technologies providing automated eDNA sampling equipment, and eDNAtec performing laboratory analyses.
  
• This project will provide ports with vital baseline biodiversity information, as well as sampling strategies and protocols to support ongoing monitoring.

Blair Crawford (R), Port of Halifax, using eDNA sampler in Halifax Harbour.