Changes in Bay of Fundy highlighted in new documentary by environmental group

Oliver Pearson · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 23, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

An biology radical is hoping to get New Brunswickers reasoning astir their transportation to the Bay of Fundy with a caller documentary.

Eastern Charlotte Waterways, successful concern with Saint John accumulation institution Hemmings House, premiered Hands successful the Current: Stories of Work, Water, and Home on Saturday afternoon at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre successful Saint Andrews.

Courtney Piercy is simply a task biologist with Eastern Charlotte Waterways, and she created the documentary with director Matt Brown. 

"I anticipation that radical who ticker the movie … travel distant with feeling much connected to our section marine country and conscionable knowing that its wellness is really, truly important, and we are truly each tied to this region," said Piercy. 

The movie is portion of a larger project that Piercy and her organization are doing to "promote the wellness of the Bay of Fundy."

The movie features six residents of the area: Erica Stuart from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Hugh Akagi, main of the Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik, Danielle Dion of Quoddy Link Marine, retired fisherman Greg Thompson, commercial diver Mike Holland, and Grand Manan Island seaweed harvester Jayne Turner.

Each idiosyncratic successful the movie shared their transportation to the southwestern New Brunswick coastal portion and the changes they've witnessed successful the area.

Piercy said that alteration was 1 of the film's "large overarching themes."

"Even successful their lifetimes oregon their decades of acquisition moving connected the Bay of Fundy here, they've seen changes."

Piercy said those who person made their surviving connected the h2o from aquaculture person seen the quantity and determination their crops, specified arsenic seaweed and fish, shift. 

Climate change, invasive taxon and quality enactment are a portion of the "variety of changes," according to Piercy.

"We larn astir those changes that they've seen, but besides they person anticipation that the bay volition proceed to beryllium healthy."

The movie features visuals on the seashore and underwater dive footage of the bay.

"It's perfectly beautiful. We've got tons of coastal scenic drone shots. So you get to truly spot the coastline," she said.

"We bash person immoderate underwater dive footage, too. So you get to spot immoderate of the things that you mightiness spot nether the Bay that not everyone has entree to."

This movie has been successful the works for about two years and was filmed this past summertime and fall.

"I got to tag on with them and beryllium determination portion we filmed the interviews and each of the scenic shots. So that was truly exciting," said Piercy.

Eastern Charlotte Waterways received backing from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to enactment connected the project.

Piercy said the program is to big much assemblage screenings successful the portion passim the outpouring and showcase the movie successful schools.

After that, they anticipation to connection viewing successful Fredericton and Saint John earlier it goes to online audiences.