Evolution Beneath the Surface

A translation by Judith Turcotte

The St. Lawrence River that we so admire hides a living environment in constant evolution. The changes in its ecosystem are created by a multitude of factors ranging from the invasion by foreign species, to the effects of climate change and human intervention. These factors that come from outside the river’s natural environment have an influence on the wildlife and plants therein.

The public does not seem to worry about the consequences of the situation. This unconsciousness of the public is a result of the remnants of our dependence on the paternalistic state. If the public is not interested in a situation, the politicians will not care. The journalists publish articles on the subject but rarely is there any reaction from the politicians. On the one hand, the public does not care and, on the other hand, the politicians and their bureaucrats have no idea what to do in these situations. The scientists act as witnesses of what is happening beneath the surface of our river, they predict the possible consequences but cannot do more.

Amongst the changes in recent years, the invasion of foreign species such as the zebra mussels from Ukraine has had important consequences in the Great Lakes to the point where Lake Michigan lost a large part of its wildlife. These same mussels have now invaded our lakes and rivers. I am very skeptical about the outcome of the efforts to get rid of them. It is possible for divers to harvest hundreds of mussels; however, these mussels reproduce at a rate of 1 million eggs per season. The task is impossible. The other invasion that could have serious consequences is the arrival of the Asian carp, a fish that has no predators because of its size. It devours the seagrass beds, an essential habitat for some of our species. If these two invaders have negative consequences, others are welcome: the rusty crayfish arriving from the United States is bigger than our indigenous crayfish therefore more likely to encourage commercial fishing but only if the Ministry issue commercial fishing permits.

Climate change also contributes to the changes to the ecosystem of the St. Lawrence River. The warming of its waters has contributed to the virtual disappearance of our Nordic shrimp and to a sudden abundance of lobster in the estuary. The deoxygenation affects the living environment of the cod, the halibut, oysters, mussels and scallops.

I have listed a few phenomena; however, there are a multitude. When it is not the invasion of foreign species or climate change, these changes to the river’s ecosystem are the result of human interventions. A good example is that of the seals. In the 1970s, a significant number of non-profit organizations denounced seal hunting. The movement became global with Brigitte Bardot’s intervention and visit. Her visit marked the beginning of several years of misinformation and disinformation with the result that commercial hunting practically disappeared because there has been no demand for the seal skin and the meat. Seal stocks continue to grow and this growth has an influence on commercial fish stocks.

Many subjects for my upcoming blogs.