Blimp boosts eelgrass study

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, July 21 (UPI) -- A blimp-shaped balloon is ferrying equipment Canadian researchers need to get a picture of the health of the Canadian seashore's ecosystem.

After the trial run in Halifax Harbor, researchers will take the blimp to the Acadian shore in New Brunswick. where scientists from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, will study eelgrass in collaboration with the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the university said Monday in a news release.

Eelgrass beds are a great indicators of shore's health, and that's why their depletion has raised concern, the scientists said.

"They're like our rain forests," said Jon Grant, a coastal zone management expert and professor at Dalhousie University. "If they're healthy, they're very luxuriant and all kinds of things live there among the bright-green grasses. They provide shelter, food and even slow down water currents."

The grasses' destruction can be traced to human activities, such as aquaculture and nutrient runoff from farms and fish plants, he said.

"The good news is that eelgrass beds can be restored and replanted," Grant said. "And we can make predictions about what beds are under threat and take appropriate action."