Dr. J. Andrew Cooper

Research Scientist

Current research and/or projects

Dr. Cooper conducts research to measure and monitor changes in wild species diversity in the coastal zone to support aquaculture regulations and mangement as well as to monitor the long term changes in species composition within the coastal environment. As a former member of the NSERC Canadian Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture Network, Dr. Cooper led research to investigate potential effects of aquaculture nutrients on wild species colonisation and growth to develop IMTA as a strategic enhancement within economically sustainable aquaculture production systems. He is also a lead researcher in monitoring and assessment of the Musquash Estuary Marine Protected area.

Research and/or project statements

Professional activities / interests

Professor at:

University of New Brunswick Saint John

Education and awards

PhD Biology, University of Ottawa, 1996

Additional links

Tel: 506-529-5894
Fax: 506-529-5862

Key publications

Sulak, K.J., MacWhirther, P.D., Luke, K.E., Norem, A.D., Miller, J.M., Cooper, J.A., Harris, L.E. 2009. Identification guide to skates (Family Rajidae) of the Canadian Atlantic and adjacent regions. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2850.

Martin, J.L., LeGresley, M.M., Cooper, J.A., Thorpe, B., Locke, A., Simard, N., Sephton, D., Bernier, R., Bérubé, I., Hill, B., Keays, J., Knox, D., Landry, T., Lander, T., Nadeau, A. and Watson, E.J. 2010. Rapid Assessment for Didemnum vexillum in southwest New Brunswick. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci.2882: iv + 16p.

Cooper, J.A., Curran, K.J., Singh, R., Chang, B., and Page, F.H. 2011. Musquash Estuary: A Proposed Monitoring Framework for the Marine Protected Area (MPA) and Intertidal Area Administered (AIA) by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. DFO. Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2011/055: vi + 38pp.

Robinson, S.M.C., J.D. Martin, J.A. Cooper, T.R. Lander, G.K. Reid, F. Powell and Griffin, R. 2011. The role of three dimensional habitats in the establishment of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems. Bull. Aquacul. Assoc. Canada 109-2: 23-29.

Chopin, T., Cooper, J.A., Reid, G., Cross, S., and Moore, C. 2012. Open-water integrated multi-trophic aquaculture: environmental biomitigation and economic diversification of fed aquaculture by extractive aquaculture. Reviews in Aquaculture. 4: 209-220.

Graydon, C.M., Robinson, S.M.C., Cooper J.A. and Scheibling, R.E. 2012. Detection of canthaxanthin in the tissues of Mytilus edulis and Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis as a potential tracer to determine the zone of influence of salmon aquaculture. Aquaculture 366–367: 90–97.

Chopin, T., B. MacDonald, S. Robinson, S. Cross, C. Pearce, D. Knowler, A. Noce, G. Reid, A. Cooper, D. Speare, L. Burridge, C. Crawford, M. Sawhney, K. Pee Ang, C. Backman, and M. Hutchinson. 2013. The Canadian Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture Network (CIMTAN) - A Network for a New Era of Ecosystem Responsible Aquaculture. Fisheries 38(7): 297-308.

Cooper, J.A. T. Chopin, J. Day, S. Robinson, F. Page, L. Burridge. 2013. Quantifying energy and nutrient dispersals and scales of influence on wild species from open-water IMTA sites. Canadian Aquaculture R&D Review 2013:55.

Cooper, A., Abbott, M., Allard, K., Chang,, B., Courtenay, S., Doherty, P., Greenlaw, M., Ipsen, E., Koropatnick, T., Law, B., Losier, R., Martin, J., Methven, D., and Page, F. 2014. Musquash Estuary Marine Protected Area (MPA): Data Assessment. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2014/001. v + 57 p.

J. Day, T. Chopin, J.A. Cooper. 2015. Comparative study of the aquaculture environmental monitoring programs for marine finfish in Canada and other jurisdictions: time to go beyond sediment related impact monitoring and consider appropriate tools for water column and ecosystem. Aquaculture Canada 2014 Proceedings of Contributed Papers. Bulletin of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, 2015-1, 34-52.

Cooper, J.A. and M.J. Blanchard. 2016. Coastal Biodiversity Trawl of the Passamaquoddy Bay Area; 2009 to 2014. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 3176: xi + 52 p.

Jansen, H.M., Reid, G.K., Bannister R.J., Husa, V. Robinson, S.M.C., Cooper, J.A., Quinton, C., and Strand, O. 2016. Discrete water quality sampling at open-water aquaculture sites: limitations and strategies. Aquaculture Environmental Interactions. 8:463-480.

B.D. Chang, J.A. Cooper, F.H. Page, and R.J. Losier. 2017. Benthic macrofaunal biodiversity in relation to sediment sulfide concentration under salmon farms in southwestern New Brunswick, Bay of Fundy. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3202: v + 71 pp.