Author: Darrel Pratt

Traditionally, Nova refers to where the species is from and also the style of smoking. Nova is supposed to be cold-smoked salmon from Nova Scotia—more specifically, from Gaspé. Is Nova Scotia salmon lox? Put very simply, nova is almost a combination of lox and smoked salmon. Named for the salmon of Nova Scotia, nova is […]

The shortfin mako is found worldwide. In the western Atlantic it can be found from Argentina and the Gulf of Mexico to Browns Bank, along the continental shelf of Nova Scotia and even into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In Canadian waters these sharks are not abundant as they prefer warm waters, but neither are […]

In 1975, it was estimated that Nova Scotia had a minimum of 65 breeding pairs of bald eagles. Today, there are well over 200 active bald eagle nests in the province. Do golden eagles live in Nova Scotia? The species is found breeding occasionally in all Canadian provinces but for Nova Scotia. It is currently […]

The eastern cougar is known by many names-panther, painter, puma, mountain lion, or carcajou. It is officially listed as an endangered species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and receives full protection in Nova Scotia. What parts of Canada have cougars? In Canada, the cougar territory is mostly in […]

The Sea scallop or giant scallop is an important commercial species of molluscan shellfish in Nova Scotia. Can I dive for scallops in Nova Scotia? There is a significant recreational fishery in the Bay of Fundy ( SFA 28A, B, C and D) and along the coast of Nova Scotia in SFA 29, by divers […]

Brown trout were introduced to Nova Scotia in the 1920s and have since established self-sustaining populations in many rivers. Approximately 100,000 brown trout were stocked to support fisheries. Where can I catch trout in Nova Scotia? Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries – Lots of good info here. Margaree Salmon Association – One of Canada’s premier […]

In Canada, the gray wolf was extirpated in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia between 1870 and 1921, and in Newfoundland around 1911. Were there wolves in Nova Scotia? Today, the gray wolf is making a come back in some of its former habitat because of strong conservation efforts. Gray wolves are no longer inhabitants of […]

The large number of FSD’s (Tables 1 and 2; Figure 3) wherein Atlantic Sturgeon landings have been reported indicate that the species range includes all of the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia. Where can I fish sturgeon in Nova Scotia? Breeding populations are known from the St. Lawrence and Saint […]

The jelly fish only make their appearance for a short time each year. If you swim at low tide you can see them and easily avoid them. At high tide it is a bit trickier. I have lived in Nova Scotia over 70 years and spend many, many long at the beaches. Are there poisonous […]