Moira Donovan
Author bio
Moira Donovan’s Contributions:
The Personal Toll of Canada’s Broken Fishing Promises
Indigenous fishermen on the Atlantic Coast have spent centuries—and millions of dollars—trying to get the government to uphold treaties made in the 1700s. And younger generations aren’t giving up.
Dec 17, 2024 | 4,000 words, about 20 minutes
For an Ecosystem in Crisis, Recovery Can Take Ages
A massive environmental calamity rocked the ancient Mediterranean. It took millions of years for the ecosystem to recover.
Nov 4, 2024 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Listening In on the Mysterious Marbled Murrelet
Applying machine learning to forest soundscapes helps researchers pinpoint rare and threatened birds.
Oct 23, 2024 | 800 words, about 4 minutes
The Long Road to Ropeless Fishing
The first step to overcoming fishers' resistance to the new conservation-focused technology is building trust.
Aug 21, 2024 | 1,100 words, about 5 minutes
What the Heck Is Seaweed Mining?
Preliminary research suggests seaweed can trap and store valuable minerals. Is this the beginning of a new type of mining?
Apr 25, 2024 | 850 words, about 4 minutes
Putting the Cart Before the Redfish
After a nearly 30-year hiatus, Atlantic Canada’s redfish fishery is coming back. But as opening day draws nearer, concerns about its viability are mounting.
Apr 4, 2024 | 1,100 words, about 5 minutes
Dammed but Not Doomed
As dams come down on the Skutik River, the once-demonized alewife—a fish beloved by the Passamaquoddy—gets a second chance at life.
Mar 5, 2024 | 3,600 words, about 18 minutes
All the Fish We Cannot See
In a dark, unexplored layer of ocean, a hidden cache of fish might play an unexpected role in our climate’s future. It seems like a bad time for a new fishery.
Nov 21, 2023 | 3,400 words, about 17 minutes
The Legal Fishery Sparking Arrests and Violence
Canada has spent nearly 25 years ignoring its own Supreme Court—and Indigenous fishers on the East Coast are suffering the consequences.
Oct 17, 2023 | 3,200 words, about 16 minutes
For Atlantic Canada, Fishing Season Brings Yet More Violence
East Coast fishers have weathered arson, gunshots, and harassment. Conflict and turmoil will likely continue until the Canadian government addresses Indigenous rights head-on.
May 15, 2023 | 1,500 words, about 7 minutes
In Cod’s Shadow, Redfish Rise
Thirty years after the population collapsed, the Atlantic redfish fishery is poised to reopen, providing a second chance at a sustainable fishery.
Feb 21, 2023 | 3,100 words, about 15 minutes
Is Sausage the Missing Link in the Great Bait Debate?
Lobster and snow crab fisheries are booming, but the bait used to catch them—herring and mackerel—is not, so the search for alternative baits is on.
Nov 29, 2022 | 3,700 words, about 19 minutes
Greenland’s Melting Ice Sheet Brings an Unexpected Flow of Wealth Potential
Greenlanders are largely in favor of extracting the sand pouring from their melting ice sheet, as long as Greenland reaps the rewards.
Nov 3, 2022 | 1,500 words, about 7 minutes
Romance, Politics, and Ecological Damage: The Saga of Sable Island’s Wild Horses
They’ve roamed free for hundreds of years, but is that freedom harming the ecosystem they call home?
Jul 26, 2022 | 3,300 words, about 16 minutes
Tomcod Brings Everyone to the Table
The Apoqnmatulti’k project brings Indigenous communities and scientists together to better understand one another and three food fisheries.
Mar 15, 2022 | 2,500 words, about 12 minutes
Holy Mackerel, Where’d You Go?
A beloved fish with a rich history has become hard to find—will it rise again?
Jan 18, 2022 | 3,100 words, about 16 minutes
The Bright Side of the Green Crab
In Nova Scotia, a suite of innovative projects has creatively met this invasive species head on.
May 13, 2021 | 2,200 words, about 11 minutes