By: Charlotte Cullinan – Dickinson 

Ocean Week Fundy 2025 took place from June 1st to 8th, with the UN’s World Ocean Day on June 8th marking the climax of a region-wide celebration of Fundy’s amazing marine and freshwater environments. Now in its second year as the New Brunswick hub for Ocean Week Canada, Ocean Week Fundy was again co-hosted by UNESCO-designated Fundy Biosphere Region and Stonehammer Geopark, with a strong increase in collaboration and engagement that included events connected to a national park, 2 provincial parks, 3 universities, 8 municipalities, and numerous organizations, plus 3 media spotlights. 

This series of events highlighted the region’s globally renowned tides, rich biodiversity, and deep cultural tides to water. Over the course of the week, 18 events were held along the Fundy coast from St. Andrews to Johnson’s Mills and north to Fredericton, engaging the public with activities including hands-on learning, citizen science, arts, storytelling, and environmental stewardship. 

Event Highlights Included: 

  • Ocean Week Celebration – Saint John (June 1): Held at Tin Can Beach in partnership with ACAP Saint John, FBR, and UNB, this public event featured interactive marine science activities and shoreline exploration.
  • BioBlitzes – Irving Nature Park (June 1) & Fundy Trail Provincial Park (June 6): Organized by the UNBSJ Biology Graduate Student Society, these citizen science events documented 817 observations at Irving (31% increase) and 775 at Fundy Trail (43% increase) as part of the national #BlitzTheGap through an initiative by a lab at McGill University to collect baseline biodiversity data, especially in undersampled regions across Canada, to have a comparison available for future research.
  • Tucker Park School Programs (June 2–6): Biodiversity-focused sessions for students, highlighting the importance of wetlands, coastlines, and river ecosystems.
  • Johnson Mills Shoreline Cleanup: A collaborative effort by Fundy Biosphere Region, National Conservancy of Canada, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society NB, Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance, and Eco360 that removed 140 kg of garbage to protect critical habitat for migrating shorebirds.
  • Flow | Courant | Psiw-Tepos – UNBSJ/Tucker Park Beach (June 5): An Indigenous-led event including a scholarly defense, trail cleanup, kayaking to Brother’s Island, storytelling, and cultural reflection.
  • Ocean-Inspired Art Day – New River Beach (June 8): A creative trail-side event featuring live art installations and discussions on marine conservation.
  • Library Programs and Displays (June 3–7): Ocean-themed storytimes and book displays, STEM workshops, and crafts hosted at libraries across the province.
  • World Ocean Day at Fundy Discovery Aquarium (June 7): A family-friendly event with interactive exhibits and marine education at St. Andrews’ Huntsman Aquarium.
  • EnviroFest – Moncton (June 7): A sustainability-focused event promoting climate action and low-carbon living.
  • High and Low Tide Drop-In – Alma Beach (June 8): An interpretive experience exploring the Bay of Fundy’s dramatic tidal shifts.
  • An Afternoon with the Ocean – Long Beach, Fundy Trail Provincial Park (June 8): A guided event with a marine biologist from Mount Allison University connecting visitors to the biodiversity of coastal habitats and the importance of marine conservation.

Ocean Week Fundy is part of Ocean Week Canada, a national initiative led by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) to support the United Nations Ocean Decade. In 2025, Ocean Week Canada had over 300 events across the country to promote ocean awareness, public engagement, and environmental action. 

We would like to extend a huge thank you to the collaboration of educators, Indigenous community leaders, scientists, artists, and community organizations. Ocean Week Fundy 2025 offered meaningful experiences that connected people to the ocean through learning, creativity and stewardship. Thank you as well to everyone who participated in these events, we hope you had a great time & we are looking forward to Ocean Week Fundy 2026!