Community-Oriented Coastal Observatory
The climate is changing. Species are moving. Let's keep track—together.
About Us
The Community-Oriented Coastal Observatory (COCO) is a community-based network for monitoring marine animals using environmental (e)DNA analysis off Nova Scotia/Mi’kma’ki (Kespukwitk, Sipekne’katik, Eskikewa'kik, and Unama'kik districts)
The initiative is led by Dalhousie University PhD Candidate Samantha Beal, Dr. Derek Tittensor (FOME lab), and Dr. Paul Bentzen (Bentzen Lab). Dalhousie University and the network are situated in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq.
Our Goals
COCO is a community-driven eDNA network designed to track long-term changes in Nova Scotia’s coastal ecosystems. As ocean temperatures rise, marine animals are on the move, making biodiversity monitoring more important than ever.
But keeping an eye on these changes takes a lot of effort – and that’s where COCO comes in. By involving communities in the process, COCO strengthens local stewardship, builds scientific literacy, and connects people with the ocean in a meaningful way. All of our findings will be shared with the communities and people that help to collect the water samples that we use.
8
Outreach events
52
eDNA samples collected
Updated 19 September 2025 by S. Beal
30
Fish species detected
Why now?
Nova Scotia’s coastal waters are changing. Fast. The Northwest Atlantic is warming quicker than most other oceans, and as species move northward, new arrivals are mixing with longtime residents.
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Understanding these changes requires long-term, widespread monitoring – something researchers can’t do alone. That’s where you come in. COCO is all about bridging the gap between community knowledge and academic science. With more eyes (and samplers) on the water, we can track these shifts together and make sure local voices are part of the conversation.
Our methods
Community partners collect environmental (e)DNA samples and mail them back to Dalhousie University in prepaid mailers for processing and analysis. That’s it! You collect the sample – we take care of the rest.
New partners get hands-on training in eDNA sampling and an introduction to COCO's goals. eDNA sampling machines are either provided directly or available for pickup from a central location. Before each sampling event, partners will receive kits in the mail with everything they need to complete sampling.
Once samples are collected, filters are mailed back using a prepaid shipping box. Once the results are in, we will share them directly with our partners and post them here on the COCO website so everyone can see what’s happening in our coastal waters.
Why eDNA?
Studying marine animals has traditionally meant boats, nets, and hours of fieldwork. This is often expensive and time-consuming. eDNA offers a simple, non-invasive alternative: instead of catching animals, we collect the tiny traces of DNA they leave behind in the water.
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DNA sheds off animals (and plants!) naturally. As they live, it can flake off in the form of skin or scales coming loose, mucus and saliva production, or excretion. Think of it like this: the dust under your bed is contains dead skin cells and hair, right? Same kind of thing--just instead of looking under a bed, we are looking in the ocean.
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With a single sample, we can detect multiple species – efficiently, affordably, and with minimal disturbance to the ecosystem. By repeating this seasonally, year after year, we can build a strong baseline to determine how things are moving around our coasts as the waters warm.
COCO sampling locations
To begin, COCO is interested in collecting eDNA samples at six locations along the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia: Yarmouth, Liverpool, Hubbards, Sheet Harbour, Canso, and Louisbourg.
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We hope that by covering this coast from the south to the north, over time we will be able to identify shifts in where species are being detected and assess if there are any patterns or changes in this detection over the years.
Don't live in one of these six communities but still want to get involved with COCO? We'd love to hear from you!
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COCO is just in its beginning phase and we are excited to expand to more communities around the province.
Comments, questions? Get in touch with us!
Department of Biology
Life Sciences Centre
6287 Alumni Crescent
Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Mi'kma'ki (NS) Canada
B3H 4R2
@coco.e.dna