Little Newfoundland aquarium opens in a big way

Newfoundland’s biggest little aquarium opened over the weekend after the ceremonial snipping of a ribbon of inky-green kelp, bringing an exciting new oceans education facility to a community that’s only a stone’s throw away from St. John’s.

Arial photo of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. Copyright: Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium
Arial photo of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. Copyright: Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium

Opening day at the aquarium
Opening day at the aquarium

Small in size but big on leaning through experience, the 800sqft Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium offers children and adults a chance to wade amidst a variety of interactive tanks, reach out and touch starfish, eyeball enigmatic sea cucumbers and contemplate cod as well as other lesser-known residents from beneath the Atlantic.
Sea Urchin. Photo credit: Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium
Sea Urchin. Photo credit: Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium

For most of us, the creatures that live in our oceans are a big mystery that we rarely get to see – let alone touch. That’s why the aquarium is so important.  It literally brings the ocean to visitors without ever really losing sight of shore.
Starfish. Copyright: Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium
Starfish. Copyright: Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium

 
A unique aspect of the Petty Harbour aquarium is its display of local marine life, which is literally collected from the harbor just outside its door. It also maintains a catch and release policy, which means the aquarium staff return its star attractions back to their homes in the ocean after a 4-month summer run.
Sea snail.
Sea snail. Copyright: Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium

At WWF, we believe that education is an important first step in understanding the challenges our oceans face.  We’re a proud F(l)ounder of the new aquarium and have contributed a scuttle and shuffle fish tank. Come and see for yourself!
For more information on the Mini Aquarium, please visit https://www.miniaqua.org/ . To learn more about what WWF is doing to protect Canada’s oceans, visit https://www.wwf.ca/conservation/oceans/#.UcHIiOfvvao .