Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Mortality at salmon aquaculture facilities is closely monitored. If the amount of dead fish at a farm exceeds thresholds outlined in conditions of licence, a mortality event is said to have occurred and must be reported to DFO within 24 hours of discovery. Facility managers and veterinarian(s)...

This report provides a summary of fish health events reported by aquaculture companies to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). A fish health event is any suspected or active disease that occurs within an aquaculture facility that requires the involvement of a veterinarian and warrants mitigation...

Fisheries and Oceans Canada requires operators of active marine finfish aquaculture sites in British Columbia to monitor for benthic (seabed) impacts. The benthic monitoring program is designed to limit the location, area, and intensity of impact created by fish farms to the seabed and to support...

This report provides a summary of sea lice mitigation events reported by marine finfish aquaculture companies in British Columbia to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). A sea lice mitigation event is any measure that is used to bring the sea lice abundance at a facility below the threshold of...

These commercial whale watching data are comprised of two datasets. First, the ‘whale_watching_trips_jun_sep_british_columbia’ data layer summarizes commercial whale watching trips that took place in 2019, 2020 and 2021 during the summer months (June to September). The second data layer,...

Data on recreational boating are needed for marine spatial planning initiatives in British Columbia (BC). Vessel traffic data are typically obtained by analyzing automatic identification system (AIS) vessel tracking data, but recreational vessels are often omitted or underrepresented in AIS data...

Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) are found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. They are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as those of the Baltic and North Seas. In Canada, they may be found off the coastal waters of...

This layer details Important Areas (IAs) relevant to sponge reefs (Hexactinosida) in the Strait of Georgia (SOG) ecoregion. This data was mapped to inform the selection of marine Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA). Experts have indicated that these areas are relevant based...

Many cetacean species were depleted in Canadian Pacific waters by commercial whaling, which ended in 1967. Although some populations have since shown evidence of recovery, there is limited information about the current abundance and geographic distribution of many species, particularly in...

Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO’s) Atlantic Salmon Watch Program (ASWP) was established in 1991 to study the abundance, distribution and biology of Atlantic salmon in British Columbia and its adjacent waters. The ASWP relies on voluntary reports from Indigenous, recreational and commercial...

The mean discharge (m3 s-1) of the Fraser River measured at Hope station. Presented as the mean discharge for an annual year (January through December) and for a flow year (April present year through March next year)....

For health auditing purposes, a farm is considered active once three pens of fish have been present for 30 days, following entry of the first pen of fish at the farm. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) applies a computerized selection system to randomly select active salmon farms within the fish...

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) issues licences under Section 56 of the Fishery (General) Regulations to authorize the intentional release and transfer of live aquatic organisms into fish-bearing waters or fish-rearing facilities. The federal-provincial Introductions and Transfers Committee...

This layer details Important Areas (IAs) relevant to key cetacean species in the Strait of Georgia (SOG) ecoregion. This data was mapped to inform the selection of marine Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA). Experts have indicated that these areas are relevant based upon their...

These data were created under DFO’s Strategic Program for Ecosystem-based Research and Advice - Aquatic Invasive Species Program: “Evaluation of the movement of marine infrastructure as a pathway for aquatic invasive species spread”. This geodatabase contains floating dock locations in coastal...

This layer details Important Areas (IAs) relevant to important geographic features in the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA). This data was mapped to inform the selection of marine Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA). Experts have indicated that these areas...

Catch, effort, location (latitude and longitude), and associated biological data from groundfish multi-species longline surveys in the northern portion of the inlets and protected waters east of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Introduction The Inside North Hard Bottom Longline (HBLL)...

This layer details Important Areas (IAs) relevant to key vertebrate species, other than fish and cetaceans, in the West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI) ecoregion. This data was mapped to inform the selection of marine Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA). Experts have indicated...

During the period of 1990 to 1993, Robin J. LeBrasseur and N. Brent Hargreaves led a juvenile salmon migration research project off the west coast of Vancouver Island BC. This included the development of surface beam trawl gear that could be deployed from a large trawl vessel (CCGS W.E. Ricker)...

Catch, effort, location (latitude and longitude), and associated biological data from groundfish multi-species longline surveys in the southern portion of the inlets and protected waters east of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Introduction The Inside South Hard Bottom Longline (HBLL)...