Fisheries and Oceans Canada

“4VSW” missions focus on the eastern half of the Scotian Shelf, and occur primarily in March, but sets in both February, and April are also present in the data. These missions use a unique stratification scheme intended to optimize the abundance estimates of cod. Collected data includes...

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a global, satellite-based and terrestrial-based ship tracking system that uses shipborne equipment to remotely track vessel identification and positional information and is typically required on vessels of 300 gross tonnage or more on an international...

The Coastal Environmental Baseline Program is a multi-year Fisheries and Oceans Canada initiative designed to work with Indigenous and local communities and other key parties to collect coastal environmental data at six pilot sites across Canada (Port of Vancouver, Port of Prince Rupert, Lower...

Emerald Basin on the Scotia Shelf off Nova Scotia, Canada, is home to a globally unique population of the glass sponge Vazella pourtalesi. Through the analysis of both in situ photographs and trawl catch data from annual multispecies bottom-trawl surveys, we examined community composition,...

Points, polylines and polygons where species and features have been found, harvested or detailed. Community Based Coastal Resource Inventory (CCRI) – Fisheries and Oceans Canada in conjunction with several Federal and Provincial agencies created, implemented, and managed a program which set out...

Extreme water level along the marine coastline is a result of a combination of storm surge, tides, and ocean waves. Future projections of climate change in the marine environment indicate that rising sea level and declining sea ice will cause changes in extreme water levels, which will impact...

“Summer” missions occur in June, July and August and these focus on the Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy (i.e. 4VWX 5Yb, expanding recently to include the Laurentian Channel and Georges Bank (5Zc). Collected data includes total catch in numbers and weights by species. Length frequency data is...

Description: Biophysical Units: Under the Pacific Marine Ecological Classification System (PMECS; DFO 2016; Rubidge et al. 2016), biophysical units are areas of distinct physiographic and oceanographic conditions and processes that shape species composition at spatial extents of 1000s of km....

A derivative of DFO’s benthic species survey for the Strategic Program for Ecosystem-based Research and Advice (SPERA) (open data record ID: e736c0f0-b19e-4842-903d-28bfc756d48a), this benthic survey funded through the Canadian Healthy Oceans Network (CHONeII) looks at the presence/absence and...

The data in this layer represents habitat suitability of soft-shelled clams (Mya arenaria) in the DFO Maritimes region, and was developed using an interdepartmental approach. Substrate classification data as well as bathymetric data for the Region were used to identify potential habitat for...

The St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area was established in June 2017. Data describing the spatial-temporal patterns and drivers of species movement is essential for evaluating species composition and to gauge the protective capacity of the MPA. Since 2015, an acoustic telemetry receiver array has...

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) National Biofouling Monitoring Program (BMP) has conducted annual field surveys to monitor the introduction, establishment, spread, species richness, and relative abundance of native and non-indigenous species (NIS) since 2006. Standardized monitoring protocols...

In summer 2019, beach seining and paired environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling was conducted at ten sampling sites in coastal Nova Scotia, ranging from the Lunenburg area to the province’s Eastern Shore. A 25-metre Danish bag seine was deployed by boat twice at each site to capture fish and...

This report outlines the results of a project that created a series of maps tracking inshore historical Lobster fishing district boundaries from 1899 to present. This work has been part of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Blue Economy Lobster Team (BELT) pilot project on the Lobster fishery....

The Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk (CNFASAR) is a contribution program that focuses on providing funding for recovery and threat mitigation activities in nine priority places and to address two marine threats to aquatic species at risk. The Priority Places and Marine Threats layer...

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,...

Fish Habitat Assessment Output: 1 of 16 High Water Level (75.4m ASL) - Spawning Habitat - High Vegetation Association Species (All Temperature Windows) Habitat suitability was assessed for the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, at a 3 m grid resolution, using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool...

Fish Habitat Assessment Output: 5 of 16 High Water Level (75.4m ASL) - Juvenile/Adult Habitat - High Vegetation Association Species (All Thermal Guilds) Habitat suitability was assessed for the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, at a 3 m grid resolution, using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment...

Fish Habitat Assessment Output: 4 of 16 High Water Level (75.4m ASL) - Nursery Habitat - Low Vegetation Association Species (All Temperature Windows) Habitat suitability was assessed for the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, at a 3 m grid resolution, using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool...

Fish Habitat Assessment Output: 8 of 16 High Water Level (75.4m ASL) - Juvenile/Adult Habitat - Low Vegetation Association Species (Coldwater) Habitat suitability was assessed for the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, at a 3 m grid resolution, using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool (HEAT),...