Depicts priority area for work under the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Committee for the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Newfoundland and Labrador (Committee) is responsible for providing information, knowledge and analysis regarding future offshore wind development (OSW) to inform and improve future planning, licencing and impact assessment processes. The Committee’s mandate is set out in the Agreement to Conduct the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Newfoundland and Labrador (Agreement), and includes assessing potential environmental, health, social and economic effects of future OSW. The Agreement includes a broad Study Area. In November 2023, the Committee determined OSW interest in the foreseeable future is more likely within a portion of the Study Area set out in the Agreement. The Committee defined this portion of the Study Area as the assessment's Focus Area. The Committee continues to conduct the Regional Assessment (i.e., present information on existing conditions and consider potential impacts of OSW) within the Focus Area. The Committee's decision to define the Focus Area and supporting rationale is available here: https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/evaluations/document/153431 The Agreement to conduct the Regional Assessment is available here: https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/documents/p84343/147037E.pdf

Study Area defined in the Agreement to Conduct a Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Newfoundland and Labrador. The study area was created by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Study Area defined in the Agreement to Conduct a Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Nova Scotia. The study area was created by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada and the province of Nova Scotia.

This geospatial data depicts preliminary offshore wind licencing areas recommended by the Committee for the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Newfoundland and Labrador (Committee). These areas were identified as an interim product during the Regional Assessment process. The Committee is tasked to complete its Regional Assessment Report by January 2025. As part of the terms of amended agreement set out by the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, the Committee submitted an interim report to Ministers on March 22, 2024. This report included a preliminary map of recommended areas for offshore wind. Based on work completed to date, the Committee has found these areas are where offshore wind development is most likely feasible and will have the least impact within offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. These areas are preliminary and will be refined throughout the remainder of the Regional Assessment. Through the Regional Assessment process, the Committee is providing federal and provincial Ministers with information, knowledge, and analysis regarding future offshore wind development. Their work is intended to inform and improve future planning, licencing, and impact assessment processes. Any offshore wind areas identified by the Committee do not reflect official offshore wind licencing areas. The Committee is providing these areas to Ministers for their consideration, as the offshore wind regulatory process is being established.

This dataset contains inputs and resultant data layers from the Preliminary Technical Resource Assessment for Offshore Wind in Canada’s Pacific Region completed by CanmetENERGY-Ottawa (CE O). The layers included in this dataset can be used to support early stage offshore wind planning and future decision making in the coastal waters of British Columbia.The analysis applied an exclusion based methodology to identify areas that met the assigned technical requirements for offshore wind developments for both fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind structures. Five technical constraints were assessed: water depth, annual average wind speed, distance from the coastline, seabed geology compatibility, and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). These constraints were sequentially applied across the entirety of Canada’s Pacific offshore waters within the federal marine bioregions present on the west coast, covering approximately 454,000 km². For each scenario, areas that did not meet the defined technical thresholds were removed from the study area, resulting in spatial layers that delineate technically feasible offshore wind areas. This dataset represents only a technical assessment. It does not account for economic feasibility, regulatory approvals, Indigenous rights and interests, environmental sensitivities beyond MPAs, or other social and ecological considerations. The data are intended to inform future site specific studies, by initially identifying areas that merit further exploration to determine full suitability before decisions can be made on whether offshore wind will be deployed in the region. The link to the full report can be found here: https://doi.org/10.4095/g350288

Fishing event data (e.g. year, date, time, location, catch and effort) and associated biological data from the Offshore Stratified Random Survey component of the annual Sablefish Research and Assessment Survey on the British Columbia coast.IntroductionDFO and the Canadian Sablefish Association (CSA) collaborate to undertake an annual fishery-independent research survey under a joint agreement. The survey employs longline trap gear to obtain catch rate data, gather biological samples, capture oceanographic measurements, and collect tag release and recapture data.Data summaries provided here are for the offshore stratified random sampling design (StRS) component of the survey, which has been conducted annually since 2003. The design of the sablefish survey has developed over time by incorporating and discontinuing components, including individual experimental studies (not available on OpenData). This StRS Survey component differs in methodology from the other two survey components: (1) Standardized trap survey – mainland inlets (1994-present; available on OpenData using link below), and (2) Standardized trap survey – offshore indexing and offshore tagging (1990 – 2010; not yet available on OpenData). The Sablefish offshore stratified random trap survey (StRS) follows a depth and area stratified random sampling design. The survey area is partitioned into five spatial strata (S1 to S5) and three depth strata (RD1 to RD3) for a total of 15 strata. The five spatial strata are S1 (South West Coast Vancouver Island or SWCVI), S2 (North West Coast Vancouver Island or NWCVI), S3 (Queen Charlotte Sound or QCS), S4 (South West Coast of Haida Gwaii or SWCHG), and S5 (North West Coast of Haida Gwaii or NWCHG). The three depth strata are 100-250 fathoms (RD1), 250-450 fathoms (RD2), and 450-750 fathoms (RD3). The area within each of the 15 strata are sectioned into 2 km x 2 km grid cells or ‘fishing blocks’ from which set locations are randomly chosen each year. Survey procedures are standardized and documented in Canadian Technical Reports of Fisheries and Aquatic sciences.Data tables provided for the offshore stratified random survey include (i) effort, (ii) catch, (iii) biological information, (iv) the sampling frame from which blocks are selected for sampling each year, and (v) the calculated coastwide Sablefish biomass index. StRS EffortThis table contains information about the annual survey trips and fishing events (sets). Trip-level information includes the year the survey took place, a unique trip identifier, the vessel that conducted the survey and the trip start and end dates (the dates the vessel was away from the dock conducting the survey). Set-level information includes the date, time, location and depth that fishing took place, the survey spatial and depth strata for the set, reason for the set, soak time, number of traps deployed and number of traps fished. All successful fishing events are included, i.e., those sets that conformed to specified survey standards.StRS CatchThis table contains the catch information from successful fishing events. Catches are identified to species or to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Catches are recorded as fish counts and / or weight. The unique trip identifier and set number are included so that catches can be related to the fishing event information (including capture location).StRS Biological InformationThis table contains the biological data for sampled catches. Data may include any or all of length, weight, sex, maturity, and age. Most of the sampled catch is Sablefish; however, some biological information has been collected on Rockfish, Flatfish and other Roundfish species in some years. Age structures are collected and are archived until required for analyses; therefore, all existing structures have not been aged at this time. Tissue samples (usually a fin clip) may be collected for genetic (DNA) analysis for specific species. Genetic samples may be archived until required for analyses; for more information, please see the data contacts. The unique trip identifier and set number are included so that samples can be related to the fishing event and catch information.Sample FrameThis table contains a list of all of the 2km x 2km grid cells or ‘fishing blocks’ that are part of the stratified random sampling frame. A subset of blocks are randomly selected for sampling each year from this list. For each grid cell, the corresponding depth and spatial strata ID is included. This sample frame can be used to calculate design-based abundance indices for the survey.StRS Biomass IndexThis table contains a coastwide relative biomass index for Sablefish based on the annual StRS survey. Stratified random sampling mean index values and 95% confidence intervals are calculated by year using the classical survey stratified random sampling estimator (Cochran 1977) and the number of possible sampling units per stratum provided by Wyeth et al. (2007). The relative biomass index has been input to the operating model and management procedure used to provide management advice for BC Sablefish since 2011 (Cox et al. 2011).

Development areas located within the urbanization perimeter.attributs:ID - Unique IdentifierType - Type of zone**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Since 1992, scientific surveys have been conducted annually alternately, in the estuary and the North of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. These surveys allow DFO to monitor the population and ecosystem of the snow crab and thus understand the state of the stock and the renewal of the species.Beam trawl hauls following a systematic sampling take place every 2 years in the estuary and in the Lower North Shore. In the estuary (zone 17), a sampling of 94 stations is carried out. In the Lower North Shore (zone 13 and 14), 60 regular stations are usually sampled and 35 exploratory stations are distributed between Baie Johan Bettz and Kegaska (zone 15 and 16) but also on the south shore of zone 13 near Newfoundland. At each station, a fishing haul of 5 to 10 minutes is carried out. The harvested crabs are measured (cephalothorax width), sexed and counted. The state of the shell, sexual maturity and egg development stages are also assessed. The number of crabs caught, classified according to different size categories, allows estimating densities and thus monitoring the state and renewal of the snow crab population in the different fishing areas. This dataset on the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) contains abundance and density data of crabs under different size classes as well as geographical and bathymetric variables by station. The dataset covers the period from 1992 to the present and is updated each year. A cleaning of aberrant data has been carried out.For certain time periods, associated species are identified and semi-quantitatively counted directly on the sorting table, and the results are presented in the following publications: - https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/8fbd81a4-ce4a-40e3-81f6-e2a5c44955de- https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/268bf29e-b9d6-4267-bc86-230f4edfb80b- https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/97dac757-2ef6-4144-b7d9-a0d8d51f8319

This geospatial data depicts the Draft Offshore Wind Licencing Areas (Draft Areas) recommended by the Committee for the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Newfoundland and Labrador (Committee).*Based on work completed to date, the Committee has found the Draft Areas are where offshore wind development would have the least impact within the Regional Assessment Focus Area. Identifying Areas:Section 6 of the Draft Regional Assessment Report (see Data Resources below) includes details on how the Draft Areas were identified. They are the result of the constraints analysis summarized below, with very little modification to area boundaries. The Committee successively removed areas from the Regional Assessment Focus Area (published on Open Government by the Impact Assessment Agency on December 1, 2023). Constraints analysis steps included: • Step 1: Creating Coastal Buffers.• Step 2: Removing Marine Critical Habitat.• Step 3: Removing Marine Protected Areas. • Step 4: Removing Marine Traffic Routes.• Step 5: Removing Areas with High Vessel Traffic.• Step 6: Removing the South Coast Fjords NMCA Study Area.• Step 7: Removing Areas around National Parks & World Heritage Sites.• Step 8: Removing High Density Fishing Areas.• Step 9: Removing Community-based Coastal Resources.An Iterative Process:Identifying offshore wind licencing areas is an iterative process. On March 22, 2024, the Committee submitted its Interim Report to Ministers. This report included a preliminary map of recommended areas for offshore wind development licencing. The preliminary areas were updated based on engagement outcomes, additional data and analysis submitted to the Committee by Regional Assessment participants, and additional research and analysis completed by the Committee between March and October 2024. On October 1, 2024, the Committee’s Draft Report, including updated offshore wind areas, was published for a public comment period. The Draft Areas supersede the Preliminary Offshore Wind Licencing Areas. The Draft Areas are also subject to change. The Committee will submit its Final Report and Initial Offshore Wind Licencing Areas for Consideration to Ministers on or before January 23, 2025. The Committee recommends that regulators consider the forthcoming Initial Offshore Wind Energy Licencing Areas, and the Committee’s report to Ministers, to help inform offshore wind development licencing areas in the region.Latest Update:The Committee’s Final Report and final version of Initial Offshore Wind Energy Licencing Areas for Consideration were submitted to Ministers on January 23, 2025. This completes the Committee’s mandate. Ministers may also choose to make the final versions of these areas available following the Regional Assessment. However, no changes have been made to the geospatial data representing the Draft Areas (published here).Please note the Committee updated the term “Initial Offshore Wind Energy Licencing Areas for Consideration” in the final iteration of their work to better communicate the areas it identified are not licencing areas but are a starting point to help inform the selection of licencing areas. Previous iterations of these areas were called Preliminary Offshore Wind Licencing Areas and Draft Offshore Wind Licencing Areas.*Regional Assessment Background: The federal Ministers of Environment and of Natural Resources, and the provincial Ministers of Industry, Energy and Technology, of Environment and Climate Change, and of Intergovernmental Affairs (Ministers) are signatory to the Regional Assessment Agreement. The goal of the Regional Assessment is to provide information to federal and provincial governments to help them plan for offshore wind development in Newfoundland and Labrador, and complete impact assessments of offshore wind projects. Federal and provincial Ministers appointed an independent committee, comprising five members of diverse backgrounds and expertise to conduct the assessment.

This geospatial data depicts potential development areas (PDAs) recommended by the Committee for the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Nova Scotia.The Committee for the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Nova Scotia (Committee) provides federal and provincial Ministers with information, knowledge, and analysis regarding future offshore wind (OSW) development in Nova Scotia. Its work is intended to inform and improve future planning, licencing, permitting, and impact assessment processes.Under the Terms of Reference, the Committee submitted an interim report to Ministers on March 23, 2024. This report included the preliminary identification of recommended areas for potential future development areas (PFDAs) for offshore wind. Based on work completed since the interim report, the Committee issued its final report on January 23, 2025, which included refined development areas, the Potential Development Areas (PDAs). These PDAs are based on technical feasibility (using available information) and have the least impact on other offshore users. It should be noted that the PDAs are recommendations only and do not reflect official offshore wind energy areas.