All island polygons. Islands may overlap as there are islands within islands (e.g., a lake on an island contains an island). GNIS_NAME_1 contains the most atomic name for the island. For example, there are 3797 "Haida Gwaii" islands. If the island has not been named as part of a more specific group or with an individual name, "Haida Gwaii" is the GNIS_NAME_1 value. GNIS_NAME_2 and GNIS_NAME_3 values are null. If the island has a more specific name, "Haida Gwaii" moves to GNIS_NAME_2, and the more atomic name, such as "Moresby Island" is the GNIS_NAME_1. If the island has an individual name, belongs to a group, and is part of Haida Gwaii, the same logic of naming from most to least specific applies. For example, GNIS_NAME_1 = "George Island", GNIS_NAME_2 = "Copper Islands", GNIS_NAME_3 = "Haida Gwaii".

This cartographic dataset of areas of importance for spring herring in the Magdalen Islands was produced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Magdalen Islands ZIP Committee, as part of the work to characterize the Magdalen Islands Lagoons Marine Refuge. The initiative aimed to document fishermen's ecological knowledge of spring herring, including good fishing areas and spawning grounds around the archipelago.The data comes from interviews conducted between January and April 2024 with the most experienced fishermen in the archipelago. During the interviews, participants identified directly on digital maps the locations associated with four types of observations made throughout their careers: • Question 8 — Good fishing sites; • Question 9 — Other observations of high concentrations of the resource; • Question 13a — Spawning areas and; • Question 13b — Other observations of signs of spawning. To facilitate temporal contextualization, a four-period timeline (before 1996, 1996-2002, 2003-2006, and 2007-2021) was used.The final product is a GeoPackage (.gpkg) containing 16 vector layers composed of four layers per observation type, each corresponding to one of the defined time periods. The polygons were classified according to the number of fishermen who reported each location, making it possible to assess the degree of overlap and the relative importance of the areas over time. The data are projected in NAD83 / MTM zone 4.For more information on the methodology and data, see Burbank et al. (2025). Additional information specific to the Magdalen Islands lagoons is presented in Grégoire et al. (2026).

This bathymetric dataset of the five inland water bodies of the Magdalen Islands was produced by the Quebec Regional Science Directorate (DRS) of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) as part of the characterization of the Magdalen Islands lagoon marine refuge.The data comes from several sources, including a bathymetric LiDAR survey, satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB), acoustic surveys, and spot depth sampling conducted in inland water bodies.The final product is a 5 m resolution raster projected in NAD83 / MTM zone 4. Depths are expressed in meters and reduced to chart datum (CD). This dataset is provided for information, analysis, and research purposes and is not intended for navigation.This dataset is a derived scientific product generated through processing, interpolation, and integration conducted by a DRS research team, and it does not constitute a hydrographic product of the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS). The data may contain uncertainties, acquisition artifacts, or processing errors, and do not meet the hydrographic standards of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).This dataset is provided exclusively for informational, analytical, management, and scientific research purposes. It must not be used for navigation, for operational decision‑making at sea, or for any activity where the safety of persons or property may depend on the accuracy of depth information.DFO and CHS disclaim all liability for the use, interpretation, or decisions made on the basis of this product.For more information on the methodology and an overview of the results, see the report by Grégoire et al. (2026).

A research survey of scallops (mainly sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus, but also Icelandic Scallop Chlamys islandica) using a dredge was carried out by DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) every 1 or 2 years since 1992 in the Magdalen Islands (fishing area 20). The main objective of this research survey was to assess Sea Scallop stocks. Another objective was to document taxa associated with scallop habitat according to a fixed random sampling plan. Occurrences for the year 2021 and 2022 are presented by species (or taxon) by station. Starting in 2021, catches were weighed, and specimens photographed, with information available upon request. The taxonomic and geographical validity of the data was checked and the World Register of Marine Species served as the taxonomic authority for naming all taxa recorded during the survey. Epibenthic invertebrates (mainly molluscs, echinoderms and crustaceans) as well as demersal fish were identified from the dredge catches. The historical dataset is available at the following link : https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/71732ad5-5c70-4dbf-916d-a94e1380c53bThe study area is located south of the Magdalen Islands and the sampling of scallop beds is carried out at depths of generally around 25 to 35 m. A random selection of sampling stations is carried out from a fixed station grid. Sampling is done along transects at these randomly drawn stations in the study area. Sampling is done with a lined Digby scallop dredge (20 mm mesh) over approximately 500 m along the seabed. The four baskets of the dredge are examined for all scallops, and starting in 2022, also for all fishes. One basket (first on the starboard side) is sorted and examined for associated species. Most specimens are counted by taxa. Those that are too small and numerous, or colonial, are noted for presence or relative abundance. Special cases are occasionally conserved for taxonomic analysis, for example, ascidians (to monitor for invasive species) and sponges (to document new species). The availability of photos and some conserved specimens enables future review. Changes are anticipated in the identifications, notably for Bryozoan, Hydrozoa, and Porifera, that are currently the focus of research efforts.

A research survey of scallops (mainly sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus, but also Icelandic Scallop Chlamys islandica) using a dredge was carried out by DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) every 1 or 2 years since 1992 in the Magdalen Islands (fishing area 20). The main objective of this research survey was to assess Sea Scallop stocks. Another objective was to document taxa associated with scallop habitat according to a fixed random sampling plan. Occurrences by species (or taxon) are presented by station. The taxonomic and geographical validity of the data was checked and the World Register of Marine Species served as the taxonomic authority for naming all taxa recorded during the survey. Epibenthic invertebrates (mainly molluscs, echinoderms and crustaceans) as well as demersal fish were identified from the dredge catches. The current data starting in 2021 are available at the following link : https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/6529a4b0-f863-4568-ac71-1fa26cf68679The study area is located south of the Magdalen Islands and the sampling of scallop beds is carried out at depths of 10 to 38 m, generally around 25 to 35 m. A random selection of sampling stations is carried out from a fixed station grid. Sampling is done along transects at these randomly drawn stations in the study area. Sampling is done with a lined Digby scallop dredge (20 mm mesh) over approximately 500 m along the seabed. The four baskets of the dredge are examined for all scallops. Next, a basket (the first on the starboard side) is sorted and examined for associated species. Most specimens are counted by taxon. The presence or relative abundance of undersized and numerous, or colonial, organisms is noted. Special cases are sometimes retained for taxonomic analysis, for example, ascidians (to monitor invasive species) and sponges (to document new species).

This cartographic dataset represents a geomorphological update of the boundaries of the five inland water bodies that form the Magdalen Islands Marine Refuge. It was produced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) as part of its marine refuge characterization work.The data used comes from the August 15, 2022 version of the Quebec maritime Geospatial Database of Coastal Ecosystems (GDB), developed from various sources including satellite and airborne images from 2019 (Jobin et al. 2021; Provencher-Nolet et al. 2024). The boundaries of the inland water bodies were defined according to the upper high tide line, which represents the maximum extent of the water during the highest tides.The final product is a polygonal shapefile representing the five inland water bodies of the marine refuge as well as the terrestrial areas of the archipelago. The data are projected in NAD83 / MTM zone 4.For more information on the method used to generate this layer from the GDB, see Grégoire et al. (2026). The method used to create the source geospatial data is described in Jobin et al. (2021) and Provencher-Nolet et al. (2024).

Since 1985, research surveys targeting scallops—primarily the sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) and, to a lesser extent, the Icelandic scallop (Chlamys islandica)—have been conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) at one- or two-year intervals around the Magdalen Islands (fishing area 20A). The main objective of this survey is to assess the status of sea scallop stocks. The study area is situated south of the Magdalen Islands, where scallop beds are typically sampled at depths ranging from approximately 25 to 35 m. Sampling stations are randomly selected from a predetermined fixed grid, with sampling conducted along transects at these randomly assigned locations within the study area. Each station is sampled using a lined Digby scallop dredge (20 mm mesh size), towed for roughly 500 m across the seabed.This publication includes three files: the file biometriePetoncle_20, which contains detailed biometric data (species, size, weights and sex) from 1998 to 2024; the file taillePetoncle_20, which provides the size of the individuals sampled from 2009 to 2024; and the file traitPetoncle_20 which contains the abundances and densities per tow from 2009 to 2024. Data on abundances and densities per tow from 1998-2008 is available upon request.This dataset is updated every one to two years as data becomes available. A cleaning of aberrant data has been carried out. However, there is missing data in various columns of the dataset – use the data with caution. If you have any questions please contact DFO.DataManagementSAISB-GestionDonneesDAISS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or the author. 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/6529a4b0-f863-4568-ac71-1fa26cf68679- https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/71732ad5-5c70-4dbf-916d-a94e1380c53b 

A research survey on American lobster (Homarus americanus) and rock crab (Cancer irroratus) has been carried out annually on the Magdalen Islands since 1995 to assess the abundance and structure of populations in this area. The survey is carried out during the first two weeks of September and covers the southern part of the Magdalen Islands, from "Baie de Plaisance" to "Grande-Entrée", extending slightly eastwards between "Havre-aux-Maisons" and "Grande-Entrée". The survey lasts 8 to 15 days, depending of the weather conditions, and covers a maximum of 48 stations. Approximately half of the stations are surveyed in duplicate (two tows per station). The tows always cover 500 meters, with a slightly variable trawl opening (as explained above), averaging around 10 meters.The gear used is a Nephrops trawl, a benthic trawl originally developed for langoustine fishing in Brittany, but slightly modified to target lobster. The trawl is deployed from the CCGS Leim and the harvested organisms are hauled aboard and sorted. Cephalothorax length, sex and shell stage are recorded for all lobsters. This is supplemented by information on reproductive conditions for certain size classes, and dissections of 25 males and 25 females per mission. Rock crabs are also included in the survey and are counted with additional measurements of shell width, sex and shell condition that are recorded on predetermined stations. For other stations individuals data are collected depending on the time available between trawl hauls.The publication contains 4 files; the "Information_stations" file which contains the data of the stations, the "Data_homard_lobster_survey" file which contains the measurements of each lobster, the "Nombre_crabe_crab_number" file which contains the count of rock crabs, the "Mesure_crabe_crab_measurement" file contains the characteristics measured for each crab. Each of the files can be linked by the "date", "st", "tr" columns. The “bat” column notes the boat code, because the gear is not deployed in the same way on each boat.*This record consist of raw data and quality has not been verifiedAssociated species are identified and semi-quantitatively counted directly on the sorting table, and the results are presented in the following publication: https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/99cb7034-f3d5-4da4-a5bc-e81315cfb8eb

Bay Scale Assessment of Nearshore Habitat Bras d'Or Lake - Chapel Island 2008 data is part of the publication Bay Scale Assessment of Nearshore Habitat Bras d'Or Lakes. A history of nearshore benthic surveys of Bras d’Or Lake from 2005 – 2011 is presented. Early work utilized drop camera and fixed mount sidescan. The next phase was one of towfish development, where camera and sidescan were placed on one platform with transponder-based positioning. From 2009 to 2011 the new towfish was used to ground truth an echosounder. The surveys were performed primarily in the northern half of the lake; from 10 m depth right into the shallows at less than 1 m. Different shorelines could be distinguished from others based upon the relative proportions of substrate types and macrophyte canopy. The vast majority of macrophytes occurred within the first 3 m of depth. This zone was dominated by a thin but consistent cover of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) on almost all shores with a current or wave regime conducive to the growth of this plant. However, the eelgrass beds were frequently in poor shape and the negative impacts of commonly occurring water column turbidity, siltation, or possible localized eutrophication, are suspected. All survey data were placed into a Geographic Information System, and this document is a guide to that package. The Geographic Information System could be used to answer management questions such as the placement and character of habitat compensation projects, the selection of nearshore protected areas or as a baseline to determine long term changes.Vandermeulen, H. 2016. Video-sidescan and echosounder surveys of nearshore Bras d’Or Lake. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3183: viii + 39 p.Cite this data as: Vandermeulen H. Bay Scale Assessment of Nearshore Habitat Bras d'Or Lake - Chapel Island 2008. Published May 2022. Coastal Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S.

The Beaufort fault in Eastern Vancouver Island is probably an active fault, near Courtenay/Comox/Cumberland. Based on current science, this fault may have ruptured in the 1946 magnitude 7.3 Vancouver Island Earthquake. This scenario represents a smaller magnitude 5.2 event.