The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), is a species found in Atlantic Canadian waters which is mostly encountered “basking” on the surface waters and sometimes caught accidentally in commercial fisheries. One Pop-up Satellite Archival Tag (PSAT Mk10) from Wildlife Computers was applied to a single female basking shark in September 2008 on a commercial vessel to collect data on depth (pressure), temperature and ambient light level (for position estimation). The basking shark was 610 cm Total Length (curved). The tag released on the pre-programmed date 125 days after deployment. Raw data transmitted from the PSAT’s after release was processed through Wildlife Computers software (GPE3) to get summary files, assuming a maximum swimming speed of 2m/s, NOAA OI SST V2 High Resolution data set for SST reference and ETOPO1-Bedrock dataset for bathymetry reference. The maximum likelihood position estimates are available in .csv and .kmz format and depth and temperature profiles are also in .csv format. Other tag outputs as well as metadata from the deployment can be obtained upon request from: warren.joyce@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or heather.bowlby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

The greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), is a species found in Atlantic Canadian waters which is occasionally encountered in commercial fisheries. Pop-up Satellite Archival Tags (PSAT) from Wildlife Computers were applied to greenland sharks from 2006 to 2009 to collect data on depth (pressure), temperature and ambient light level (for position estimation). Deployments were conducted in Canada on commercial vessels throughout the year and in Cumberland Sound (Pangirtung) on a scientific expedition in April 2008. A variety of tag models were deployed: PAT 4 (n=1) and Mk10 (N=15) and 14 of 16 tags reported. Greenland sharks tagged ranged in size from 250 cm to 549 cm Total Length (curved); 3 were female, 9 were male, and 4 were of unknown sex. Time at liberty ranged from 48 – 350 days and 9 tags remained on the sharks for the programmed duration. Raw data transmitted from the PSAT’s after release was processed through Wildlife Computers software (GPE3) to get summary files, assuming a maximum swimming speed of 2m/s, NOAA OI SST V2 High Resolution data set for SST reference and ETOPO1-Bedrock dataset for bathymetry reference. The maximum likelihood position estimates are available in .csv and .kmz format and depth and temperature profiles are also in .csv format. Other tag outputs as well as metadata from the deployments can be obtained upon request from: warren.joyce@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or heather.bowlby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

The porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus), is a species found in Atlantic Canadian waters which is encountered in commercial and recreational fisheries. Pop-up Satellite Archival Tags (PSAT) from Wildlife Computers were applied to porbeagle sharks from 2005 to 2021 to collect data on depth (pressure), temperature and ambient light level (for position estimation). Deployments were conducted in Canada and the Faroe Islands on commercial, recreational and scientific charters, typically in summer and fall but some over winter when the porbeagle commercial fishery was active in Canada. A variety of tag models were deployed: PAT 4 (n=1), Mk10 (N=41), and MiniPAT (N=15) and 51 of 57 tags reported. One individual shark was recaptured and the physical tag was returned. The porbeagle sharks tagged ranged in size from 76 cm to 249 cm Fork Length (curved); 42 were female, 15 were male. Time at liberty ranged from 4 – 356 days and 14 tags remained on for the programmed duration. Raw data transmitted from the PSAT’s after release was processed through Wildlife Computers software (GPE3) to get summary files, assuming a maximum swimming speed of 2m/s, NOAA OI SST V2 High Resolution data set for SST reference and ETOPO1-Bedrock dataset for bathymetry reference. The maximum likelihood position estimates are available in .csv and .kmz format and depth and temperature profiles are also in .csv format. Other tag outputs as well as metadata from the deployments can be obtained upon request from: warren.joyce@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or heather.bowlby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

The white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), is a species found in Atlantic Canadian waters which is encountered in commercial and recreational fisheries. Pop-up Satellite Archival Tags (PSAT) from Wildlife Computers were applied to white sharks from 2016 to the present to collect data on depth (pressure), temperature and ambient light level (for position estimation). Deployments were conducted in Canada and the United States (Cape Cod and South Carolina) on scientific charters, typically in summer. Tag models deployed included: Mk10 (N=1), and MiniPAT (N=29) and 22 of 27 tags reported with 3 still at liberty. One individual shark returned to the location of tagging 1 year later and the physical tag was recovered. Another tag was recovered 5 years after deployment. White sharks tagged ranged in size from 259 cm to 459 cm Total Length (curved) estimated; 15 were female, 13 were male, and 2 were of unknown sex. Time at liberty ranged from 48 – 377 days and to date, only 3 tags remained on the shark for the programmed duration. Tagging of white sharks is an ongoing study and data will be updated here when it becomes available. Raw data transmitted from the PSAT’s after release was processed through Wildlife Computers software (GPE3) to get summary files, assuming a maximum swimming speed of 2m/s, NOAA OI SST V2 High Resolution data set for SST reference and ETOPO1-Bedrock dataset for bathymetry reference. The maximum likelihood position estimates are available in .csv and .kmz format and depth and temperature profiles are also in .csv format. Other tag outputs as well as metadata from the deployments can be obtained upon request from: warren.joyce@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or heather.bowlby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Spiny dogfish (Squlaus acanthias), is a species found in Atlantic Canadian waters which is encountered mostly in commercial fisheries. Pop-up Satellite Archival Tags (PSAT) from Wildlife Computers were applied to spiny dogfish from 2008 to 2009 to collect data on depth (pressure), temperature and ambient light level (for position estimation). Deployments were conducted in Canada on commercial fishing vessels from August to October. Wildlife Computers PSAT Mk10 (N=6) were used and 3 of 6 tags reported. One tag was found washed up on shore and was returned. The spiny dogfish tagged ranged in size from 80 cm to 96 cm Fork Length (curved); all 6 were female. Time at liberty ranged from 75 – 234 days and the 43 tags that reported remained on the sharks for the programmed duration. Raw data transmitted from the PSAT’s after release was processed through Wildlife Computers software (GPE3) to get summary files, assuming a maximum swimming speed of 2m/s, NOAA OI SST V2 High Resolution data set for SST reference and ETOPO1-Bedrock dataset for bathymetry reference. The maximum likelihood position estimates are available in .csv and .kmz format and depth and temperature profiles are also in .csv format. Other tag outputs as well as metadata from the deployments can be obtained upon request from: warren.joyce@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or heather.bowlby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

The blue whale (Balaenopterus musculus) is a wide-ranging cetacean that can be found in all oceans, inhabiting coastal and oceanic habitats. In the North Atlantic, little is known about blue whale distribution and genetic structure, and if whether animals found in Icelandic waters, the Azores, or Northwest Africa are part of the same population as those from the Northwest Atlantic. In the Northwest Atlantic, seasonal movements of blue whales and habitat use, including the location of breeding and wintering areas, are poorly understood.The behaviour of remotely-monitored animals can be inferred from a time series of location data. This is because animals tend to demonstrate stochasticity in their movement paths as a result of spatial variation in environmental characteristics, such as topography or prey density (Curio 1976; Gardner et al. 1989; Turchin 1991; Wiens et al. 1993). Predators are expected to decrease travel speed and/or increase turning frequency and turning angle when a suitable resource, e.g., food patch, is encountered (Turchin 1991), otherwise known as area-restricted search (ARS). In contrast, animals in transit or travelling tend to move at faster and more regular speeds, with infrequent and smaller turning angles (Kareiva and Odell 1987; Turchin 1998).Based on satellite telemetry to track the seasonal movements of 24 blue whales from eastern Canada in 2002 and from 2010 to 2015, it was possible to estimate trajectories and locations where ARS behaviour of blue whales was inferred at a 4h time interval.To assess blue whale movements and behavior, a Bayesian switching statespace model (SSSM) was applied to Argos-derived telemetry data (Jonsen et al. 2005; Jonsen et al. 2013). An SSSM essentially estimates animal location at fixed time intervals, movement parameters and behavioral patterns.Two important sources of uncertainty can be measured separately: estimation error resulting from inaccurate observations (Argos location error) and process variability linked to the stochasticity of the movement process (behavior mode estimation) (Jonsen et al. 2003; Patterson et al. 2008).The points visible on land are the result of errors in the Argos geographic position calculation. They have been deliberately left unchanged to assess the performance of the model, which was able to clean up some positions, but not all.Lesage, V., Gavrilchuk, K., Andrews, R.D., and Sears, R. 2016. Wintering areas, fall movements and foraging sites of blue whales satellite-tracked in the Western North Atlantic. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/078. v + 38 p.

Historical finds of Operophtera brumata

The mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), is a species found in Atlantic Canadian waters which is encountered in commercial and recreational fisheries. Pop-up Satellite Archival Tags (PSAT) from Wildlife Computers were applied to mako sharks from 2011 to 2013 to collect data on depth (pressure), temperature and ambient light level (for position estimation). Deployments were conducted in Canada on commercial vessels, typically in summer and fall from July to October. Two types of tag models were deployed: Mk10 (N=28), and MiniPAT (N=9) and 28 of 37 tags reported (one female shark was recaptured). The mako sharks tagged ranged in size from 80 cm to 229 cm Fork Length (curved); 13 were female, 17 were male, and 7 were unknown sex. Time at liberty ranged from 0 – 185 days and 6 tags remained on for the programmed duration. Raw data transmitted from the PSAT’s after release was processed through Wildlife Computers software (GPE3) to get summary files, assuming a maximum swimming speed of 2m/s, NOAA OI SST V2 High Resolution data set for SST reference and ETOPO1-Bedrock dataset for bathymetry reference. The maximum likelihood position estimates are available in .csv and .kmz format and depth and temperature profiles are also in .csv format. Other tag outputs as well as metadata from the deployments can be obtained upon request from: warren.joyce@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or heather.bowlby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

The Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) is the largest species of sea lion with males weighing as much as 1,100 kg and females as much as 350 kg. In Canada, the Steller can be spotted along the rocky coast of British Columbia (BC). These highly mobile marine mammals typically travel alone or in small groups, but they congregate in large numbers at traditional rookeries and haul-outs during the mating and pupping season. Females generally live longer (up to 30 years) than males (usually up to 20 years). The population was severely depleted in Canada but following its protection in 1970, the size of the adult population has more than doubled.Trends in the abundance of Steller sea lions in BC have been assessed based on a series of standardized, province-wide aerial surveys conducted during the breeding season (27-June to 06-July) between 1971 and 2021. Additional ad-hoc surveys during the fall, winter, and spring periods were completed to assess sea lion distribution outside of the breeding season. Surveys targeted historically occupied rookeries and haul-out sites with nearby areas also monitored for potential shifts in distribution.Both datasets contain counts that have been collected from sightings of individuals from 1971 through 2021. The updated standard breeding season survey counts data file consolidates and extends two previous datasets – one covering 1971 through 2013 and the other covering the summer portion of the 2016/2017 surveys. The non-breeding season count data was previously limited to the fall-winter portion of the 2016/2017 surveys and the updated data covers the entire study period to date.

CMIST is a peer-reviewed screening-level risk assessment tool for marine invasive species (Drolet et al. 2016). It is a short questionnaire that follows the invasion process from arrival to impact and is designed so an informed assessor can evaluate one species in an assessment area in approximately one day using easily accessible information from internet databases, primary literature, and grey literature. Species can be those with an invasion history in an area or those that are candidates for future invasions.CMIST is score-based and incorporates both likelihood and impact of invasion as well as uncertainty. Questions are general to make CMIST broadly applicable to different taxa, different assessment areas, and different project goals. To date, CMIST has been tested with molluscs, tunicates, crustaceans, and polychaetes introduced or at risk of introduction to three Canadian marine ecoregions (DFO 2009). CMIST has also been successfully applied to non-indigenous freshwater fish in British Columbia with adapted guidelines (T. Therriault, pers. comm.). Upon completion, CMIST produces a risk score adjusted for the assessor’s uncertainty which, combined with information collected during the assessment, can be used to assist in management decisions. For example, in 2015, CMIST assessments were used to identify high risk invaders in three Canadian marine ecoregions (DFO 2016).