Data from the analysis of sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, bottom temperature, and bottom salinity, over the Gulf of Maine and Scotian Shelf, for 23 CMIP6 models. The analysis includes an evaluation of CMIP6 model performance for the CMIP6 historical (1950-2014) experiment. Future projections are summarized for CMIP6 scenarios SSP245 and SSP370 with the calculation of relative annual and seasonal changes between the historical period (1950-2014) and three future periods (2030-2039, 2040-2049, 2030-2049).Wang, Z., DeTracey, B., Maniar, A., Greenan, B., Gilbert, D. and Brickman, D., Future hydrographic state of the Scotian Shelf and Gulf of Maine from 23 CMIP6 models. Can. Tech. Rep. Hydrogr. Ocean. Sci. XXX: vii + XXXp.Cite this data as: Wang, Z., DeTracey, B., Maniar, A., Greenan, B., Gilbert, D. and Brickman, D. Future hydrographic state of the Scotian Shelf and Gulf of Maine from 23 CMIP6 Models. Published July 2022. Ocean Ecosystem Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/6247bb5a-14b3-461d-9ed3-b42553107bbc

Emerald Basin on the Scotian Shelf off Nova Scotia, Canada, is home to a globally unique aggregation of the glass sponge Vazella pourtalesi, first documented in the region in 1889. In 2009, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) implemented two Sponge Conservation Areas to protect these sponge grounds from bottom fishing activities. Together, the two conservation areas encompass 259 km2. In order to ascertain the degree to which the sponge grounds remain unprotected, we modelled the presence probability and predicted range distribution of V. pourtalesi on the Scotian Shelf using random forest modelling on presence-absence records. With a high degree of accuracy the random forest model predicted the highest probability of occurrence of V. pourtalesi in the inner basins on the central Scotian Shelf, with lower probabilities at the shelf break and in the Fundian and Northeast Channels. Bottom temperature was the most important determinant of its distribution in the model. Although the two DFO Sponge Conservation Areas protect some of the more significant concentrations of V. pourtalesi, much of its predicted distribution remains unprotected (over 99%). Examination of the hydrographic conditions in Emerald Basin revealed that the V. pourtalesi sponge grounds are associated with a warmer and more saline water mass compared to the surrounding shelf. Reconstruction of historical bottom temperature and salinity in Emerald Basin revealed strong multi-decadal variability, with average bottom temperatures varying by 8˚C. We show that this species has persisted in the face of this climatic variability, possibly indicating how it will respond to future climate change.Cite this data as: Beazley, Lindsay ; Wang, Zeliang ; Kenchington, Ellen ; Yashayaev, Igor ; Rapp Tore, Hans ; Xavier, Joana R. ; Murillo, Francisco Javier ; Fenton, Derek ; Fuller, Susanna(2023). Predicted distribution of the glass sponge Vazella pourtalesi on the Scotian Shelf and its persistence in the face of climatic variability. Published April 2023. Ocean Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/326bfc06-4b48-408f-9a74-1e118665e7b0

Estimates of wind-driven upwelling of colder water on the Scotian Shelf along the Nova Scotia coastline from 1993 to 2022 (inclusive) are presented, calculated using surface and 55m-depth water temperatures from the Global Ocean Physics Reanalysis (GLORYS12v1) product, and also ERA5 surface winds. GLORYS12v1 is a 1/12o data-assimilative reanalysis modelling product from Mercator Ocean International, implemented by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS; (https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00021). ERA5 is a weather forecast produced by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF; https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47). Daily estimates are given of upwelling area and intensity (temperature anomaly between upwelled and non-upwelled water), calculated over the area of interest (AOI) on the Scotian Shelf. Yearly estimates are given of total upwelling duration and cumulative area for the year in question, further broken down into seasons: Spring (March-May), Summer (June-August), and Fall (September-November). Lastly, estimates of the yearly start/end dates of the cold-water upwelling season (lasting generally from March to November) are estimated. The sea surface temperature (SST) data from GLORYS were validated against in-situ buoy observations (https://www.meds-sdmm.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/alphapro/wave/waveshare/metaData/meta_c44258.csv) and satellite-derived SST produced by Canadian Meteorological Centre (https://doi.org/10.5067/GHCMC-4FM02 and https://doi.org/10.5067/GHCMC-4FM03. These products may be used to gain knowledge of interannual variability of coastal upwelling on the ScS over the past 30 years.Cite this data as: Tao, J., Casey, M., Lu, Y., and Shen, H. Upwelling indices derived from GLORYS12 Model and ERA5 surface wind on the Scotian Shelf during 1993-2022.Published: December 2024. Ecosystems and Oceans Science, Maritimes region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth NS. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/a2da6bfd-92e3-434e-b9bd-456b7fc9e92b

“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 available for most species, as are the age, sex, maturity and weight information for a subset of the individual animals. Other data such as ageing material, genetic material, and stomach contents are often also collected, but are stored elsewhere.“Summer” cruises occur in May, June, July and August and these focus on the Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy (i.e. 4VWX).Cite this data as: Clark, D., Emberley, J. Data of MARITIMES SUMMER RESEARCH VESSEL SURVEYS. Published January 2021. Population Ecology Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/1366e1f1-e2c8-4905-89ae-e10f1be0a164

The Scotian Shelf population of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) is listed as Endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. Partial critical habitat was identified for this population in the Recovery Strategy first published in 2010 (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2016), and three critical habitat areas were designated along the eastern Scotian Shelf, encompassing the Gully, Shortland Canyon, and Haldimand Canyon (shapefile available online: https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/db177a8c-5d7d-49eb-8290-31e6a45d786c). However, the Recovery Strategy recognized that additional areas may constitute critical habitat for the population and recommended further studies based on acoustic and visual monitoring to assess the importance of inter-canyon areas as foraging habitat and transit corridors for northern bottlenose whales.In a subsequent study of the distribution, movements, and habitat use of northern bottlenose whales on the eastern Scotian Shelf (Stanistreet et al. in press), several sources of data were assessed and additional important habitat was identified in the inter-canyon areas located between the Gully, Shortland Canyon, and Haldimand Canyon (DFO 2020). A summary of the data inputs, analyses, and limitations is provided below.Year-round passive acoustic monitoring conducted with bottom-mounted recorders at two inter-canyon sites from 2012-2014 revealed the presence and foraging activity of northern bottlenose whales in these areas throughout much of the year, with a seasonal peak in acoustic detections during the spring. Detections from acoustic recordings collected during vessel-based surveys provided additional evidence of species occurrence in inter-canyon areas during the summer months. Photo-identification data collected in the Gully, Shortland, and Haldimand canyons between 2001 and 2017 were used to model the residency and movement patterns of northern bottlenose whales within and between the canyons, and demonstrated that individuals regularly moved between the three canyons as well as to and from outside areas. Together, these results indicated a strong degree of connectivity between the Gully, Shortland, and Haldimand canyons, and provided evidence that the inter-canyon areas function as important foraging habitat and movement corridors for Scotian Shelf northern bottlenose whales. The inter-canyon habitat area polygon was delineated using the 500 m depth contour and straight lines connecting the southeast corners of the existing critical habitat areas, but these boundaries are based on limited spatial information on the presence of northern bottlenose whales in deeper waters. More data are needed to determine whether this area fully encompasses important inter-canyon habitat, particularly in regard to the deeper southeastern boundary. Similarly, the full extent of important habitat for Scotian Shelf northern bottlenose whales remains unknown, and potential critical habitat areas outside the canyons and inter-canyon areas on the eastern Scotian Shelf have not been fully assessed. See DFO (2020) for further information.References:DFO. 2020. Assessment of the Distribution, Movements, and Habitat Use of Northern Bottlenose Whales on the Scotian Shelf to Support the Identification of Important Habitat. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2020/008. https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/Publications/SAR-AS/2020/2020_008-eng.html Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2016. Recovery Strategy for the Northern Bottlenose Whale, (Hyperoodan ampullatus), Scotian Shelf population, in Atlantic Canadian Waters [Final]. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa. vii + 70 pp. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/recovery-strategies/northern-bottlenose-whale-scotian-shelf.html Stanistreet, J.E., Feyrer, L.J., and Moors-Murphy, H.B. In press. Distribution, movements, and habitat use of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) on the Scotian Shelf. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. [https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/mpo-dfo/fs70-5/Fs70-5-2021-074-eng.pdf]Cite this data as: Stanistreet, J.E., Feyrer, L.J., and Moors-Murphy, H.B. Data of: Northern bottlenose whale important habitat in inter-canyon areas on the eastern Scotian Shelf. Published: June 2021. Ocean Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/9fd7d004-970c-11eb-a2f3-1860247f53e3

In 2016-17, DFO Maritimes Region undertook a Marine Protected Area (MPA) network analysis for the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy Bioregion. The analysis considered available bioregional-scale ecological and human use data in an effort to identify a draft MPA network design that would protect biodiversity while minimizing any potential impacts on commercial fishing and other industries. The data layers used for the offshore component of the MPA network analysis are provided here. These layers are not presented in their original forms and were modified (e.g. clipped, reclassified, etc.) specifically for use in the MPA network analysis. They should not be used for any other purpose. Please see Serdynska et al. 2021 for details on how each layer was created.Serdynska, A.R., Pardy, G.S., and King, M.C. 2021. Offshore Ecological and Human Use Information considered in Marine Protected Area Network Design in the Scotian Shelf Bioregion. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3382: xi + 100 p. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2021/mpo-dfo/Fs97-6-3382-eng.pdfCite this data as: Serdynska, A.R., Pardy, G.S., and King, M.C. Data of: Offshore Ecological and Human Use Information considered in Marine Protected Area Network Design in the Scotian Shelf Bioregion. Published: January 2022. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/2d9cce9a-d634-4b49-879f-87c40c52acf2

Plankton (zooplankton and large phytoplankton) are collected using the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) in the Northwest (NW) Atlantic along tracks transited by container ships from Reykjavik (Iceland) to St. John’s, NL (the Z line), and between St. John’s and the New England Coast, along the Scotian Shelf (the E and MD lines). The CPR Survey is the longest running, most geographically extensive marine ecological survey in the world, providing comparable data on the geographical distribution, seasonal cycles and year-to-year changes in abundance of plankton over a large spatial area. The first northwest Atlantic samples were collected in the Irminger Sea in 1957, and sampling was extended farther west to the Scotian Shelf a few years later. Sampling has continued to the present with some interruptions during the late 1970s and 1980s. Sampling is nominally once per month along the E, MD, and Z lines. DFO Sample collection and analysis are led by the Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey program at the Marine Biological Association of the UK. DFO provides partial support for the northwest Atlantic survey carried out on the E, MD, and Z lines and incorporates CPR data in Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program ocean environmental status reporting.

The excessive input of nitrogen derived from human land-use activities remains a major cause of the eutrophication of coastal ecosystems around the world. However, little data exist on rates of nutrient pollution or its potential impacts to coastal ecosystems in Atlantic Canada. To fill this knowledge gap, a Nitrogen Loading Model (NLM) framework was applied to determine the Total Nitrogen Load (kg TN / yr) from point and non-point source inputs (wastewater, atmospheric deposition, land use, fertilizer applications, and regional industries) in 109 coastal watersheds bordering the Bay of Fundy and Scotian Shelf. To evaluate the potential impact of nitrogen loading, two indicators were calculated for 40 coastal embayments: (1) ∆N, a measure of nitrogen residency that predicts dissolved oxygen problems; and (2) the estuary loading rate, a predictor of the potential for loss of submerged aquatic vegetation. This project was funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada through a Strategic Program for Ecosystem-based Research and Advice (SPERA) grant. This research has been published in the scientific literature (Kelly et al. 2021). Kelly, N.E., Guijarro-Sabaniel, J. and Zimmerman, R., 2021. Anthropogenic nitrogen loading and risk of eutrophication in the coastal zone of Atlantic Canada. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 263, p.107630. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107630Cite this data as: Kelly, N.E., Guijarro-Sabaniel, J. and Zimmerman, R. Data of: Estimates of anthropogenic nitrogen loading and eutrophication indicators for the Bay of Fundy and Scotian Shelf. Published: February 2022. Coastal Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/08746031-1970-4bf6-b6d4-3de2715c8634

Marine classification schemes based on abiotic surrogates often inform regional marine conservation planning in lieu of detailed biological data. However, theses chemes may poorly represent ecologically relevant biological patterns required for effective design and management strategies. We used a community-level modeling approach to characterize and delineate representative mesoscale (tens to thousands of kilometers) assemblages of demersal fish and benthic invertebrates in the North-west Atlantic. Hierarchical clustering of species occurrence data from four regional annual multispecies trawl surveys revealed three to six groupings (predominant assemblage types) in each survey region, broadly associated with geomorphic and oceanographic features. Indicator analyses identified 3–34 emblematic taxa of each assemblage type. Random forest classifications accurately predicted assemblage dis-tributions from environmental covariates (AUC > 0.95) and identified thermal limits (annual minimum and maximum bottom temperatures) as important pre-dictors of distribution in each region. Using forecasted oceanographic conditions for the year 2075 and a regional classification model, we projected assemblage dis-tributions in the southernmost bioregion (Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy) under ahigh emissions climate scenario (RCP 8.5). Range expansions to the north eastare projected for assemblages associated with warmer and shallower waters of the Western Scotian Shelf over the 21st century as thermal habitat on the rela-tively cooler Eastern Scotian Shelf becomes more favorable. Community-level modeling provides a biotic-informed approach for identifying broadscale ecolog-ical structure required for the design and management of ecologically coherent, representative, well-connected networks of Marine Protected Areas. When com-bined with oceanographic forecasts, this modeling approach provides a spatial tool for assessing sensitivity and resilience to climate change, which can improve conservation planning, monitoring, and adaptive management.Cite this data as: O'Brien, J.M., Stanley, R.R.E., Jeffery, N.W., Heaslip, S.W., DiBacco, C., and Wang, Z. Demersal fish and benthic invertebrate assemblages in the Northwest Atlantic.Published: December 2024. Coastal Ecosystems Science Division, Maritimes region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth NS.https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/14d55ea5-b17d-478c-b9ee-6a7c04439d2b

Wang, Z., Greenan, B.J.W., Hannah, C.G., and Layton, C. 2025. Past and future sea surface temperature changes in the oceans surrounding Canada. Can. Tech. Rep. Hydrogr. Ocean. Sci. 404: v + 44 pThis study presents changes in the sea surface temperature (SST) in the oceans surrounding Canada using past observations and model projections of future scenarios. The past changes are derived using an SST product, HadISST, in which a recent period (2012-2022) was referenced to a 26-year climatology (1955-1980). The future changes in SST are estimated using a 22-member ensemble of CMIP6 models. The SST changes for overlapping periods from the CMIP6 ensemble and the HadISST in the 10 regions of the Canadianshelf waters are in general agreement, although the CMIP6 results tend to overestimate the observed changes by about 0.1 oC. One exception to this is the Scotian Shelf where the CMIP6 models underestimate the observed SST change. The Gulf of Maine, Scotian Shelf, Gulf of St. Lawrence and southern Newfoundland shelf are the regions with the largest observed SST increases around Canada. The Gulf of St. Lawrence has the highest correlation (r=0.65) with the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) among the subregions in the North Atlantic Ocean, and the British Columbia Shelf is correlated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (r=0.58). Under the four climate scenarios (SSP1-2.6 to SSP5-8.5), among the mid-century (2040-2059) annual mean SST changes (reference period of 1990-2014) in the 10 regions, the Gulf of St. Lawrence is projected to have the largest increases in temperature (1.8 – 2.5oC), and Baffin Bay has the smallest increases (0.5 – 0.9oC), However, for the summer means, the southern Beaufort Sea has the largest SST increase (2.4 -3.1oC) with Baffin Bay having the smallest changes (1.3-2.1oC).Cite this data as: Wang, Z., Greenan, B.J.W., Hannah, C.G., and Layton, C. (2025) Data of:Past and Future Sea Surface Temperature Changes in the Oceans Surrounding Canada.Published: October 2025. Ocean Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S.https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/3c336e55-4266-406a-922d-bbf8e717558c