Records of marine mammal sightings (N = 5,324) collected by ASOs and submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) between 1979-2024, across three DFO regions: the Arctic, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Maritimes. Methods for initial data compilation are provided in the associated technical report "Marine mammal records collected by the at-sea observer (ASO) program in Arctic, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Maritimes regions: a summary of challenges and opportunities for future research." Cite this data as: Feyrer, L.J., Colbourne, N., Lawson, J.W., Moors-Murphy, H.B., Ferguson, S. Dataset update to Marine mammal records collected by the At-Sea Observer program in Arctic, Newfoundland and Labrador and Maritimes regions. Published: February 2025. Ocean Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S.

Seamounts have been identified as Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) due to their unique oceanography and ecology; they frequently serve as sites for fisheries and as habitat for a number of species of conservation concern. A mix of isolated seamounts and seamount complexes are distributed throughout Canada’s Pacific offshore waters, although only a subset of these are named. We used several pre-existing spatial databases and predictive models to map all named seamounts within Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), all named seamounts fished by Canada in international waters, and any predicted (modelled) unnamed seamounts in the EEZ. These data are intended to inform marine planning initiatives in BC by providing collaborative, peer-reviewed scientific data at scales relevant to a BC coast-wide analysis.

Species characterization by environmental DNA (eDNA) is a method that allows the use of DNA released into the environment by organisms from various sources (secretions, faeces, gametes, tissues, etc.). It is a complementary tool to standard sampling methods for the identification of biodiversity. This project provides a list of fish and marine mammal species whose DNA has been detected in water samples collected between 2019 and 2021 using the mitochondrial marker MiFish (12S).The surveys were carried out in the summer of 2019 (July 14-18) and (July 30 - August 5), in the fall of 2020 (October 27-28) and in the summer-fall of 2021 (May 31 - June 3 ) and (August 24-25) between Forestville and Godbout (Haute-Côte-Nord). Sampling was carried out between 1-50 meters depth in 91 stations, with 1 to 3 replicates per station. Two liters of water were filtered through a 1.2 µm fiberglass filter. DNA extractions were performed with the DNeasy Blood and Tissues or PowerWater extraction kit (Qiagen). Negative field, extraction and PCR controls were added at the different stages of the protocol. The libraries were prepared either by Génome Québec (2019, 2020) or by the Genomics Laboratory of the Maurice-Lamontagne Institute (2021), then sequenced on a NovaSeq 4000 PE250 system by Génome Québec. The bioinformatics analysis of the sequences obtained was carried out using an analysis pipeline developed in the genomics laboratory. A first step made it possible to obtain a table of molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTU) using the cutadapt software for the removal of the adapters and the R package DADA2 for the filtration, the fusion, removal of chimeras and compilation of data. The MOTUs table was then corrected using the R package metabaR to eliminate the tag-jumping and take contaminants into consideration. Samples showing a strong presence of contaminating MOTUs were removed from the dataset. The MOTUs were also filtered to remove all remaining adapter sequences and also retain only those of the expected size (around 170 bp). Finally, taxonomic assignments were made on the MOTUs using the BLAST+ program and the NCBI-nt database. Taxonomic levels (species, genus or family) were assigned using a best match method (Top hit), with a threshold of 95%. Only assignments at the level of fish and marine mammals were considered, and the taxa detected were compared to a list of regional species, and corrected if necessary. The species detections of the different replicas have been combined.The file provided includes generic activity information, including site, station name, date, marker type, assignment types used for taxa identification, and a list of taxa or species. The list of taxa has been verified by a biodiversity expert from the Maurice-Lamontagne Institute.This project was funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Coastal Environmental Baseline Data Program under the Oceans Protection Plan. This initiative aims to acquire baseline environmental data that contributes to the characterization of significant coastal areas and supports evidence-based assessments and management decisions to preserve marine ecosystems.Data were also published on SLGO platform : https://doi.org/10.26071/ogsl-2239bca5-c24a

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are one among a number of spatial management tools, and are defined as areas that are established for the long-term, and managed through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.Currently, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a number of MPAs designated under the Oceans Act and Areas of Interest for new MPAs at various stages of progress towards designation. These areas are ecologically significant, with species and/or features that require special management consideration.  An Oceans Act MPA can be established for any of the six conservation purposes outlined in the Act:• The conservation and protection of commercial and non-commercial fishery resources, including marine mammals, and their habitats;  • The conservation and protection of endangered or threatened marine species, and their habitats;  • The conservation and protection of unique habitats;  • The conservation and protection of marine areas of high biodiversity or biological productivity; • The conservation and protection of any other marine resource or habitat as is necessary to fulfill the mandate of the Minister; and• The conservation and protection of marine areas for the purposes of maintaining ecological integrity

The Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) is the largest of all sea lions and enjoys a lifespan of up to thirty years. In Canada, the Steller can be spotted along the rocky coast of British Columbia. 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. The population was severely depleted in Canada but following its protection in 1970, the size of the adult population has more than doubled.The survey targeted Steller sea lions and sites were chosen based on knowledge of historically occupied rookeries and haul-out sites with nearby areas monitored for potential shifts in distribution. This dataset contains counts that have been collected from sightings of individuals in the 2016/2017 survey season.

To identify areas of high residency, fine-scale tracking data from individual animals and coarser, short-term movement patterns of herds were analyzed. Individual radio-tracking was assessed from 2001 to 2005 and herd visual tracking was assessed from 1989 to 2008. Data was collected by two research teams: GREMM (Groupe de recherche et d’éducation sur les mammifères marins) and Fisheries and Océans Canada (DFO). Areas of high residency were determined using net displacement speed of herds and they were defined as adjacent cells where 50% of the herds travelled at or below a threshold speed.Areas of high residency do not represent the general distribution of the beluga whale and no association between these areas and specific biological functions could be established. The exact delimitation of these areas can change according to the definition criteria used in the analysis. Therefore, the marginal cells are not necessarily indicative of lower habitat quality.Data source:Lefebvre, S., Michaud, R., Lesage, V. and Berteaux, D. (2012). Identifying high residency areas of the threatened St. Lawrence beluga whale from fine-scale movements of individuals and coarse-scale movements of herds. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 450: 243–257.

The St. Lawrence Estuary is known as a summer foraging area for several species of marine mammals, including several species of rorquals. Among these is the blue whale, which feeds almost exclusively on euphausiids. Therefore, the abundance, distribution and local density of krill should logically be a strong explanatory variable for the distribution of blue whales. However little is known about the spatial association of blue whales with the aggregation dynamics of krill in eastern Canada. Six years of acoustic surveys, conducted in August from 2009 to 2014, were undertaken to study the medium- and small-scale distribution of krill within the northwestern Gulf of St. Lawrence and estuary. The data shows a mosaic of the maximum annual density of arctic krill (T. raschii) made from these surveys.McQuinn, I.H., Gosselin, J.-F., Bourassa, M.-N., Mosnier, A., St-Pierre, J.-F., Plourde, S., Lesage, V., Raymond, A. 2016. The spatial association of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) with krill patches (Thysanoessa spp. and Meganyctiphanes norvegica) in the estuary and northwestern Gulf of St. Lawrence. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/104. iv + 19 p.

PURPOSE:In this study, we examined the structure and function of the Southampton Island marine food web across 149 species of benthic and pelagic invertebrates, fishes, marine mammals and seabirds collected from 2016 to 2019, to provide a baseline for future studies that aim to quantify temporal changes in food web structuring. More specifically,we used a multi-biomarker approach combining stable isotopes and HBIs to: (i) determine the vertical trophic structure of the marine food web, (ii) investigate the contribution of benthic and pelagic-derived prey to the higher trophic level species of the Arctic food web, and (iii) determine the role of ice algae and phytoplankton carbon source use across different trophic levels and compartments (pelagic and benthic). By shedding new light on the functioning of the Southampton Island food web and specifically how the contribution of ice algae and benthic habitat shapes its structure, these results will be relevant to adaptive management and conservation initiatives implemented in response to anthropogenic stressors and climate change. DESCRIPTION:Climate-driven alterations of the marine environment are most rapid in Arctic and subarctic regions, including Hudson Bay in northern Canada, where declining sea ice, warming surface waters and ocean acidification are occurring at alarming rates. These changes are altering primary production patterns that will ultimately cascade up through the food web. Here, we investigated (i) the vertical trophic structure of the Southampton Island marine ecosystem in northern Hudson Bay, (ii) the contribution of benthic and pelagic-derived prey to the higher trophic level species, and (iii) the relative contribution of ice algae and phytoplankton derived carbon in sustaining this ecosystem. For this purpose, we measured bulk stable carbon, nitrogen and sulfur isotope ratios as well as highly branched isoprenoids in samples belonging to 149 taxa, including invertebrates, fishes, seabirds and marine mammals. We found that the benthic invertebrates occupied 4 trophic levels and that the overall trophic system went up to an average trophic position of 4.8. The average δ34S signature of pelagic organisms indicated that they exploit both benthic and pelagic food sources, suggesting there are many interconnections between these compartments in this coastal area. The relatively high sympagic carbon dependence of Arctic marine mammals (53.3 ± 22.2 %) through their consumption of benthic invertebrate prey, confirms the important role of the benthic subweb for sustaining higher trophic level consumers in the coastal pelagic environment. Therefore, a potential decrease in the productivity of ice algae could lead to a profound alteration of the benthic food web and a cascading effect on this Arctic ecosystem.Collaborators:Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - R´emi Amiraux, C.J. Mundy, Jens K. Ehn, Z.A. Kuzyk.Quebec-Ocean, Sentinel North and Takuvik, Biology Department, Laval University, Quebec, Quebec, Canada - Marie Pierrejean.Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, UK - Thomas A. Brown.Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada - Kyle H. Elliott.Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - Steven H. Ferguson, Cory J.D. Matthews, Cortney A. Watt, David J. Yurkowski.School of the Environment, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada - Aaron T. Fisk.Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - Grant Gilchrist.College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA - Katrin Iken.Department of Earth Sciences, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada - Audrey Limoges.Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada - Oliver P. Love, Wesley R. Ogloff.Department of Arctic Biology, The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway - Janne E. Søreide.

Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) are found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. They are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as those of the Baltic and North Seas. In Canada, they may be found off the coastal waters of British Columbia, Nunavut, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.Population trends and abundance of harbour seals in British Columbia are assessed based on aerial surveys conducted during 1966-2019. Based on counts conducted in Index Areas distributed throughout the province, the trend observed in the Strait of Georgia appears to be generally indicative of harbour seal populations throughout British Columbia. Total abundance of harbour seals on the B.C. coast in 2008 was estimated to be on the order of about 105,000 (95% confidence interval of 90,900 to 118,900) seals. Total abundance was re-estimated in 2022 (estimate and CI pending completion of CSAS process). Historic reconstructions indicate the population was depleted by a period of commercial harvesting during 1879-1914, and subsequently maintained below natural levels by predator control programs until the early 1960s. Already depleted, the population could not sustain a second period of intense commercial harvesting during 1962-1968 and was further depleted, but now appears to have fully recovered.

A modelling analysis conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) identified these areas as the most suitable habitat for Blue whales: Gulf of St. Lawrence, waters off the southern coast of Newfoundland, the region of Mecatina Trough, the Esquiman Channel and the continental shelf margin off Nova Scotia. They represent important areas for foraging, feeding and socializing for Blue whales. The sources of data used to determine these important areas (by the enclosing boxes method) and the annual and seasonal cycles of Blue whale travel patterns include, but are not limited to, radio and satellite telemetry, passive acoustic monitoring, line-transect aerial surveys, anecdotal reports of observations and modelling.This layer does not represent the general distribution of the Blue whale. Important areas have been identified by reviewing several sources of information and to the best of researchers' knowledge. Several information about Blue whales, their behaviour and habitat use are still unknown. Data is scarce in some areas during winter periods. Observation efforts mostly occur during the summer period, however, data sources can validate their presence during seasons when the observation effort is lower. The Mecatina trough region represents an important area based on historical and non-current data. The presence data per month refers strictly to the information available in the cited research document, and does not express the absence of the species outside the months when a presence was validated. The presented information is valid until the following research survey.Reference:Lesage, V., J.-F. Gosselin, J. W. Lawson, I. McQuinn, H. Moors-Murphy, S. Plourde, R. Sears. and Y. Simard. 2018. Habitats important to blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) in the Western North Atlantic. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/080: iv + 50 p.