This layer represents the seasonal distribution of the St. Lawrence Estuary beluga whale population (Delphinapterus leucas). Three groups are represented: females with calf, adult males and mixed sectors. Herd distribution was defined using Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) published data about beluga whales (see references).Herd distribution areas are only valid during the summer, and the uses of these areas by the herds are unknown.Data source :Michaud, R. 1993. Distribution estivale du béluga du St-Laurent; synthèse 1986-1992. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 1906: vi + 28 p.

This dataset documents the infauna occurrences collected from 2021 to 2023 during the Canadian Beaufort Sea Marine Ecosystem Assessment (CBS-MEA) conducted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). This scientific program focuses on the integration of oceanography, food web linkages, physical-biological couplings, and spatial and interannual variabilities.The program also aims to expand the baseline coverage of species diversity, abundances, and habitat associations in previously unstudied areas of the Beaufort Sea and Western Canadian Archipelago. The study took place mainly in the Canadian Beaufort Sea and the Amundsen Gulf. Sampling is done along transects at fixed stations in the study area. Catches are collected using a 50 x 50 cm box-corer. 2 or 3 box core is collected per station to obtain replicates. A total of 29 stations were sampled for infauna in 2021, 15 in 2022 and 25 in 2023 between 10-653 m depth. Half of the box corer (0.125 m2) is sampled for infauna taxonomy. The first 20 cm of sediment are collected and sieved through a 0.5 mm mesh sieve. The samples are preserved in seawater-formaldehyde solution (10 % v/v). In the lab, infauna is identified to the lowest taxon level possible.The data are presented in two files:The "Activité_endofaune_CBSMEA_infauna_event_en" file which contains information about missions, stations and deployments, which are presented under a hierarchical activity structure.The "Occurrence_endofaune_CBSMEA_infauna_en" file that contains the taxonomic occurrences.

A benthic imagery survey was conducted along the Eastern Scotian Slope in June 2018 to collect data in support of a Strategic Program for Ecosystem-Based Research and Advice project to evaluate the effectiveness of the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area and identify new areas of importance for benthic species that may qualify for protection under Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s 2009 Policy for Managing the Impact of Fishing on Sensitive Benthic Areas. Linear video and photographic transects from ~200 to 1000 m depth were collected at 10 stations between the Gully Marine Protected Area and the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area using the video and photographic camera system Campod and the ‘4K Camera’ drop camera system. Here we present a quantitative assessment of the corals and sponges observed at each of these 10 stations. Patterns in distribution by transect and depth are presented, as well as the relationship between coral distribution and groundfish fishing effort. We highlight the importance of the slope outside the canyons for the distribution of corals and sponges, where nearly 25 taxa were recorded between 167 – 970 m depth. Diversity and abundance appeared to show a west-to-east gradient across the study area, being highest on those stations adjacent to the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area. Groundfish fishing activity overlapped the distribution of corals and sponges in some parts of the study area, particularly between 200 and 500 m where the large branching corals Paragorgia arborea and Primnoa resedaeformis were observed, and also suggested that fishing may have taken place within the boundaries of the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area since its implementation in 2004. An extension of the boundaries of this closure may ensure its continued effectiveness and provide protection for the diverse and abundant coral and sponge communities that reside beyond its boundaries.Cite this data as: Beazley, Lindsay; Lirette, Camille; Guijarro, Javier (2019). Characterization of the Corals and Sponges of the Eastern Scotian Slope from a Benthic Imagery Survey. Published July 2023. Ocean Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/b6567b77-4fda-4fcf-b059-fcfeb4dcc2fb

This resource documents a dataset of epifauna occurrences collected in 2021 during The Knowledge and Ecosystem-Based Approach in Baffin Bay (KEBABB) program developed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in collaboration with university partners. The overall objective of KEBABB is to characterize the variability and trends in physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions and food webs supporting fisheries in the connected ecosystems of western Baffin Bay and Lancaster Sound. In 2021, DFO expanded the KEBABB program to Barrow Strait (KEBABS-Knowledge and Ecosystem-Based Approach in Barrow Strait), a key productive area of the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area. The study took place in the Eastern Canadian Arctic (mainly in Baffin Bay, Davis Strait and Barrow Strait). Sampling is done along transects at fixed stations in the study area. Catches are collected with a 1.5 m Agassiz trawl (5 mm mesh net) for 3 minutes bottom-contact time at a target speed of 1.5 knots and with a 3 m benthic beam trawl (6.4 mm mesh net) for 15 minutes bottom-contact time at a target speed of 3 knots. A total of 16 stations were sampled for epifauna in 2021 between 85-850 m depth. Epibenthic invertebrates are identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level and photographed. All unknown specimens are frozen. In the lab, the identifications are validated or refined with the photos and the frozen specimens.The data are presented in Darwin Core and are separated in two files:The “Activité_épifaune_KEBABB_epifauna_event_en” file which contains information about missions, stations and deployments, which are presented under a hierarchical activity structure.The “Occurrence_épifaune_KEBABB_epifauna_en” file that contains the taxonomic occurrences.Further details on sampling can be found in the following report: Pućko, M., Charette, J., Tremblay P., Brulotte S., St-Denis B., Ciastek S., Hedges, K., Kuzyk, Z., Roy V., and Michel, C. 2022. An ecosystem-based approach in the eastern Arctic: KEBABB/S (Knowledge and Ecosystem-Based Approach in Baffin Bay/Barrow Strait) 2021 expedition report. Can. Manuscr. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3250: viii + 58 p. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/mpo-dfo/Fs97-4-3250-eng.pdfUSE LIMITATION:To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

Distribution of clam beds in coastal Beds in British Columbia showing relative abundance (RA) and aboriginal, biological, commercial and recreational relative importance (RI) and overall RI. RI is based on project region and not on the province as a whole. and productivity. Other attributes include season dates, productivity and species. CRIMS is a legacy dataset of BC coastal resource data that was acquired in a systematic and synoptic manner from 1979 and was intermittently updated throughout the years. Resource information was collected in nine study areas using a peer-reviewed provincial Resource Information Standards Committee consisting of DFO Fishery Officers, First Nations, and other subject matter experts. There are currently no plans to update this legacy data.

Modeled data showing the likely distribution of Killer Whales. CRIMS is a legacy dataset of BC coastal resource data that was acquired in a systematic and synoptic manner from 1979 and was intermittently updated throughout the years. Resource information was collected in nine study areas using a peer-reviewed provincial Resource Information Standards Committee consisting of DFO Fishery Officers, First Nations, and other subject matter experts. There are currently no plans to update this legacy data.

A Crown land reservation is a tool under Section 18(c) of the Public Lands Act, to identify a management intent that will inform and provide direction to potential land users and regulatory bodies as authorized under the Public Lands Act. A reservation is not a disposition, does not grant any rights to public land or rights to access or occupy public land or rights to the resources on the land or under it. The Crown Land Reservations dataset displays reservations under application or active with their associated data attributes allowing users to view and access existing or proposed reservation information that could influence their application if a proposed activity intersects. More information can be found at www.alberta.ca/land-use-reservation-program.aspx

A research survey on snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) was conducted from July 1 to July 17, 2018 on the Lower North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence between Havre-Saint-Pierre and Blanc-Sablon. The main objective of this survey was to assess the abundance of snow crab and benthic species associated with snow crab habitat. Only data for benthic species associated with snow crab habitat are presented in this dataset.Data were collected according to a fixed station sampling design consisting of 61 stations, between 46 and 230 meters depth. Specimens were collected using a beam trawl with a total width of 2.8 meters and a total height of 0.76 meters. The codend was lined with a 16 millimeter stretched mesh net in order to harvest the small individuals. The hauls were made at a target speed of 2 knots and a target duration of 10 minutes depending on seabed conditions. Start and end positions were recorded to calculate the distance traveled on each tow using the geosphere library in R. The average tow distance was approximately 25 m. The area covered at each tow was the product of the trawl opening and the distance traveled.The two files provided (DarwinCore format) are complementary and are linked by the "eventID" key. The "Activity_Information" file includes generic activity information, including date and location. The "occurrence_taxon" file includes the taxonomy of the species observed, identified to the species or lowest possible taxonomic level. To obtain the abundance and biomass assessment, contact Cedric Juillet (cedric.juillet@dfo-mpo.gc.ca).For quality controls, all taxonomic names were checked against the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) to match recognized standards. The WoRMS match was placed in the "ScientificIDname" field of the occurrence file. Special cases were noted in the "commentsIdentification" field and selected specimens were confirmed with field photos. Data quality checks were performed using the R obistools and Worms libraries. All sampling locations were spatially validated.

PURPOSE:The research survey provides a fisheries-independent source of information about all marine living organisms that are captured by the fishing trawl used to obtain samples in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.DESCRIPTION:Tow, catch, length frequency, and biological information for fish caught during the annual September research vessel trawl surveys in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Division 4T). Abundance indices and spatial distribution patterns of commercial and non-commercial groundfish.The catch data that appear in this dataset SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR ECOLOGICAL ANALYSES INVOLVING CATCH RATES. Important factors such as vessel, fishing gear and diurnal periods must be accounted for to use these data in analyses. Please contact the data custodians if you are interested in using this data for any kind of ecological analyses involving catch rates. PARAMETERS COLLECTED:Abundance estimates (ecological); distribution (ecological); species counts (ecological); gear (fishing); vessel information (fishing); point (spatial)NOTES ON QUALITY CONTROL:Scientific names listed in the survey species list have been mapped to recognized standards - marine taxa have been mapped to the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) using their online taxon match tool. All sampling locations were plotted on a map to perform a visual check confirming that the latitude and longitude coordinates were within the described sampling area.In 2003, because of a fire aboard the Alfred Needler, the Wilfred Templeman was used for the survey. However, no comparative fishing experiments have been conducted between the Alfred Needler and the Wilfred Templeman. We are therefore unable to integrate the indices derived for 2003 to the remainder of the survey time-series.SAMPLING METHODS:Sampling Method: Consult the "Protocols for research vessel cruises within the Gulf Region (dermersal fish) (1970-1980)" report, link provided in the citations list.USE LIMITATION:To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

The Beluga whale critical habitat, which includes the Upper Estuary, the Saguenay River up to Sainte-Marguerite Bay, and the southern channel of the Lower Estuary, supports the vital functions of calving and rearing of the young.Due to the lack of information, studies are planned in the near future to increase knowledge of the species. Critical habitat actual limitations could change someday.PurposeThe beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population in the St. Lawrence Estuary was greatly reduced by hunting, which was finally banned in the St. Lawrence in 1979. In May 2005, this beluga population was officially listed as a threatened species on SARA’s List of Wildlife Species at Risk.Additional InformationSt. Lawrence beluga critical habitat is identified using the best available information. All the available information on its prey, seasonal distribution, use and characteristics of its habitat has been reviewed by Mosnier (2010). This literature review was used to produce a science advisory report reviewed by marine mammal experts. Beluga whale critical habitat has been identified with the information and the scientific advice, using the area of occupancy approach and corresponds to the summer distribution of groups made up of adults and new-born calves and juveniles.Mosnier, A., Lesage, V., Gosselin, J.-F., Lemieux Lefebvre, S., Hammill, M. O., Doniol-Valcroze, T. 2010. Information relevant to the documentation of habitat use by St. Lawrence beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), and quantification of habitat quality. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec., Res. Doc. 2009/098. iv + 35 p.DFO. 2012. Recovery Strategy for the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) St. Lawrence Estuary population in Canada. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa. 88 pp + X pp.