AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Beaufort Sea Marine Fishes Project (BSMFP) 2014 - Fish identification and measurements

PURPOSE:
From August 1st to September 11th, 2014, Fisheries and Oceans Canada conducted a baseline survey of marine fishes and their habitats in the southern Canadian Beaufort Sea and Amundsen Gulf as part of the Beaufort Regional Environmental Assessment (BREA) called the Beaufort Sea Marine Fishes Project (BSMFP). Sampling was conducted from the F/V Frosti at 54 stations along 14 transects. Standardized sampling was conducted at pre-determined depth stations (20-1500 m) using benthic trawling nets. The BSMFP is the first research project to use large research trawls to assess the biodiversity and abundance of offshore marine fishes in this area. In total, 42 species of fish were caught. This report contains information on fishing net deployments, catch per unit effort (CPUE), and basic biological data for all fishes caught.

DESCRIPTION:
Basic biological data for all fish caught during the 2014 BSMFP expedition. Includes identification, weight, length (total, fork, and, standard), liver weight, gonad weight, sex and maturity level.
            
PARAMETERS COLLECTED:
family
species
weight
total length
fork length
standard length
liver weight
gonad weight
sex
maturity
SAMPLING METHODS:
Various trawl types.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Areas of high residency within the summer distribution of the beluga whale population

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.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Seasonal primary production climatology of the Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone from BCCM model (1981-2010)

Description:
Seasonal mean primary production from the British Columbia continental margin model (BCCM) were averaged over the 1981 to 2010 period and depth-integrated to create seasonal mean climatology of the Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone. 

Methods:
Total primary production is the sum of diatoms and flagellates production. Spring months were defined as April to June, summer months were defined as July to September, fall months were defined as October to December, and winter months were defined as January to March. The data available here contain a raster layer of seasonal depth-integrated primary production climatology for the Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone at 3 km spatial resolution.

Uncertainties:
Model results have been extensively evaluated against observations (e.g. altimetry, CTD and nutrient profiles, observed geostrophic currents), which showed the model can reproduce with reasonable accuracy the main oceanographic features of the region including salient features of the seasonal cycle and the vertical and cross-shore gradient of water properties. However, the model resolution is too coarse to allow for an adequate representation of inlets, nearshore areas, and the Strait of Georgia.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Fish Habitat Assessment Output from Bay of Quinte Suitability Modelling: High Water Level (75.4m ASL) - Juvenile/Adult Habitat - Low Vegetation Association Species (Coldwater Guild)

Fish Habitat Assessment Output: 8 of 16

High Water Level (75.4m ASL) - Juvenile/Adult Habitat - Low Vegetation Association Species (Coldwater) 

Habitat suitability was assessed for the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, at a 3 m grid resolution, using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool (HEAT), temperature algorithms, vegetation models, and water level input. Habitat classifications were based on three variables: depth (elevation), vegetation, and substrate; and modified by temperature suitabilities. The final suitability maps were based on documented habitat and temperature associations for the fish in the area. Different life stages (spawning requirements, nursery habitat, adult habitat) were modeled for the years of 1972-2011. Suitability values were scaled from 0 (not suitable) to 1 (highly suitable) and converted to suitability classes of very low, low, medium, and high. The final maps for each guild – life stage combination are maximum suitability values from the 39-year period modelled.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Mean fork length of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from 1971-2021

Mean fork length for returning adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) that spent one or two years (1SW and 2SW, respectively) in the marine environment for 16 rivers throughout Eastern Canada spanning an 10° latitudinal gradient. These data were collected as part of monitoring programs for Atlantic salmon returns run by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Data from at least eight populations, spanning all provinces in Atlantic Canada, over a 50-year period (1970-2021) will be included in this meta-analysis.

These data, as well as mean fork length for returning adult Atlantic salmon from three rivers in Québec (1979-2021) collected as part of monitoring programs for Atlantic salmon returns run by the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, Government of Québec, are also available at: http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/78PWT.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Metadata from Scientific Dive-Based Surveys on the ridge of the Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area for the monitoring of the atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus)

This metadataset was compiled to document scientific dive operations conducted within the Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area (MPA). Its purpose is to enable the tracking of field activities carried out as part of ecological monitoring of the atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) habitats and other key species.

Metadata were collected for each scientific dive, following a standardized protocol implemented since 2014 that includes the date, participating team, GPS coordinates, depth, and dive duration.

The released dataset contains only descriptive and contextual information related to each dive operation: dive identifier, site, date, location, conditions of execution, method used, and environmental variables when recorded. It does not include photographs, videos, raw biological observations, or analysis results.

Quality control involves standardization of the metadata form, verification of GPS positions and recorded depths, as well as annual internal review of the dive series by the scientific coordination team. Established procedures ensure the completeness, consistency, and traceability of the descriptive data provided.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Sponge significant concentration areas in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Identification of significant concentrations of sponges in the Gulf of St. Lawrence biogeographic unit using Kernel density estimation (KDE).

This method was applied to create a modelled biomass surface for each taxa and an aerial expansion method was permitted to identify significant concentrations. Only geo-referenced biomass data have been used to identify the “hot spots”. The borders of the areas were refined using knowledge of null catches and species distribution models. Predictive models were produced using a random forest machine-learning technique. For more details, please refer to this report: 

Kenchington, E., L. Beazley, C. Lirette, F.J. Murillo, J. Guijarro, V. Wareham, K. Gilkinson, M. Koen Alonso, H. Benoît, H. Bourdages, B. Sainte-Marie, M. Treble, and T. Siferd. 2016. Delineation of Coral and Sponge Significant Benthic Areas in Eastern Canada Using Kernel Density Analyses and Species Distribution Models. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/093. vi + 178 p.

http://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/40577806.pdf

The present layer only contains the analysis results for sponges. 

Purpose:

As part of the Canada's commitment to the identification and protection of sensitive benthic marine ecosystems, maps of the location of significant concentrations of corals and sponges on the east coast of Canada were produced through quantitative analyses of research vessel trawl survey data, supplemented with other data sources where available. The taxa analyzed are sponges (Porifera), large and small gorgonian corals (Alcyonacea), and sea pens (Pennatulacea). However, only the sponges (Porifera) and sea pens (Pennatulacea) have been considered in the analysis concerning the Gulf of St. Lawrence biogeographic unit.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Spatial density models of cetaceans in the Canadian Pacific estimated from 2018 ship-based surveys

Many cetacean species were depleted in Canadian Pacific waters by commercial whaling, which ended in 1967. Although some populations have since shown evidence of recovery, there is limited information about the current abundance and geographic distribution of many species, particularly in difficult-to-survey offshore regions. This lack of baseline data hampers conservation status assessments, including estimating population-level impacts of anthropogenic activities. From July to early September 2018, we conducted ship-based surveys of cetaceans throughout the coastal and offshore waters of British Columbia. Density surface modelling (DSM) was used to produce spatially-explicit abundance estimates and distribution maps for four commonly-encountered cetacean species: the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), Dall’s porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) and harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). We estimated abundances of 7,030 (95% CI = 5,733-8,620) humpback whales, 2,893 (95% CI = 2,171-3,855) fin whales, 23,692 (95% CI = 19,121-29,356) Dall’s porpoises and 5,207 (95% CI = 2,769-9,793) harbour porpoises throughout Canadian Pacific waters. Our results complement design-based abundance estimates calculated from the same survey data, and can be compared with past habitat modelling studies and historical whaling catch data to estimate the extent of recovery of previously harvested populations. The return of these predators to habitats from which they were previously extirpated will have important ecosystem-level implications. The DSM results can contribute to calculations of Potential Biological Removal estimates to inform fisheries bycatch, as well as providing spatial data that can be used to assess the risk of entanglements, ship strikes, acoustic disturbance, and other anthropogenic threats.

This dataset contains model-predicted densities of four commonly-encountered cetacean species (humpback whale, fin whale, Dall's porpoise and harbour porpoise) that were estimated using ship-based, visual survey data collected during the Pacific Region International Survey of Marine Megafauna (PRISMM) in July-August of 2018. Abundance of each species (where relevant) is provided for three gridded strata (25 km2 cell size) in the Pacific Region: one for the offshore, extending to Canada’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and two for coastal areas (the North Coast and the Salish Sea).

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Demersal fish total biomass in the Estuary and Gulf of St.Lawrence

Mean 2014 to 2023 demersal fish total biomass in the Estuary and Gulf of St.Lawrence obtained by summing the fish biomass (kg) for all species for a tow and then averaging tows in each grid cell 10 km x 10 km. Input data are from the annual August (north) and September (south) multidisciplinary surveys. A distinct layer by survey is presented because the total biomasses are not comparable from one survey to the other (different fishing gears for each one).

Purpose

Since 1990, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been conducting an annual multidisciplinary survey in the Estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence using a standardized protocol. In the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, these bottom trawl surveys has been carrying out each September since 1971. These missions are an important source of information about the status of the marine ressources.

The objectives of the surveys are multiple: 
to estimate the abundance and biomass of groundfish and invertebrates, to identify the spatial distribution and biological characteristics of these species, to monitor the biodiversity of the Estuary and Gulf and finally, to describe the environmental conditions observed in the area at the moment of the sampling.

The southern Gulf surveys are realized using the following standardized protocol:
Hurlbut,T. and D.Clay (eds) 1990. Protocols for Research Vessel Cruises within the Gulf Region (Demersal Fish) (1970-1987). Can. MS Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. No. 2082: 143p.

The sampling protocols used for the Estuary and northern Gulf surveys are described in details in the following publications:

Bourdages, H., Archambault, D., Bernier, B., Fréchet, A., Gauthier, J., Grégoire, F., Lambert, J., et Savard, L. 2010. Résultats préliminaires du relevé multidisciplinaire de poissons de fond et de crevette d’août 2009 dans le nord du golfe du Saint-Laurent. Rapp. stat. can. sci. halieut. aquat. 1226 : xii+ 72 p. 

Bourdages, H., Archambault, D., Morin, B., Fréchet, A., Savard, L., Grégoire, F., et Bérubé, M. 2003. Résultats préliminaires du relevé multidisciplinaire de poissons de fond et de crevette d’août 2003 dans le nord du golfe du Saint-Laurent. Secr. can. consult. sci. du MPO. Doc. rech. 2003/078. vi + 68 p.

Annual reports are available at the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS), (http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/index-eng.htm).

Bourdages, H., Brassard, C., Desgagnés, M., Galbraith, P., Gauthier, J., Légaré, B., Nozères, C. and Parent, E. 2017. Preliminary results from the groundfish and shrimp multidisciplinary survey in August 2016 in the Estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2017/002. v + 87 p.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Bay of Fundy Sea Scallop Commercial Size Abundance Data

This dataset represents abundance data of commercial size Sea Scallop (Placopecten magellanicus; ≥ 80 mm shell height) from 2011-2023 from the Bay of Fundy Inshore Scallop Survey. Data is binned into 5-mm shell height bins, is prorated to an 800 m tow length and 17.5 feet (5.334 m) drag width (i.e., representing an area swept of 4267 m2), and was collected using unlined dredge gear. Each row represents a tow and contains information such as tow date, cruise name, gear type, geographical coordinates (decimal degrees, WGS 84) and the Scallop Production Area in which the tow took place. Survey protocols are documented in Glass (2017). This dataset contains tow data from a comparative survey conducted in 2012 (Smith et al., 2013). Further, these data correspond to the publication of Hebert et al. (2025).
References
Glass, A. 2017. Maritimes Region Inshore Scallop Assessment Survey: Detailed Technical Description. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3231: v + 32 p.
Hebert, N, Sameoto, J.A., Keith, D.M., Murphy, O.A., Brown, C.J., Flemming, J. 2025. Interannual variability in the length–weight relationship can disrupt the abundance–biomass correlation of sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus). ICES. J. Mar. Sci. 
Smith, S.J., Glass, A., Sameoto. J., Hubley, B., Reeves, A., and Nasmith, L. 2013. Comparative survey between Digby and Miracle drag gear for scallop surveys in the Bay of Fundy. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2012/161. iv + 20 p.

Cite this data as: Sameoto, J.A. Data of: 
Bay of Fundy Sea Scallop Commercial Size Abundance Data. Published: December 2025. Population Ecology Science Division, 
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/ecc09d98-56ed-4a27-ad62-5c3714a1d9b4

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Fish Habitat Assessment Output from Bay of Quinte Suitability Modelling: Average Water Level (75.0m ASL) - Juvenile/Adult Habitat - Low Vegetation Association Species (Coldwater Guild)

Fish Habitat Assessment Output: 16 of 16

Average Water Level (75.0m ASL) - Juvenile/Adult Habitat - Low Vegetation Association Species (Coldwater Guild)

Habitat suitability was assessed for the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, at a 3 m grid resolution, using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool (HEAT), temperature algorithms, vegetation models, and water level input. Habitat classifications were based on three variables: depth (elevation), vegetation, and substrate; and modified by temperature suitabilities. The final suitability maps were based on documented habitat and temperature associations for the fish in the area. Different life stages (spawning requirements, nursery habitat, adult habitat) were modeled for the years of 1972-2011. Suitability values were scaled from 0 (not suitable) to 1 (highly suitable) and converted to suitability classes of very low, low, medium, and high. The final maps for each guild – life stage combination are maximum suitability values from the 39-year period modelled.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Bay Scale Assessment of Nearshore Habitat Bras d'Or Lake - Malagawash 2007 - 2008

Bay Scale Assessment of Nearshore Habitat Bras dOr Lake - Malagawash 2007 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 - Malagawash 2007 - 2008. Published May 2022. Coastal Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Seasonal total phytoplankton climatology of the Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone from BCCM model (1993-2020)

Description:
Seasonal mean total phytoplankton at the surface from the British Columbia continental margin model (BCCM) were averaged over the 1993 to 2020 period to create seasonal mean surface climatology of the Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone.

Methods:
Total phytoplankton is the sum of diatoms and flagellates concentration. Spring months were defined as April to June, summer months were defined as July to September, fall months were defined as October to December, and winter months were defined as January to March. The data available here contain a raster layer of seasonal surface phytoplankton climatology for the Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone at 3 km spatial resolution.

Uncertainties:
Model results have been extensively evaluated against observations (e.g. altimetry, CTD and nutrient profiles, observed geostrophic currents), which showed the model can reproduce with reasonable accuracy the main oceanographic features of the region including salient features of the seasonal cycle and the vertical and cross-shore gradient of water properties. However, the model resolution is too coarse to allow for an adequate representation of inlets, nearshore areas, and the Strait of Georgia.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
The Strait of Georgia Ichthyoplankton Survey, 1979-1981.

Ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in the Strait of Georgia (British Columbia) during 1979-1981 to ascertain the onset of fish spawning, and to explore distributional pattern and estimate total biomass of fish species.

Oblique tows were made using 0.25m2 Bongos equipped with 351 micron Nitex nets of modified SCOR design. All sampling gear was black to minimize potential avoidance and resulting catch bias. The tow procedure generally followed that established by CALCOFI.

This dataset contains a compilation of corrected catches of juvenile fishes, fish eggs and fish larvae by station.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Canada Coast Guard Regions

In 2021, the Canada Coast Guard (CCG) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada updated its administrative boundaries following the creation a new Arctic region. There are now 4 administrative regions in CCG (Western, Arctic, Central and Atlantic). DFO and Coast Guard Arctic Regions developed these regions in partnership with the people they serve; this important decision will lead to stronger programs and services to better meet the unique needs of our Arctic communities. DFO and CCG operations and research cover Canada's land and waters to the international boundaries (EEZ) and are in no way limited to the boundaries drawn in the map.

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada