Harbour seals reside throughout the year around Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). The first systematic survey for harbour seals occurred along the NL Shelf during July and August 2021 to obtain counts of hauled out individuals and assess distribution. Grey seals are seasonal residents in NL, mainly present in the summer and autumn months. Grey seals were also recorded during the survey as these two species can share haul-out locations. Surveys were flown along the coastline with a Bell 429 helicopter with photographs taken of hauled out seals. This data includes the counts of hauled out harbour, grey and unknown seals seen during the survey. Adjusted counts are also provided, which assign the unknown seals to species based on the number of positively identified harbour and grey seals from each survey day. The realized survey coverage (survey tracks) is also included. Cite this data as: Hamilton, C.D., Goulet, P.J., Stenson, G.B., and Lang, S.L.C. 2024. Data of: Counts of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) from an aerial survey of the coast of the Newfoundland Shelf and Sandwich Bay, Labrador during the summer of 2021 This data can be found in: Hamilton, C.D., Goulet, P.J., Stenson, G. B., and Lang, S.L.C. 2023. Counts and spatial distribution of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) from an aerial survey of the coast of the Newfoundland Shelf and Sandwich Bay, Labrador during the summer of 2021. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3566: v + 39 p. https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.927831/publication.html DFO. 20XX. Stock assessment of Atlantic harbour seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) in Canada for 2019-2021. DFO Can. Sci. Advis Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2023/XXX. Lang, S.L.C., St-Pierre, A.P., Hamilton, C.D., Mosnier, A., Lidgard, D.C., Goulet, P., den Heyer, C.E., Bordeleau, X., Irani, A.I., and Hammill, M.O. 20XX. Population status assessment and Potential Biological Removal (PBR) for the Atlantic harbour seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina) in Canadian waters. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2024

This project was completed by the Groundfish Section in the Newfoundland and Labrador Science Branch of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). From 2018 to 2020, 14 year-round, acoustic receivers were deployed in Placentia Bay as a part of the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program to form 4 gates: Bar Haven (2 receivers), Centre Channel (1 receiver), Eastern Channel (6 receivers), and Western Channel (5 receivers). Additionally, 162 transmitters were deployed in Atlantic cod in the 3Ps region (2019-2022). Over the deployment period these receivers recorded a total of 2 094 024 detections from 63 unique transmitters including 45 Cod tagged through the Groundfish acoustic telemetry program. Most cod detected were tagged in Placentia Bay (43 fish) and many were detected at multiple receivers or multiple years (37 fish). Passive data collection for this project may extend up to 2030. This record contains the locations of the acoustic receivers in Placentia Bay, NL.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are non-native species that pose ecological and/or economic threats to Canada's coastal waters and resources. In response, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) established a program to detect and track the spread of aquatic invasive species in Canadian waters (2006). In the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Region, these species include biofouling organisms (tunicates, bryozoans, crustaceans, seaweeds), European Green Crab, and recently, several freshwater species (data not available at this time). DFO NL Science monitors for AIS in partnership with other DFO branches, the provincial government, Memorial University, including the Marine Institute, industry, first nations, and NGOs. Methods for detecting AIS used by DFO and their partners, include settlement plates, trapping, seining, eDNA (water samples), qPCR (species confirmation), SCUBA surveys along wharves, floating docks and vessel hulls, and video surveys at high-risk harbours. The data collected from DFO's monitoring program and their partners provides an overview of the distribution of AIS in the NL Region. This information can be used by the general public, scientists, and DFO managers. AIS NL Biofouling Species Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) National Marine Biofouling Monitoring Program conducts annual field surveys to monitor the introduction, establishment, spread, species richness, and relative abundance of native and some non-native species in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Region since 2006. Standardized monitoring protocols employed by DFO's NL, Maritimes, Gulf, and Quebec regions include biofouling collector plates deployed from May to October at georeferenced intertidal and shallow subtidal sites, including public docks, and public and private marinas and nautical clubs. Initially, (2006-2017), the collectors consisted of three 10 cm by 10 cm PVC plates deployed in a vertical array and spaced approximately 40 cm apart, with the shallowest plate suspended at least 1 m below the surface to sample subtidal and shallow intertidal species (McKenzie et al 2016a). Three replicate arrays were deployed at least 5 m apart per site. Since 2018, collector networks have been modified to improve statistical replication, including up to 10 individual collectors deployed per site at 1 m depth and at least 5 m apart (as above) from May to October. Since 2006, seven invasive biofouling organisms have been detected in Newfoundland and Labrador harbours, marinas and coastal areas. Should be cited as follows: DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region Aquatic Invasive Species Marine Biofouling Monitoring Program. Published March 2024. Coastal and Freshwater Ecology, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Reference: Tunicates Golden star tunicate (Botryllus schlosseri) 2006 The Golden star tunicate was the first invasive tunicate detected in NL waters. It was reported in Argentia by the US Navy around 1945. It was found in 2006 on wharf structures in Argentia, Placentia Bay during the first AIS survey (Callahan et al 2010). This colonial tunicate is recognized by it star shaped grouping of individuals within the colony. It is currently found in Placentia Bay, Fortune Bay, St. Mary’s Bay, Conception Bay and the west coast of NL. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. Violet tunicate (Botrylloides violaceus) 2007 The violet tunicate was first detected in NL waters in 2007 in Belleoram, Fortune Bay on wharf structures and vessels (McKenzie et al. 2016b). This colonial tunicate forms irregular shaped colonies usually of a solid color (orange, purple, yellow or cream). It is currently found in relatively small colonies in four harbours in NL; Placentia Bay (1), Fortune Bay (1), Conception Bay (1) and the west coast of NL (2). The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. Vase tunicate (Ciona intestinalis) 2012 The Vase tunicate, is a high impact solitary invader and was first detected by DFO in 2012 on the Burin Peninsula at Ship Cove and Little Bay, Placentia Bay. Various mitigation measures (McKenzie et al. 2016b) contained this invasive tunicate to a small area for six years within Placentia Bay. First detected in Fortune Bay as an established population in 2019, increasing reports of the Vase tunicate have been made along the south coast of Newfoundland. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. Bryozoans Coffin box bryozoan (Membranipora membranacea) 2002 The Coffin box is a bryozoan (filter feeding animal) that forms white colored encrusting colonies, particularly on seaweed, but also on vessels and other surfaces. The cells are rectangular or “coffin box” shaped. It was first detected on the west coast of NL in 2002 and has since spread throughout the island, including southern Labrador. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. Orange ripple bryozoan (Schizoporella japonica Ortmann) 2022 The Orange ripple bryozoan is an orange heavily calcified encrusting species found mainly on man made structures, rocks, shellfish, and vessels. It was first identified in NL in 2022 in Arnold’s Cove, Placentia Bay, but has likely been in NL for at least two years and is now suspected in several locations in Placentia Bay and Fortune Bay. A 2023 survey of the south coast of NL found several harbours invaded by this species. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. Crustaceans (Biofouling) Japanese skeleton shrimp (Caprella mutica) 2006 The Japanese skeleton shrimp is tiny (1.5 -3.5 cm) and was first found on settlement plates in Placentia Bay during the first AIS biofouling survey in 2006. This species is currently found in many places in Placentia Bay, Conception Bay, Trinity Bay, and on the south coast of NL. This species inhabits, sometimes in large numbers (100,000s) ropes, moorings, and docks. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. Seaweed Oyster thief (Codium fragile) 2012 Oyster thief is a green seaweed with thick spongy Y-shaped branches that resemble fingers (another common name is dead man’s fingers). This invasive species was first found in Placentia Bay in 2012. It is now found in several locations in Placentia Bay and Fortune Bay. It has also been found in one location in Notre Dame Bay. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. AIS NL European green crab Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) AIS Science Program conducts annual field surveys to monitor the introduction, establishment, spread, and relative abundance of the European green crab in the NL region since 2006. Standardized monitoring and trapping protocols (McKenzie et al. 2022) are used by DFO's NL, Maritimes, Gulf, Quebec, and Pacific regions. The Fukui trap is the most commonly used trap but other methods are also used including shoreline collection, seining, and SCUBA dive surveys. Fukui traps have been deployed annually at both new and long-term monitoring locations throughout coastal Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly within Placentia Bay where they were first detected in North Harbour in 2007 (Blakeslee et al. 2010). It should be noted that there are two different populations of European Green Crab, a hybridized population in Placentia, St. Mary’s, and Fortune Bays and a cold tolerant population on the west and southwestern coast of NL (Lehnert et al. 2018). After initial detection in 2007, a separate invasion occurred in 2009 on the west coast of NL, and this cold-tolerant population is spreading eastward along the south coast toward areas inhabited by the original hybrid strain. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. Should be cited as follows: DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region Aquatic Invasive Species Green Crab Monitoring Program. Published March 2024. Coastal and Freshwater Ecology, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. From 2018-2022, the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program provided additional support to enhance sampling efforts in Placentia Bay.

The Urban Atlas provides pan-European comparable land use and land cover data for Functional Urban Areas (FUA). The Urban Atlas Change layers have become available from 2012 and only for all FUAs that have been covered in both 2006 and 2012 reference years. Urban Atlas is a joint initiative of the European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy and the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry in the frame of the EU Copernicus programme, with the support of the European Space Agency and the European Environment Agency.

This project was completed by the Pelagics Section in the Newfoundland and Labrador Science Branch of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). As part of the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program, a historical research gillnet program was reinitiated in Placentia Bay. Four local fishers each set fleets of standardized nets to catch herring for 6 weeks during the spring. The data collected was used to update a time series and provide advice at the herring stock assessment in October 2022.  This program was continued in the 22/23 fiscal year. Data collected from this program included gillnet catch rates, bycatch, temperature and biological (herring) samples; from which biological metrics such as length, weight, sex, maturity and age were measured. This record contains catch data for 2018 to 2021, as well as biological data from 2018.

The land division system used for describing the extent of oil and gas interests located in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut or in Canada's offshore area is defined in the Canada Oil and Gas Land Regulations. This land division system consists of a grid system divided into Grid Areas, Sections, and Units – all referenced to the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD27). This data provides the geo-spatial representation of the NAD27 Oil and Gas Grid Areas referenced to NAD83 Datum. The creation of the Oil and Gas Grid Areas geo-spatial file covers areas that are situated in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut or Sable Island as well as submarine areas, not within a province, in the internal waters of Canada, the territorial sea of Canada or the continental shelf of Canada beyond 200 nm zone. The NAD83 grid area boundaries are defined by geodesics joining the four grid area corners. For sections and units, the eastern and western grid area geodesic boundaries are partitioned into 40 equal segments. The northern and southern grid area geodesic boundaries are partitioned into 40, 32 or 24 equal segments, depending on latitude. All internal corners at the section and unit level are defined by the intersections of north-south and east-west geodesics joining corresponding partition points along the northern and southern, and eastern and western, grid area geodesic boundaries.

Riparian zones represent transitional areas occurring between land and freshwater ecosystems, characterised by distinctive hydrology, soil and biotic conditions and strongly influenced by the stream water. They provide a wide range of riparian functions (e.g. chemical filtration, flood control, bank stabilization, aquatic life and riparian wildlife support, etc.) and ecosystem services. The Riparian Zones products support the objectives of several European legal acts and policy initiatives, such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, the Habitats and Birds Directives and the Water Framework Directive. This metadata refers to the Riparian Zones 2012 Land Cover/Land Use (LC/LU), which LC/LU classification is tailored to the needs of biodiversity monitoring in a variable buffer zone of selected rivers (Strahler levels 2-9 derived from EU-Hydro) for the reference year 2012. LC/LU is extracted from Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite data and other available data in a buffer zone of selected rivers for supporting biodiversity monitoring and mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services. The class definitions follow the pre-defined nomenclature on the basis of Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) typology of ecosystems (Level 1 to Level 4) and CORINE Land Cover. The classification provides 55 distinct thematic classes with a Minimum Mapping Unit (MMU) of 0.5 ha and a Minimum Mapping Width (MMW) of 10 m. The nomenclature has been revised in 2020 with the aim to harmonize the products of the local components (mainly Riparian Zones and NATURA 2000 products) while maintaining user requirements for both products. A revised version of the Riparian Zones 2012 has been subsequently released in December 2021, together with the reference year 2018. The production of the Riparian Zones products was coordinated by the European Environment Agency in the frame of the EU Copernicus programme.

Pepin et al. (2014) stated that three nested spatial scales were identified as relevant for the development of ecosystem summaries and management plans: Bioregion, Ecosystem Production Unit (EPU), and Ecoregion. A bioregion is composed by one or more EPUs, while an EPU consists of a combination of ecoregions, which represent elements with different physical and biological characteristics based on the analytical criteria applied. Pepin et al. (2014) reported on the consolidation of data and analyses of ecoregion structure for the continental shelf areas from the Labrador Sea to the mid-Atlantic Bight and provided recommendations on the definition of EPUs in the NAFO Convention Area. The results of two K-means clustering analyses (one geographically constrained and one un-constrained) and expert knowledge (including and considering location of ecoregions, knowledge of the distribution of major marine resources and fish stocks, and geographic proximity for delineation/definition of potential management units) served as guides for evaluation by NAFO’s (North Atlantic Fisheries Organization) working group on ecosystem science and assessments (WG-ESA). The final consensus from the discussions identified eight (8) major EPUs that can serve as practical candidate management units (from the 50 m isobaths, where research vessel data were available, seaward to the 1500 m isobaths) that consist of the Labrador Shelf (NAFO subareas 2GH), the northeast Newfoundland Shelf (subareas 2J3K), the Grand Banks (subareas 3LNO), Flemish Cap (subarea 3M), the Scotian Shelf (subareas 4VnsWX), Georges Bank (parts of subareas 5Ze and 5Zw), the Gulf of Maine (subarea 5Y and part of 5Ze) and the mid-Atlantic Bight (part of subarea 5Zw and subareas 6ABC). Southern Newfoundland (subarea 3Ps) was not included in the original analysis because fall survey data were unavailable. However, it was later added as an EPU after additional analysis of the fish community structure and trends using survey data from the spring, which indicated that this area is heavily influenced by the surrounding EPUs (NAFO 2015). The proposed candidate management units correspond to the EPUs that define major areas within the bioregions which contain a reasonably well defined food web/production system. The working group noted that the consensus solution represents a compromise that aims to define management units based on the boundaries of existing NAFO subareas that are appropriate for estimation of ecosystem and fishery production. References: NAFO. 2015. Report of the 8th Meeting of the NAFO Scientific Council (SC) Working Group on Ecosystem Science and Assessment (WGESA). 17-26 November 2015, Dartmouth, Canada. NAFO SCS Doc. 15/19. Pepin, P., Higdon, J., Koen-Alonso, M., Fogarty, M., and N. Ollerhead. 2014. Application of ecoregion analysis to the identification of Ecosystem Production Units (EPUs) in the NAFO Convention Area. NAFO SCR Doc. 14/069.

AIS NL Biofouling Species Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) National Marine Biofouling Monitoring Program conducts annual field surveys to monitor the introduction, establishment, spread, species richness, and relative abundance of native and some non-native species in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Region since 2006. Standardized monitoring protocols employed by DFO's NL, Maritimes, Gulf, and Quebec regions include biofouling collector plates deployed from May to October at georeferenced intertidal and shallow subtidal sites, including public docks, and public and private marinas and nautical clubs. Initially, (2006-2017), the collectors consisted of three 10 cm by 10 cm PVC plates deployed in a vertical array and spaced approximately 40 cm apart, with the shallowest plate suspended at least 1 m below the surface to sample subtidal and shallow intertidal species (McKenzie et al 2016a). Three replicate arrays were deployed at least 5 m apart per site. Since 2018, collector networks have been modified to improve statistical replication, including up to 10 individual collectors deployed per site at 1 m depth and at least 5 m apart (as above) from May to October. Since 2006, seven invasive biofouling organisms have been detected in Newfoundland and Labrador harbours, marinas and coastal areas. Should be cited as follows: DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region Aquatic Invasive Species Marine Biofouling Monitoring Program. Published March 2024. Coastal and Freshwater Ecology, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Reference: Tunicates Golden star tunicate (Botryllus schlosseri) 2006 The Golden star tunicate was the first invasive tunicate detected in NL waters. It was reported in Argentia by the US Navy around 1945. It was found in 2006 on wharf structures in Argentia, Placentia Bay during the first AIS survey (Callahan et al 2010). This colonial tunicate is recognized by it star shaped grouping of individuals within the colony. It is currently found in Placentia Bay, Fortune Bay, St. Mary’s Bay, Conception Bay and the west coast of NL. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL. From 2018-2022, the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program provided additional support to enhance sampling efforts in Placentia Bay.

The Canadian Breeding Bird Census (BBC) Database contains data for 928 breeding bird plot censuses representing all known censuses of breeding birds carried out in Canada during the period 1929–1993. The 928 records in the database represent 640 unique census plots located in all provinces and territories, except Prince Edward Island. The BBC, which was replaced by the current Breeding Bird Survey, is one of the longest-running surveys of bird populations in North America, and was designed to help determine abundance and distribution patterns of bird species. An important feature of the BBC Database is the habitat data associated with each census plot. The most prevalent vegetation species in different layers (canopy, shrub and ground cover) were recorded to reflect the assumption that birds respond principally to vegetative structure.