This layer details Important Areas (IAs) relevant to coral, sponge, and reef-building species in the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA). This data was mapped to inform the selection of marine Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA). Experts have indicated that these areas are relevant based upon their high ranking in one or more of three criteria (Uniqueness, Aggregation, and Fitness Consequences). The distribution of IAs within ecoregions is used in the designation of EBSAs. Canada’s Oceans Act provides the legislative framework for an integrated ecosystem approach to management in Canadian oceans, particularly in areas considered ecologically or biologically significant. DFO has developed general guidance for the identification of ecologically or biologically significant areas. The criteria for defining such areas include uniqueness, aggregation, fitness consequences, resilience, and naturalness. This science advisory process identifies proposed EBSAs in Canadian Pacific marine waters, specifically in the Strait of Georgia (SOG), along the west coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI, southern shelf ecoregion), and in the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA, northern shelf ecoregion). Initial assessment of IAs in PNCIMA was carried out in September 2004 to March 2005 with spatial data collection coordinated by Cathryn Clarke. Subsequent efforts in WCVI and SOG were conducted in 2009, and may have used different scientific advisors, temporal extents, data, and assessment methods. WCVI and SOG IA assessment in some cases revisits data collected for PNCIMA, but should be treated as a separate effort. Other datasets in this series detail IAs for birds, cetaceans, fish, geographic features, invertebrates, and other vertebrates. Though data collection is considered complete, the emergence of significant new data may merit revisiting of IAs on a case by case basis.

Status of marine mammal Focal Ecosystem Component stocks by Arctic Marine Area. STATE OF THE ARCTIC MARINE BIODIVERSITY REPORT - <a href="https://arcticbiodiversity.is/findings/marine-mammals" target="_blank">Chapter 3</a> - Page 157 - Figure 3.6.3

The Regional Deterministic Wave Prediction System (RDWPS) produces wave forecasts out to 48 hours in the future using the third generation spectral wave forecast model WaveWatch III® (WW3). The model is forced by the 10 meters winds from the High Resolution Deterministic Prediction System (HRDPS). Over the Great Lakes, an ice forecast from the Water Cycle Prediction System of the Great Lakes (WCPS) is used by the model to attenuate or suppress wave growth in areas covered by 25% to 75% and more than 75% ice, respectively. Over the ocean, an ice forecast from the Regional Ice Ocean Prediction System (RIOPS) is used: in the Northeast Pacific, waves propagate freely for ice concentrations below 50%, above this threshold there is no propagation; in the Northwest Atlantic the same logic is used as in the Great Lakes. Forecast elements include significant wave height, peak period, partitioned parameters and others. This system includes several domains: Lake Superior, Lake Huron-Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Atlantic North-West and Pacific North-East.

Running 6-year analysis of Water body phosphate in the Baltic Sea. Four seasons (March-May, June-August, September-November, December-February). Every year of the time dimension corresponds to a 6-year centred average. Periods span between 1975-2021. Analyses for depths (m) (HELCOM standard depths): 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300. Data Sources: observational data from SeaDataNet/EMODnet Chemistry Data Network. Description of DIVA analysis: Geostatistical data analysis by DIVAnd (Data-Interpolating Variational Analysis in n dimensions) tool. GEBCO_08 Grid (30 arc-seconds) topography is used for the contouring preparation. Files contain analysed fields, error fields and combined field with the deepest value for each grid point selected. Also pre-masked fields using relative error threshold 0.3 and 0.5 are included. In the analyses the horizontal correlation length is fixed to 80 km and decreasing towards the coastline, the vertical correlation length is varying with depth. Signal to noise ratio is fixed to 1.0. Background fields were created using data for the given time period and season. Log transformation was used in the analyses. No detrending, advection constraints or weighting are applied. Unit is umol/l.

This product displays positions symbolized per matrix, for all available contaminants measurements for each year present in EMODnet regional contaminants aggregated datasets, v2022. The product displays positions for every available year.

This product displays positions symbolized per matrix, for all available contaminants measurements present in EMODnet regional contaminants aggregated datasets, v2024. The product displays positions for all available years.

This visualization product displays the number of Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) monitoring surveys and the associated temporal coverage per beach. EMODnet Chemistry included the collection of marine litter in its 3rd phase. Since the beginning of 2018, data of beach litter have been gathered and processed in the EMODnet Chemistry Marine Litter Database (MLDB). The harmonization of all the data has been the most challenging task considering the heterogeneity of the data sources, sampling protocols and reference lists used on a European scale. Preliminary processing were necessary to harmonize all the data: - Exclusion of OSPAR 1000 protocol: in order to follow the approach of OSPAR that it is not including these data anymore in the monitoring; - Selection of MSFD surveys only (exclusion of other monitoring, cleaning and research operations); - Exclusion of beaches without coordinates. More information is available in the attached documents. Warning: the absence of data on the map doesn't necessarily mean that they don't exist, but that no information has been entered in the Marine Litter Database for this area.

Routes used for hunting polar bear in Ittoqqoortoormiit, East Greenland before 1999 (red line), and in 2012 (yellow), 2013 (blue) and 2014 (green). STATE OF THE ARCTIC MARINE BIODIVERSITY REPORT - <a href="https://arcticbiodiversity.is/findings/marine-mammals" target="_blank">Chapter 3</a> - Page 159 - Box figure 3.6.1

The data were collected during two research projects: Development of community-based monitoring for aquatic invasive species in the Canadian Arctic - preparing for increased shipping related to resource development and climate change; Diversity of pelagic primary producers in coastal habitats and the potential for harmful blooms in Eastern Canadian Arctic, with a focus near Iqaluit, Nunavut. Funding was provided by Polar Knowledge Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Strategic Program for Ecosystem-based Research and Advice, Aquatic Invasive Species Program and Oceans Ocean Protection Plan) and the Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board. These data are the abundance, richness and diversity of dinoflagellate communities in Canadian Arctic seaports to provide baseline data and to verify the presence of potential non-indigenous species and harmful taxa. These data can be used as a reference source for monitoring the introduction of potentially non-native species introduced into Arctic ports where shipping activities are high. SAMPLING Dinoflagellate samples were collected using a 20 μm (30 cm diameter) Nitex® plankton net during August in Churchill (MB) (2007 and 2015), in Deception Bay (QC ) (2016), in Iqaluit (NU) (2015 and 2019) and in Milne Inlet (2017). Samples were collected from 1 m of the surface to 1 m above the bottom. PREPARATION : Samples were stored in 4% formaldehyde. Sample preparation and counting were performed using the Utermöhl method. OBSERVATION : Samples were observed using an inverted microscope (NIKON Eclipse TE-2000-U) under a magnification of 200x. ABUNDANCE : The calculation of the abundance of dinoflagellates (cell / liter) was carried out as follows: Number of cells X Volume of the bottle / Volume of the Utermöhl chamber / (pi X Radius^2 X Depth) X 1000 ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES Environmental data were measured using a CTD and a Secchi disk. The time between sea ice melt and sampling was calculated by subtracting the sampling day from the breakup dates (ice concentration <1/10) which were extracted from the Canadian Ice Service records. For further information, please consult the following paper: Dhifallah F, Rochon A, Simard N, McKindsey CW, Gosselin M, Howland KL. 2022. Dinoflagellate communities in high-risk Canadian Arctic ports. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 266:107731

This product displays for Lead, median values since 2012 that have been measured per matrix and are present in EMODnet regional contaminants aggregated datasets, v2024. The median values ranges are derived from the following percentiles: 0-25%, 25-75%, 75-90%, >90%. Only "good data" are used, namely data with Quality Flag=1, 2, 6, Q (SeaDataNet Quality Flag schema). For water, only surface values are used (0-15 m), for sediment and biota data at all depths are used.