Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has been conducting surface water trawl surveys since 1992 in the coastal waters of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Alaska and in the high seas of the Gulf of Alaska. These surveys initially focused on determining the migratory patterns (1992-2002) and on the growth and physiology (2003-2016) of juvenile Pacific Salmon. Since 2016, these surveys have been broadened to monitor the whole pelagic ecosystem, retaining a focus on juvenile Pacific Salmon. Surveys have been conducted on the continental shelf of north and west Vancouver Island, included associated sounds and inlets since 1992 and are ongoing. These data are for tows conducted in the continental shelf area for depths shallower than 400 meters.

Urbanization perimeter of the revised land use and development plan of the City of Laval**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

List and geolocation of Regional Cultural Councils supported by the Operational Assistance program for grouping organizations of the Ministry of Culture and Communications (https://www.mcc.gouv.qc.ca/index.php?id=1662).**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

A federal electoral district is an area represented by a member of the House of Commons. The Federal Electoral Districts (FED) dataset is a digital representation of the 338 electoral districts proclaimed by the Representation Order of 2013. This dataset is an update of the 2013 Federal Electoral Districts (FED) 2013.

Location of places of interest in the city of Repentigny in terms of culture and history.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nest boxes are installed in oil sands area and in reference locations to monitor contaminant levels and impacts on tree swallow nestlings. The exposure to tree swallow nestlings to air-borne oil sands-related contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is assessed using passive air samplers. Measures of avian health are examined in relation to location of sampling and contaminants measured.

Emerald Basin on the Scotia Shelf off Nova Scotia, Canada, is home to a globally unique population of the glass sponge Vazella pourtalesi. Through the analysis of both in situ photographs and trawl catch data from annual multispecies bottom-trawl surveys, we examined community composition, species density, and abundance of epibenthos and fish associated with V. pourtalesi compared to locations without this sponge. Using generalized linear models and analysis of similarities, the importance of V. pourtalesi in enhancing species density and abundance of the associated epibenthic community was assessed against that of the hard substrate on which it settles. Our results indicated that the megafaunal assemblage associated with V. pourtalesi was significantly different in composition and higher in species density and abundance compared to locations without V. pourtalesi. Analysis of similarity of trawl catch data indicated that fish communities associated with the sponge grounds are significantly different from those without V. pourtalesi, although no species were found exclusively on the sponge grounds. Our study provides further evidence of the role played by sponge grounds in shaping community structure and biodiversity of associated deep-sea epibenthic and fish communities. The mechanism for biodiversity enhancement within the sponge grounds formed by V. pourtalesi is likely the combined effect of both the sponge itself and its attachment substrate, which together comprise the habitat of the sponge grounds. We also discuss the role of habitat provision between the mixed-species tetractinellid sponges of the Flemish Cap and the monospecific glass sponge grounds of Emerald Basin. Please refer to the following citation for additional details on the data: Hawkes N, Korabik M, Beazley L, Rapp HT, Xavier JR, Kenchington E (2019) Glass sponge grounds on the Scotian Shelf and their associated biodiversity. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 614:91-109. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12903 Cite this data as: Hawkes, Nickolas; Korabik, Michelle; Beazley, Lindsay; Rapp, Hans Tore; Xavier, Joana; Kenchington, Ellen (2019) Glass sponge grounds on the Scotian Shelf and their associated biodiversity. Published September 2023.Ocean Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/83c8e9af-ad3a-40bc-b1b7-d1ed4a069330

Sexual reproduction is critical to the resilience of seagrass beds impacted by habitat degradation or environmental changes, as robust seed banks allow new shoots to establish each year. Reproductive strategies of seagrass beds range on a continuum from strictly annual to perennial, driven by local environmental conditions. We examined the reproductive dynamics of Zostera marina beds at six sites on the Atlantic coast of Canada to characterize how life history strategies are shaped by the surrounding environment. Sites were categorized as wave protected and wave exposed, where protected sites were warm, shallow, with little water movement and muddy sediments, and exposed sites were either shallow or deep, with cooler water and sandy sediments. While mixed life history strategies were evident at all sites, protected eelgrass beds exhibited both the highest and lowest sexual reproductive effort relative to exposed beds. These beds regularly experienced thermal stress, with higher temperature range and extended warm water events relative to exposed beds. The development of reproductive shoots were similar across sites with comparable Growing Degree-days at the beginning and end of anthesis, but the First Flowering Date was earlier at the protected warmer sites relative to exposed sites. With different reproductive shoot density among sites, seed production, seed retention, and seedling recruitment also varied strongly. Only one site, located in a warm, shallow and protected lagoon, contained a mixed life history population with a high reproductive effort (33.7%), strong seed bank, and high seedling establishment. However, a primarily perennial population with the lowest reproductive effort (0.5%) was identified at the warmest site, suggesting that conditions here could not support high sexual reproduction. Robustness of seed banks was strongly linked to reproductive shoot density, although the role of seed retention, germination and seedling survival require further investigation. Our study provides insights into one key aspect of seagrass resilience, and suggests that resilience assessments should include reproductive shoot density to inform their management and conservation. Cite this data: Vercaemer B. and Wong M. Reproductive ecology of Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) across varying environmental conditions. Published: May 2022. Coastal Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/56cfea6f-aeca-47ed-94ab-c519d9e63c91

Average of the hourly Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) over 17 years (1998-2014). Data extracted from the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) developed using the Physical Solar Model (PSM) by National Renewable Energy Laboratory ("NREL"), Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE"). The current version of the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) (v2.0.1) was developed using the Physical Solar Model (PSM), and offers users the solar resource datasets from 1998 to 2014). The NSRDB comprises 30-minute solar and meteorological data for approximately 2 million 0.038-degree latitude by 0.038-degree longitude surface pixels (nominally 4 km2). The area covered is bordered by longitudes 25° W on the east and 175° W on the west, and by latitudes -20° S on the south and 60° N on the north. The solar radiation values represent the resource available to solar energy systems. The AVHRR Pathfinder Atmospheres-Extended (PATMOS-x) model uses half-hourly radiance images in visible and infrared channels from the GOES series of geostationary weather satellites, a climatological albedo database and mixing ratio, temperature and pressure profiles from Modern Era-Retrospective Analysis (MERRA) to generate cloud masking and cloud properties. Cloud properties generated using PATMOS-x are used in fast radiative transfer models along with aerosol optical depth (AOD) and precipitable water vapor (PWV) from ancillary sources to estimate Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) and Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI). A daily AOD is retrieved by combining information from the MODIS and MISR satellites and ground-based AERONET stations. Water vapor and other inputs are obtained from MERRA. For clear sky scenes the direct normal irradiance (DNI) and GHI are computed using the REST2 radiative transfer model. For cloud scenes identified by the cloud mask, Fast All-sky Radiation Model for Solar applications (FARMS) is used to compute the GHI. The DNI for cloud scenes is then computed using the DISC model. The data in this layer is an average of the hourly GHI over 17 years (1998-2014). NOTE: The Geographical Information System (GIS) data and maps for solar resources for Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) and Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) were developed by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and provided for Canada as an estimate. At present, neither the NREL data, nor the Physical Solar Model (PSM) on which the NREL data is based, have been either assessed or validated for the particular Canadian weather applications. A Canadian GHI map developed by the department of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is based on the State University of New York (SUNY) model and has been assessed and validated for the particular Canadian weather applications. The Canadian GHI map is available at http://atlas.gc.ca/cerp-rpep/en/.

Polygons denoting concentrations of sea pens, small and large gorgonian corals and sponges on the east coast of Canada have been identified through spatial analysis of research vessel survey by-catch data following an approach used by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) in the Regulatory Area (NRA) on Flemish Cap and southeast Grand Banks. Kernel density analysis was used to identify high concentrations and the area occupied by successive catch weight thresholds was used to identify aggregations. These analyses were performed for each of the five biogeographic zones of eastern Canada. The largest sea pen fields were found in the Laurentian Channel as it cuts through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, while large gorgonian coral forests were found in the Eastern Arctic and on the northern Labrador continental slope. Large ball-shaped Geodia spp. sponges were located along the continental slopes north of the Grand Banks, while on the Scotian Shelf a unique population of the large barrel-shaped sponge Vazella pourtalesi was identified. The latitude and longitude marking the positions of all tows which form these and other dense aggregations are provided along with the positions of all tows which captured black coral, a non-aggregating taxon which is long-lived and vulnerable to fishing pressures. These polygons identify sea pen fields from the broader distribution of sea pens in the Northern Gulf region as sampled by Campelen trawl gear in the Gulf biogeographic zone. A 7 kg minimum threshold for the sea pen catch was identified as the weight that separated the sea pen field habitat from the broader distribution of sea pens with these research vessel tow data and gear type.