The Turkey Lakes Watershed (TLW) Study was established in 1979 by several federal government departments (Natural Resources Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada) to study the impacts of acid rain on aquatic and forest ecosystems but has since expanded to include other research on toxic contaminants, forest harvesting, habitat modification, and climate change. The TLW is a mixed hardwood forest with a 10.5 km squared area in the Canada Shield that drains into Lake Superior, and has been the focus of many interdisciplinary, whole-ecosystem studies on environmental issues. Benthic invertebrates, or insects found at the bottom of waterbodies, can be key indicators of stream health and play important roles in nutrient cycling and the food chain. In 1995, a project within the TLW aimed to evaluate how stream ecosystems respond to tree harvesting, which involved long-term surveys of benthic invertebrate communities pre- and post-harvest. Three stream catchments (c31, c33, c34) were harvested at different intensities in the summer of 1997 and were compared to multiple undisturbed catchments. Alongside the invertebrate data, corresponding stream habitat surveys, streamside litterfall traps, leaf decomposition, deposition of stream particulate matter, and standing sediment bedload data was collected during the same period. The data was collected from 1995-2009 by researchers at the Canadian Forest Service (Great Lakes Forestry Centre). This dataset is a rare and valuable resource because there are very few existing long-term datasets of benthic invertebrates from the same locations, and because this dataset is integrated with other biological and chemical datasets within the broader TLW database stored at the Open Government data repository. For an overview of other types of data available from the TLW, see https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14109, and for a complete list of publications that have been produced from data collected at this site, see https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/turkey-lakes-watershed-study/publications.html.

This inventory, conducted from September 26th to October 3th, 2019, aimed to describe the community structure of macroalgae and benthic macroinvertebrates of five small estuaries of the Upper North Shore of Quebec, namely Barthélemy Bay and the Colombier, Mistassini, Franquelin and Saint-Nicolas rivers. This inventory is part of a doctoral study of Valentine Loiseau on the global changes in the St. Lawrence system, mainly the study of marine benthic communities in response to changes of salinity, to ensure proper management of the environment in the face of future changes. The main objective is to describe the structure and the levels of specific diversities of mediolittoral communities of benthic macroinvertebrates and macroalgae along a salinity gradient.  These five small estuaries were selected because of their similar size, hard substrates and easy access. Three levels of hypoosmotic stress (low, medium, high) and one control level (seawater) were used for each of the selected estuaries, with eight quadrats per stress level. Quadrat positions were randomly selected but had to meet two criteria: (1) regular height in the foreshore to control the influence of other stresses (temperature, exposure); and (2) presence of at least one macroalga to maintain homogeneity. A percentage cover by macroalgal and macroinvertebrate species was estimated, and then all organisms were weighed by species and size group. The salinity of the nearest water point was measured at mid-tide with a portable refractometer and a Castaway-type CTD (Conductivity-Temperature-Density) probe. The inventory was done using a stratified random sampling design and the sampling unit was a quadrat measuring 25 x 25 cm. The three files provided (DarwinCore format) are complementary and are linked by the "eventID" key. The "event_information" file includes the generic information of the quadrat, including date and location. The "additional_information_event_and_occurrence" file includes salinity and substrate type of the quadrat, as well as the total weight of all individuals of the same species caught in the quadrat extrapolated to one square metre of surface. For nudibranchs and barnacles, weight was estimated from the size of the individuals so that they were not removed from the environment. The "taxon_occurrence" file includes the taxonomic inventory of macroalgal and benthic macroinvertebrate species observed in the quadrat, identified to the lowest possible species or taxonomic level and biomass by identified species. For quality control, organisms were identified on the field using the following guide: Chabot, Robert et Anne Rossignol. 2003. Algues et faune du littoral du Saint-Laurent maritime : Guide d'identification. Institut des Sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Rimouski ; Pêches et Océans Canada (Institut Maurice-Lamontagne), Mont-Joli. 113 pages. The taxonomy was checked against the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) to match recognized standards and using the R obistools and worrms libraries. The WoRMS match was placed in the "scientificNameID" field of the occurrence file. All sample locations were spatially validated. This project was funded by DFO Coastal Environmental Baseline Program under Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan. This initiative aims to acquire environmental baseline data contributing to the characterization of important coastal areas and to support evidence-based assessments and management decisions for preserving marine ecosystems.

These data sets provide information pertaining to abundant taxa including bottom-dwelling shrimp and fish along trawling and trapping transects in Simoom Sound at November, 2000, and February, 2001. Data sets were compiled and formatted by Meagan Mak. Abstract from report: This study is a component of a larger project designed to compare the effects of shrimp trawling and trapping gear on shrimp, fish and the benthic habitat of Simoom Sound located in Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada. Otter-trawling, beam-trawling, and trapping took place in three distinct experiment blocks of the central seabed of the Sound. In turn, each block consisted of replicate transects, where a towed submersible video-camera surveyed shrimp and fish before and after trawling. Video surveys were deployed only before trapping. From the video surveys, we determined the abundance of common shrimp taxa and fish.

Summary The Quebec region of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is responsible for the assessment of several fish and invertebrate stocks exploited in the Estuary and the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The commercial catches sampling program is one of the sources of information used to complete these assessments. The data collected by this program, at wharf or at sea, offers among other things the advantage of a relatively large spatio-temporal coverage and provides some of the necessary knowledge to assess the demography and the structure of the exploited populations. This program is implemented by specialized DFO staff whose main mandate is to collect biological data on groundfish, pelagic fish and marine invertebrate species that are commercially exploited in the various marine communities. Data This dataset on the yellowtail flounder (Limanda ferruginea) includes the metadata, sample weight, fish length, the sex and the number of specimens measured. This dataset covers the periods of 1992, 1995, 1997-2010, 2012-2013, 2015-2017 and 2019. In order to protect the confidentiality of the sources, some informations (such as those concerning the vessel) have been excluded and others (such as the date of capture) have been simplified. Entries where there was only one vessel in a fishing area for a given year were also excluded. Further information including the fishing areas coordinates can be found by clicking on the «Atlantic and Arctic commercial fisheries» and «Fishing areas» links below.

PURPOSE: Assess the distribution of freshwater mussels, including the Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa), the Eastern Pearlshell (Margaritifera margaritifera), and the Yellow Lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa) in New Brunswick. DESCRIPTION: This dataset contains the results of work undertaken from 2017 to 2024 to assess the distribution of freshwater mussels using environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys and species-specific qPCR assays. USE LIMITATION: To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

PURPOSE: To track juvenile Atlantic salmon densities. DESCRIPTION: Indices of freshwater production are derived annually from electrofishing surveys in the rivers of Nova Scotia flowing into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Fixed site sampling for juvenile salmon has been conducted most consistently since the mid-1980s for these rivers. Juvenile salmon abundances at sites, in terms of number of fish per habitat area sampled by age or size group (densities), are obtained using successive removal sampling or catch per unit effort sampling calibrated to densities. Sampling intensities vary among years and among rivers. PARAMETERS COLLECTED: distribution (ecological); species counts (ecological); point (spatial) USE LIMITATION: To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

With the changing climate conditions, marine traffic along Canada’s coastal regions has increased over the past couple of decades and the need to improve our state of preparedness for oil-spill-related emergencies is critical. Baseline coastal information, such as shoreline form, substrate, and vegetation type, is required for prioritizing operations, coordinating onsite spill response activities (i.e. Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique [SCAT]), and providing information for wildlife and ecosystem management. Between 2013 and 2019, georeferenced high-definition videography and photos were collected for various study sites along the west coast. The study areas include the mainland, inlets, channels and islands along the BC coast starting from Kitimat in the north to Quadra Island in the south, including Haida Gwaii and North Vancouver Island in the west and Burrard Inlet in the extreme south. Data was collected during low tide conditions (where applicable) between July and September. Low-altitude helicopter surveys were conducted at each of the study site to capture video of the shoreline characteristics. In addition to acquiring videography, ground-based observations were recorded in several locations for validation. Shoreline segmentation was then carried out by manual interpretation of the oblique videography and the photos aided by ancillary data. This involved splitting and classifying the shoreline vectors based on homogeneity of the upper intertidal zone. Detailed geomorphological information (i.e. shoreline type, substrate, slope, height, accessibility etc.) describing the upper intertidal, lower intertidal, supratidal and backshore zones was extracted from the video and entered into a geospatial database using a customized data collection form. In addition, biological characteristics like biobands, water features, fauna, human use etc. observed along the coast were recorded. The data was also validated through ground samples (when available) and a second interpreter QA (quality analysis) was performed on the dataset to ensure high quality and consistency. The final dataset contains segments ranging in length from 150 metres (45 metres for study areas surveyed in 2018-19) to 2500 metres. In total, from 2013 to 2019, about 15,000 km of shoreline were segmented.

This record contains information on the samples collected and the intended parameters for analysis from sediment cores collected as part of this project including bacteria, chemistry, stable isotopes, fatty acids, or meiofauna.

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.pdf USE LIMITATION: To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

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.