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.

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.

Map of contemporary marine fish data sources. Green squares indicate data from benthic trawl monitoring efforts, blue squares indicate data from benthic trawl surveys, while red triangles indicate data from pelagic trawl monitoring efforts. Red line indicates the CAFF boundary. STATE OF THE ARCTIC MARINE BIODIVERSITY REPORT - <a href="https://arcticbiodiversity.is/findings/marine-fishes" target="_blank">Chapter 3</a> - Page 112 - Figure 3.4.1

Moving 6-year analysis and visualization of Water body silicate in the North Sea. Four seasons (December-February, March-May, June-August, September-November). Data Sources: observational data from SeaDataNet/EMODnet Chemistry Data Network. Description of DIVA analysis: Geostatistical data analysis by DIVAnd (Data-Interpolating Variational Analysis) tool, version 2.7.9. results were subjected to the minfield option in DIVAnd to avoid negative/underestimated values in the interpolated results; error threshold masks L1 (0.3) and L2 (0.5) are included as well as the unmasked field. The depth dimension allows visualizing the gridded field at various depths.

Arctic Marine Areas (AMAs) as defined in the CBMP Marine Plan. STATE OF THE ARCTIC MARINE BIODIVERSITY REPORT - <a href="https://arcticbiodiversity.is/marine" target="_blank">Chapter 1</a> - Page 15 - Figure 1.2

This dataset provides 1/36-degree monthly-mean ocean current climatology (April - September) in the Northeast Pacific. The climatological fields are derived from hourly ocean currents for the period from 1993 to 2020, simulated using a high-resolution Northeast Pacific Ocean Model (NEPOM).

This gridded product visualizes 1960 - 2014 water body phosphate concentration (umol/l) in the North Sea domain, for each season (winter: December – February; spring: March – May; summer: June – August; autumn: September – November). It is produced as a Diva 4D analysis, version 4.6.9: a reference field of all seasonal data between 1960-2014 was used; results were logit transformed to avoid negative/underestimated values in the interpolated results; error threshold masks L1 (0.3) and L2 (0.5) are included as well as the unmasked field. Every step of the time dimension corresponds to a 10-year moving average for each season. The depth dimension allows visualizing the gridded field at various depths.

This gridded product visualizes 1960 - 2014 water body dissolved oxygen concentration (umol/l) in the North Sea domain, for each season (winter: December – February; spring: March – May; summer: June – August; autumn: September – November). It is produced as a Diva 4D analysis, version 4.6.11: a reference field of all seasonal data between 1960-2014 was used; results were logit transformed to avoid negative/underestimated values in the interpolated results; error threshold masks L1 (0.3) and L2 (0.5) are included as well as the unmasked field. Every step of the time dimension corresponds to a 10-year moving average for each season. The depth dimension allows visualizing the gridded field at various depths.

Long-term measurements of sea water properties collected by sensor buoy in Adventfjorden as part of the Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (SIOS).

Global catches of Greenland halibut (FAO 2015). STATE OF THE ARCTIC MARINE BIODIVERSITY REPORT - <a href="https://arcticbiodiversity.is/findings/marine-fishes" target="_blank">Chapter 3</a> - Page 121 - Figure 3.4.8