The Coastal Environmental Baseline Program is a multi-year Fisheries and Oceans Canada initiative designed to work with Indigenous and local communities and other key parties to collect coastal environmental data at six unique sites across Canada, including the Port of Saint John (New Brunswick). The overall purpose of the Program is to collect localized ecological data in these areas to build a better baseline understanding of marine ecological conditions. The Maritimes region has developed a physical oceanography project to align with the interests and data needs of local communities and stakeholders. Starting in 2020, data describing the depth and temperature of tidal flood waters have been collected at a series of intertidal locations in the Port of Saint John vicinity, to characterize high marsh flood tides and water level fluctuations near the Courtenay Bay causeway. Inundation by marine waters in high marsh areas is typically limited to spring tides, while the water level in Courtenay Bay is influenced by anthropogenic infrastructure (e.g. causeway, tide gates). The resulting data can enhance studies ranging from coastal vulnerability and resilience to salt marsh morphodynamics, by quantifying the frequency, amplitude and duration of tidal inundation. Data were collected using Hobo U20-001-02 water level loggers, which were deployed inside stilling wells constructed from 15-inch lengths of perforated ABS pipe (2¼” diameter). The stilling wells were sunk to a depth of 6 inches below ground, with the water level logger suspended inside the well from a bolt near the top. The logger was positioned with a rigid wire such that the measurement volume was equal to ground level, while allowing the logger to be easily removed for downloading and precisely replaced at the measurement location. Loggers were accessed 2-3 times per year to download, and were removed during the winter months. Data have been compensated for changing atmospheric pressure using the Barometric Compensation Tool in HobowarePro (version 3.7.21) and barometric pressure data collected from a dry location during the study period. The resulting water level is reported in meters, and is relative to the elevation of the water level logger (e.g. above ground level). Citation: Port of Saint John intertidal water level and temperature (2020-2022). Coastal Environmental Baseline Program. Coastal Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. Andrews, N.B. XX-XX-2024

PURPOSE: Trawl survey data used primarily for assessing the status of snow crab stocks in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. DESCRIPTION: Tow, catch, and biological information for snow crab and other species caught during the annual snow crab research vessel trawl survey in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Currently, the survey uses a stratified random design that divides the area into 355 square grids, each measuring 12.7 km by 12.7 km. The survey area spans the majority of snow crab habitat in the southern Gulf, at depths ranging from 20 to 200 fathoms. Sampling stations are trawled during civil twilight hours using a Bigouden Nephrops bottom trawl net. The vessel operates at a target speed of 2 knots for a duration of 5 minutes, maintaining a warp-to-depth ratio of 3:1, with a maximum warp length of 575 fathoms. PARAMETERS COLLECTED: Snow crab: sex, carapace width, height of male crab claw, shell condition, gonad colour, egg colour, eggs remaining, and missing legs. Other species: counts, and weights Other: GPS coordinates; swept area; depth; temperature; CTD profile; NOTES ON QUALITY CONTROL: Data are checked for irregularities and errors. SAMPLING METHODS: Survey catches are sorted by species or taxonomic groups and measured directly on board. All snow crab are measured, while select fish species are measured only for a subset of survey stations. USE LIMITATION: To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

PURPOSE: To record hourly water temperatures throughout the Margaree watershed. DESCRIPTION: The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has been deploying water temperature monitoring equipment since spring 1993 in the Margaree River watershed. Coverage has changed throughout the time series and there is little documentation regarding equipment used. In recent years data have been collected using VEMCOs. USE LIMITATION: To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

PURPOSE: The objective of the sea scallop survey is to obtain fishery independent data on the abundance, size distribution and location of scallops in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and to provide science advice on stock status to fishery managers, decision makers and industry stakeholders. DESCRIPTION: The sea scallop research survey is conducted on CCGS MPerley (or chartered vessels) and has stratified random sampling. For each tow (or sample), data is recorded on tow, all specimens caught, geolocation, shell height frequency and biological samples. PARAMETERS COLLECTED: Catch number (biological), catch weight (biological), individual lengths (biological), age (biological), meat weight (biological). PHYSICAL SAMPLE DETAILS: A sub-sample of scallop shells is retained and analysed for age determination in the lab. SAMPLING METHODS: From 2012 to 2016, an annual, rotational, multispecies research survey program for scallop in the sGSL was conducted to obtain fishery independent indices of abundance, biomass estimates, and biological characteristics information (shell height, meat weight, sex, clappers). One section of a SFA or the SFA in its entirety was surveyed per year, with the exception of SFA 23 which was excluded because of the low scallop fishing effort reported from this area in recent years. From 2019 to 2023, annual surveys were conducted on the three major beds in the Northumberland Strait (West Point and Cape Tormentine in SFA 22, Pictou in SFA 24), using a similar methodology as the previous surveys. Methodology can be found in the Science Advisory Report and the Research Document listed in the citations list. USE LIMITATION: Please contact the data custodians before attempting to use this information in support of any kind of scientific analyses.

Each summer, environmental community groups collect important data to determine if groupings of fish, shrimp and crab – what is called a community- can be used as an indicator of the health status of bays and estuaries. Sampling was conducted from May through September for the first years then from June through August. In 2018 and 2019, the sampling was conducted just once in each estuary. Community group members and staff sample six stations once a month in their designated estuary. Fish, shrimps and crabs are collected with a beach seine net and later released live back to the water once identified and counted. From this, the community groups provide important information to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, including: - identification and numbers of fish, shrimp and crab species; - water conditions and samples; - information on aquatic plants; - sediment samples. With this information, Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists working with government agencies and universities can conduct analyses to determine the suitability of indicators to assess the health of bays and estuaries. PARAMETERS COLLECTED: Parameters: abundance, species richness, species developmental stage (young-of-the-year or adult), water temperature, water salinity, water dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic nutrient (nitrate, nitrite, phosphate), sediment % organic content, sediment % humidity content and sediment mean grain size, % submerged aquatic vegetation cover NOTES ON QUALITY CONTROL: Data entry into Excel and first quality control verification is done by CAMP summer students. A second quality control verification is done by DFO staff. See publ # 2823 attached to this record. In 2018, the historical data was migrated into a relationship database. From this year on, annual data will be entered into the database using a custom application. The application front end has numerous QC elements built-in. SAMPLING METHODS: Please see the following URL for sampling details: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/319437.pdf

The data provided here are from a number of sea water temperature monitoring programs conducted in tropical and subtropical coral reefs environments around Australia. Data are available from approximately 80 GBR sites, 16 Coral Sea sites, 7 sites in North West Western Australia (WA), 8 Queensland regional ports, 13 sites in the Solitary Islands, 4 sites in PNG and 10 sites in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Data are obtained from in-situ data loggers deployed on the reef. Temperature instruments sample water temperatures every 5-10 minutes (typically) and are exchanged and downloaded approximately every 12 months. Temperature loggers on the reef-flat are generally placed just below Lowest Astronomical Tide level. Reef-slope (or where specified as Upper reef-slope) generally refers to depths 5 - 9 m while Deep reef-slope refers to depths of ~20 m. Reefs are under threat from climate change. Elevated sea temperature is a major stress to reefs, capable of causing widespread coral bleaching and mortality. Small excursions of temperature outside normal summer levels can cause stress and bleaching in corals, especially sensitive species. Temperature data from this program are used to correlate with bleaching events and derive local bleaching thresholds. Data are also used in a wide variety of other marine research programs, including fisheries, balast water, turtles, sea birds, seagrass, coral disease, oceanography, process studies, validation of proxy climate records etc. Download via the AODN Portal is currently unavailable, access through programming links below or the AIMS Time Series Explorer - https://apps.aims.gov.au/ts-explorer/

The Gulf of St. Lawrence At-Sea Observer Program is part of the Fisheries Monitoring Policy of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/reports-rapports/regs/sff-cpd/fishery-monitoring-surveillance-des-peches-eng.htm#toc13). Its purpose is to ensure accurate verification of fishing activities at sea by an independent third party, and to provide DFO with scientific data on catches. The fishing industry and DFO depend on the proper communication of this information for fisheries management, monitoring and scientific research activities. Biological data on fish and marine invertebrates collected by the At-Sea Observer Program is one of the sources of information used by DFO to assess the status of these resources. Biological data protocols are the subject of an annual consultation with the biologists responsible for assessing each of the exploited stocks. This dataset contains the sum of weight data for species caught, by NAFO (Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization) sub-division and by year from 1999-2023, from commercial species directed fisheries for stock assessments in the Quebec region. It also includes length frequencies for species caught when required by protocol. To preserve the confidentiality of the fishing industry, data are only presented when fishing activity has been observed on a minimum of 5 vessels in a given NAFO area. The data presented are raw and should be interpreted with caution. They may contain errors such as spatial coordinates, landing weights or inaccurate or unreliable species identifications. A brief review of the taxonomy was carried out by DFO taxonomist cited as collaborator. His comments can be found in the “REMARK_IDENT” column preceded by the code “Claude_Nozere”.

PURPOSE: This data relates to the Canadian Science Advice Secretariat (CSAS) Regional Science Advisory Process from the Limit Reference Point and Population Model Review of the Southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence Sea Scallop peer review meeting held on November 1-2, 2023. The SFAs 22 and 24 have been identified as the core scallop habitat within the sGSL for this process. Associated publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available. DESCRIPTION: Data on landings, fishing efforts, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) used in the stock assessment for southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (sGSL) sea scallop (_Placopecten magellanicus_) stock assessments and the limit reference point. The dataset contains corrected information from the following data sources: - DFO annual historic reports on landings and efforts - published documents about population assessments and surveys - logbooks, produced by DFO’s regional statistics - purchase slips, produced by DFO’s regional statistics - Catch per unit effort calculated by DFO's Science Branch Prior to 1947, data represents the combined landings that cannot be attributed to individual Scallop Fishing Areas (SFAs). USE LIMITATION: To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

The primary purpose of this cruise is to observe the ecosystem of the eastern Bering Sea. Operations will primarily consist of hydrographic measurements (with samples for oxygen, chlorophyll, nutrients, and salinity); and zooplankton sampling using MARMAP bongo tows.

The Coastal Environmental Baseline Program is a multi-year Fisheries and Oceans Canada initiative designed to work with Indigenous and local communities and other key parties to collect coastal environmental data at six pilot sites across Canada (Port of Vancouver, Port of Prince Rupert, Lower St. Lawrence Estuary, Port of Saint John, Placentia Bay, and Iqaluit). The goal of the Program is to gather local information in these areas in effort to build a better understanding of marine ecological conditions. The Maritimes region has developed a physical oceanography program to align with the oceanographic interests and data needs of local communities and stakeholders, with the goal of sharing this information via open data. Starting in 2019, oceanographic parameters including temperature, salinity, depth, turbidity and currents have been continuously monitored at a series of locations covering a broad range of environments in the Port of Saint John and approaches vicinity, including the lower Saint John and Kennebecasis rivers, coastal fringe marshes and embayments, as well as the Musquash estuary Marine Protected Area (MPA). This dataset includes CTD data starting in 2019 and turbidity data from August 2020. Data collection methods range from bottom-mounted instruments in water depths of 10-50 meters, buoyant surface moorings, and hard-mounted instruments in intertidal zones. Intertidal data is interrupted during some low tide events, where the water level drops below the sensor, resulting in loss of functionality for periods up to 1-2 hours. Overall this dataset captures a dynamic balance between salt and fresh water on the highly tidal lower Saint John river, coastal seasonal dynamics in near-shore marine environments in the Musquash MPA, and the constant fluctuations of intertidal creeks and marshes. Updated Nov 2023: included 2022 data; removed daylight savings errors from 2019, 2020 and 2021; updated position for Evandale surface mooring.