Fieldnotes interactive map of 2024 to 2025 field operations
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Tānisi, ‘uy' skweyul, haluuqqagit, kiʔsuʔk kyukyit, g̱ilakas'la, gwetaʔaghunt’i, sii. ngaay’ laa, n̓it, hello!
Welcome to Fieldnotes, an interactive map that shows information about science field research and monitoring in the Northeast Pacific and Arctic oceans, and in the coastal and inland waters of British Columbia and Yukon.
We thank the Indigenous communities whose territories we visit during our work. Their continued commitment, and their values, knowledge, insights and wisdom are invaluable to our collective efforts to build healthy oceans and aquatic ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and safe navigation.
Mussi, huy ch q’u, quanaqutit, hu sukiⱡq̓ukni, g̱ilakas'la, sechanalyagh, haawa, t'ooyaḵsiy̓ n̓iin, thank you!
Map of 2024 to 2025 field operations
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Disclaimer
This map has been made available for information purposes only and should not be used for navigation or other purposes.
Science field operations included in Fieldnotes are not necessarily an exhaustive list. The nature or location of field operations is subject to change at any time. For information or confirmation about specific operations, please see the user guide for instructions on how to contact the lead for each field operation.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada does not warrant the reliability, currency, positional or thematic accuracy of any data or information published in this map. Misalignment of some datasets may occur due to the methods used to produce the original product. Fisheries and Oceans Canada assumes no responsibility for errors in the content of the provided information.
Under no circumstances will Fisheries and Oceans Canada be liable to any person or entity for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential or other damages resulting from the use of data or information contained in these maps. This includes, without limitation, any lost profits or business interruption.
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When accessing data or information, users may be directed to a non-government web service location. Data or information obtained from other web services may be subject to the particular source's licence requirements and permissions.
The following layers were created by external organizations:
- Watersheds (Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC Atlas))
- BC parks, ecological reserves and protected areas (Government of BC)
- Indigenous Territories (Native Land Digital)
- This layer is included for information purposes only and does not represent legal boundaries of any Indigenous Territories. Contact the Indigenous communities directly to confirm Territorial boundaries.
Additional layers, such as treaties maps, were created by Government of Canada partners including Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada.
Table of 2024 to 2025 field operations
| Title | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean and benthos monitoring: Bering and Chukchi Seas | July 2024 | Canada’s Three Oceans program collects oceanographic, geochemical and biological data for monitoring of ocean conditions, and the distribution and abundance of benthic organisms. These data support the international Distributed Biological Observatory program. |
| Oceanographic monitoring: Beaufort Gyre | August 28 to September26, 2024 | The Beaufort Gyre is one of the Arctic Ocean’s primary circulation features, storing and transporting freshwater, sea ice, and heat across the Canadian Basin. The Joint Ocean Ice Study Program collects biogeochemical water samples and deploys moorings and ice buoys to monitor the response of the Beaufort Gyre to climate change. |
| Marine hazards assessment: Canadian Polar Shelf | October 1 to October 8, 2024 | An initiative to document conditions related to sea ice, waves and storm surge that are hazardous to coastal infrastructure, ships and offshore structures in the Arctic Ocean; as well as the progressive impacts of climate change on the marine Arctic. |
| Marine biogeochemistry: ArcticNET Observation Network | July 1 to October 31, 2024 | In combination with improved observations and modelling, data from an annual time series of ocean carbon chemistry in the Canadian Arctic support the development of adaptation strategies to minimize negative impacts and maximize positive outcomes resulting from the human-induced transformation of the Canadian Arctic. Each year, a sub-set of ArcticNET stations are sampled. |
| Winter ocean sampling: Northwest Passage | April 2024 and February 2025 | The Canadian Ranger Ocean Watch (CROW) is a partnership between DFO and the Canadian Rangers to collect winter oceanographic sampling data in frozen conditions in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The results add seasonality to over 30 years of summer ship based observations. Snow and ice data is shared with Canadian Ice Service. |
| Oceanographic exploration: Kitikmeot Sea Moorings | September 11 to 26,2024 | The Kitikmeot Sea Science Study deploys oceanographic moorings from the CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier to evaluate wind-driven seasonal and interannual oceanographic processes in the Kitikmeot Sea in the Northwest Passage. |
| Oceanographic exploration: Sherman Basin and Inlet | August 15 to 28, 2024 | A collaboration with the Inuit community of Gjoa Haven to study river and ocean influences on biological production in Sherman Basin and Inlet. Through this research, Inuit will be trained in ocean sampling techniques during Youth-Elder camps and aboard the Arctic Research Foundation?s R/V Martin Bergmann. |
| Sea-ice pump project: Foxe Basin | July 1 to October 31, 2024 | Foxe Basin, a relatively enclosed basin with only one deep channel outlet, is one of three places in the Canadian Arctic where deep water forms and is an optimal site for observing the relationships between sea-ice formation, deepwater formation, and carbon dioxide sequestration. The Foxe Basin Sea Ice Pump Project (FoxSIPP) is is a 3-year study to explore these interactions and improve our capacity to predict how the polar oceanic carbon sink is changing with climate and sea-ice conditions. |
| Chaan sk??ada gud ahl hl??unggulaa | Tang.??wan ??an gud ad hl??ang.gulx?a | Working Together Ocean Science Expedition | June 30 to July 8, 2024 | The Chaan sk??ada gud ahl hl??unggulaa | Tang.??wan ??an gud ad hl??ang.gulx?a | Working Together Ocean Science Expedition - a collaborative project with the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) and Parks Canada - will conduct a full circumnavigation oceanographic survey around Haida Gwaii, including coastal areas, inlets and offshore zones. |
| Sharing science-at-sea Indigenous engagement expedition | October 16 to 23, 2024 | The sharing science-at-sea Indigenous engagement expedition brings a floating science centre to Vancouver Island coastal Indigenous communities to foster relationship building, reciprocal learning, and collaborative science. |
| Hard bottom longline hook survey: Outside area | July 26 to August 22, 2024 | This fishing survey uses standardized longline fishing gear to provide relative abundance indices for commonly caught species, distributional and occurrence data for all other species, and detailed biological data for inshore groundfish species. These data are incorporated into stock assessments, status reports, and research publications. Each year, approximately 200 randomly selected locations are fished, alternating between the northern and southern coast of British Columbia. |
| Synoptic bottom trawl survey: West Coast Vancouver Island | May 9 to June 11, 2024 | This fishing survey uses bottom trawl gear to provide relative abundance indices for commonly caught species, distributional and occurrence data for all other species, and detailed biological data from groundfish species. These data are incorporated into stock assessments, status reports, and research publications. Each year, approximately 175 randomly selected locations are fished. |
| Synoptic bottom trawl survey: West Coast Haida Gwaii | Augut 25 to September 30, 2024 | This fishing survey uses bottom trawl gear to provide relative abundance indices for commonly caught species, distributional and occurrence data for all other species, and detailed biological data from groundfish species. These data are incorporated into stock assessments, status reports, and research publications. Each year, approximately 125 randomly selected locations are fished. |
| Multispecies benthic invertebrate monitoring | August 27 to October 2, 2024 | These multispecies benthic invertebrate SCUBA surveys collect size and abundance data on sea urchins, sea cucumbers, pycnopodia sea stars and northern abalone (a species at risk), as well as benthic habitat data on algae and substrate. The data are used for invertebrate stock assessments, habitat mapping, species distribution modeling, emergency response planning and Marine Protected Areas monitoring. |
| Benthic habitat mapping | August 27 to October 1, 2024 | There is a general lack of data on shallow benthic habitats throughout the British Columbia coast. This benthic habitat mapping survey will document substrate types and associated algae and marine invertebrate species in order to map benthic habitat along the nearshore region of the British Columbia coast. Data will feed directly into existing marine spatial initiatives and provide an ecosystem approach to dive fishery stock assessment. |
| G?iinuu/Sea cucumber survey: Haida Gwaii | August 6 to 28, 2024 | Guided by the GayG?ahlda (Changing Tide) Reconciliation Agreement ?good faith? measures, these sea cucumber dive surveys support the collaborative development of a G?iinuu/sea cucumber (Apostichopus californicus) stock assessment for Haida Gwaii. |
| Northern abalone index sites survey | April 23 to May 14, 2024 | Northern abalone index sites survey in Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. Northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) are listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act and the survey results will be used in the assessment of northern abalone in British Columbia. |
| Cetacean abundance and distribution survey | February 1 to 15, 2024 | The collection of multiyear, seasonal data to provide abundance and distribution estimates of cetaceans (whales, porpoises and dolphins) will support the assessment of the impacts of marine shipping traffic on cetacean populations in areas of high or increasing marine traffic in the North Coast of British Columbia. |
| Northern resident killer whale annual census | May 1 to August 31, 2024 | The Cetacean Research Program has been conducting an annual census of the northern resident killer whale (NRKW) population since 1973, making it one of the longest time series of data for any marine mammal. This information is important to monitor changes in abundance, population structure and life-history parameters. |
| Coastal biodiversity survey | May 15 to June 1, 2024 | This collaborative survey will assess intertidal habitats and species from the Central Coast of British Columbia. Findings will support marine conservation initiatives and contribute to long-term monitoring. |
| Aquaculture monitoring | July, August, and October, 2024 | This national Aquaculture Monitoring Program aims to detect, monitor and model chemical and biological inputs from aquaculture activities in the far-field marine environment. The program helps inform policy and regulatory development and decision making to evaluate the spatio-temporal characteristics of the zone directly influenced by finfish and shellfish aquaculture. |
| Marine biotoxin monitoring | February 27 to December 4, 2024 | The goal of this project is to increase understanding of the dynamics and drivers of harmful algal blooms and associated biotoxins that can impact wild and farmed salmon and endangered marine mammals in British Columbia coastal waters. |
| Aquaculture benthic recovery: Broughton Archipelago and Discovery Islands | June 12 to 19, August 7 to 13, 2024 | Benthic recovery processes associated with seabed physical-chemical and macrofaunal indicators are not well known, since existing global studies are based on vastly different aquaculture, oceanographic, and seafloor settings. To date BC research is limited to two recovery studies with contrasting outcomes. This project will provide recovery information based on vastly different aquaculture, oceanographic and seabed settings. |
| Southern resident killer whale underwater noise impacts | July 3 to 9, October 8 to 15, 2024 | Monitor the underwater noise in southern resident killer whale (SRKW) critical habitats to establish baselines, track changes, and evaluate impacts of human-generated noise on SRKW. Small moorings equipped with hydrophone systems sampling the noise field continuously represent the backbone of this ongoing study. |
| Anchorage impacts on seafloor ecosystems | August 1 to November 30, 2024 | With the expansion of the shipping industry, ships are spending more time at anchorages and expanding to previously little used anchorage areas. Anchorages are often sited in soft sediment areas which are understudied, high diversity ecosystems important for ecosystem function. This research aims to document changes in sediment and seafloor ecosystems in commercial anchorage through remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys, multibeam bathymetry, and grab and core sampling. |
| Oceanographic monitoring of coastal inlets | October 15 to 28, 2024 | Oceanographic monitoring of the British Columbia Coastal Inlets provides baseline measurements of physical and geochemical conditions in these areas. This information helps monitor the effects of climate change and other anthropogenic impacts on British Columbia?s coastal waters. The cruise will cover one section of the coast each year. |
| Oceanographic survey: Southern Canadian continental shelf | March 18 to 27, May 14 to 27, September 3 to 14, 2024 | This oceanographic survey - sometimes referred to as La Perouse - examines water properties and plankton to identify changing ocean conditions, and to inform understanding of abundance and survival of fish populations. |
| Oceanographic monitoring: Quatsino Sound | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | A numerical model has been developed to simulate physical fields (e.g., temperature, salinity, and circulation features) within Quatsino Sound to evaluate seasonal trends and analyze the effects of extreme events and climate change on the local communities and fisheries. A suite of observations, including velocity, temperature and salinity will be taken throughout the region to calibrate and validate the model. |
| Oceanographic monitoring: Clayoquot Sound | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Moorings and monthly oceanographic monitoring of Clayoquot Sound provide baseline measurements of physical and biogeochemical conditions and their seasonal changes. Data will help improve understanding of circulation patterns, seasonality of hypoxic conditions, and physical-biogeochemical differences between fjords in a changing climate. |
| Coastal weather station monitoring | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Numerical models used to simulate coastal water circulation require the specification of a wind field to force the movement of the surface layer of the ocean, and the heat flux to balance the transfer of heat into and out of the ocean. Models have been developed for the major aquaculture regions in British Columbia and a network of weather stations has been maintained to contribute to the wind forcing for these models. |
| Line P Monitoring Program | April 26 to May 13, September 14 to 30, 2024; February 19 to March 8, 2025 | Line P - a long standing program that surveys a 1,700 km long section three times per year - is the longest time series of oceanographic data in the Northeast Pacific and Fisheries and Oceans Canada?s furthest offshore reaching program on the west coast. Data collected since 1956 shows evidence of the impact of climate variability on ocean productivity. |
| Biophysical survey: Salish Sea | April 10 to 16, June 26 to July 3, October 2 to 8, 2024 | A water properties survey first introduced in 1999 and carried out three to four times per year to collect oceanographic data in the Strait of Georgia and Juan de Fuca Strait (zooplankton, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic carbon, temperature, and salinity). The information collected is used to monitor the seasonal cycle and year to year variability in the properties of the environment and their impact on the ecosystem, and to contribute to an archive of oceanographic information for the region upon which scientific advice can be based. |
| Juvenile salmon survey: Strait of Georgia | June 11 to 24, September 16 to October 1, 2024 | Early summer and fall surveys examine the abundance, distribution and condition of juvenile Pacific salmon in order to improve understanding of factors regulating their early marine survival. |
| Juvenile salmon survey: West Coast Vancouver Island | October 1 to 16, 2024 | This survey will be used to estimate the condition and stock composition of Pacific salmon on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Oceanographic sampling will allow us to relate salmon abundance and condition to physical sea conditions, and presence and quality of prey (zooplankton). This survey will align with First Nations microtrolling for juvenile chinook within West Coast Vancouver Island inlets (Unique ID ADGTMG_02). |
| Follow the fish: Juvenile chinook assessment | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI) chinook salmon face significant challenges early in their lifecycle, including changing ocean conditions, habitat loss and degradation, inadequate nutrition, harmful substances, pathogens, poor water quality, and predation. The Follow the Fish suite of pilot projects under the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative study juvenile WCVI chinook as they migrate from rivers in the spring into estuaries, to the nearshore marine habitats where they rear in the summer, fall, and winter. Data collected from the comprehensive assessment of the physical, biological, and environmental threats facing WCVI Chinook salmon will inform the Rebuilding Plan under the Fish Stock Provisions of the Fisheries Act. |
| Hard bottom longline hook survey: Inside area | July 24 to September 13, 2024 | This fishing survey uses standardized longline hook gear to provide relative abundance indices for commonly caught species, distributional and occurrence data for all other species, and detailed biological data for inshore groundfish species. These data are incorporated into stock assessments, status reports, and research publications. Each year, approximately 70 randomly selected locations are fished, alternating between the northern and southern coasts of British Columbia. |
| Integrated pelagic ecosystem science survey: West Coast Vancouver Island | June 24 to July 23, 2024 | This survey is part of an integrated project designed to study the structure and function of the pelagic ecosystem on the Vancouver Island continental shelf (< 200 m bottom depth). The main goal of the survey is to understand factors affecting the distribution, abundance, and food web linkages of pelagic fish species, such as Pacific herring and juvenile salmon. Stations from randomly selected blocks in each stratum will be sampled with a midwater trawl net towed at the surface or 15 m depth during daylight and night time hours. |
| Pelagic ecosystem acoustic survey | February 18 to March 4, 2025 | Acoustic-trawl survey within the Salish Sea to assess the pelagic ecosystem. The survey particularly assess the distribution and abundance of local stocks of Pacific hake and walleye pollock, as well as Pacific herring and other pelagic species within the open water of the Strait of Georgia and Jervis, Toba, and Bute inlets. |
| Juvenile Pacific herring survey | September 1 to 30, 2024 | This annual survey aims to improve understanding of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) recruitment and distribution. Samples will be collected after dusk with a small purse seine at 56 stations along 12 transects in the Strait of Georgia. Acoustic data will be collected along transects. This information informs stock assessment, state of the ocean reporting, and research publications. |
| Pacific sand lance acoustic monitoring | April 1 to October 31, 2024 | Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) is an important forage fish species in British Columbia waters. It is a key prey for many predators, including marine birds and chinook salmon, and little is known about their population status. This pilot project focuses on the potential detection and monitoring of Pacific Sand Lance using fisheries acoustics technologies. This data will inform future monitoring efforts and species distribution models. |
| Small-mesh multi species bottom trawl survey: West Coast Vancouver Island | April 16 to May 9, 2024 | The West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI) small-mesh multi-species survey was implemented in 1973 and now serves as one of the longest continuous bottom trawl time series for monitoring a diversity of fish and invertebrate species on the west coast of British Columbia. Data gathered from this survey provide pink shrimp stock status for management of the commercial shrimp trawl fishery; inform the annual State of the Oceans report, as well as inform stock assessments for groundfish and pelagic fish species. |
| Shrimp assessment survey: Strait of Georgia | June 3 to 19, 2024 | Shrimp assessment surveys estimate the abundance of shrimp stocks (smooth and spiny pink shrimp, and sidestripe shrimp) in select areas. The results from these surveys are used to track long-term trends in abundance of shrimp stocks and to set annual quotas for the commercial shrimp trawl fishery. |
| Intertidal clam monitoring | May 8 to August 23, 2024 | Under the revised Fisheries Act, some component of the intertidal clams (manila, butter, and littleneck) fishery in the south coast of British Columbia will likely require biological reference points to ensure they can be maintained at sustainable levels. These surveys collect data at select indicator beaches to establish biological reference points and measure clam abundance. |
| Olympia oyster monitoring: East and West Coast Vancouver Island | April 15 to August 31, 2024 | The Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) is one of two oyster species found on the British Columbia coast. The only native oyster on the west coast of North America, the Olympia oyster is listed under the federal Species at Risk Act as a species of special concern and is protected under the federal Fisheries Act . |
| Plankton surveys: Strait of Georgia | April 30 to May 5, May 28 to June 2, July 12 to 17, 2024 | These surveys of biological and physical sampling at 28 stations throughout the Strait of Georgia aim to improve the understanding of plankton seasonal cycles and year-to-year variability within the Strait of Georgia. These surveys also provide baseline prey data for fisheries research, including fine-scale variability in prey through the deployment of autonomous echosounder moorings near key sampling stations. |
| Euphausiid Monitoring Program: Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds | March to November, 2024 | The DFO euphausiid monitoring program aims to characterize seasonal, inter-annual, and long-term variability of euphausiid production dynamics in Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds. Euphausiids, in particular the species Thysanoessa spinifera, are of particular importance to marine food web and are an essential prey item of juvenile salmon and herring. |
| Harbour seal and sea lion diet analysis | April 1 to November 30, 2024 | Diets can be estimated from an analysis of scats through both hard-part (bones) identification and genetic DNA analysis, as well as from biochemical analysis of blubber and skin samples obtained through biopsying of live animals. This survey will collect biopsies and scats from harbour seals, Steller sea lions and California sea lions on a seasonal basis from spring through fall at key locations and along salmon migratory pathways. The goal is to estimate competition between pinnipeds and southern and northern resident killer whales for salmon prey. |
| Steller sea lion haulout monitoring | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | A multi-year deployment of autonomous cameras at Seabird Rocks, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, will collect photos to assess the daily variation in haulout numbers as well as to identify branded animals in support of an on going NOAA led Steller sea lion program. The photos will also capture the seasonal presence and abundance ofCalifornia sea lions in British Columbia waters and gauge species interactions. Finally, the photos will be used to test and refine computer automated counting software with mixed Steller and California sea lion species. |
| Grey whale foraging habitat | April 1 to November 30, 2024 | This project proposes boat surveys to photo-identify known grey whale (Pacific Coast feeding group; PCFG) and document their use of habitat in Canadian waters, investigate their diet, and develop body condition measurement methods using drone technology. PCFGs' use of diverse foraging strategies and habitats may have provided resilience to past climate change, and thus understanding this plasticity will provide key information about how future ecosystem changes ( e.g. g., climate, prey) may affect grey whales. |
| Cetacean monitoring and research: Southern Salish Sea | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | This project addresses data gaps on the seasonal abundance, distribution, and behaviour of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Data collected will lead to an improved understanding of vessel strike risk to these populations. |
| Southern resident killer whale physiology and habitat use | June 1 to September 30, 2024, and opportunistically throughout the year | Behavioural assessment of southern resident killer whales (SRKW) to improve understanding of habitat use patterns and identify key foraging areas. Prey sampling, fecal sampling, breath sampling, and drone imaging inform foraging efficiency, prey selection and physiological parameters. |
| Kelp ecosystem monitoring Survey | August 6 to 19, 2024 | This kelp monitoring project is part of a collaborative effort in British Columbia aimed at improving understanding the drivers of changes in kelp forests. This dive survey provides the under the surface data that cannot be collected by remote sensing and kayaks/boats. Subtidal and intertidal surveys will be conducted at 15 permanent sites. |
| Aquatic invasive species settlement plate survey | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | The biofouling on commercial and recreational vessels by Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) is a major contributor to their coast wide spread. Through the rotational deployment of settlement plates at both new and long-term sites, this survey seeks to identify the current distribution of sessile AIS in British Columbia waters. Priority areas include the ports of Prince Rupert and Vancouver as they are potential invasion hot spots. Understanding their distribution supports the development of effective management strategies. |
| Invasive european green crab monitoring | April 1 to November 30, 2024 | This monitoring informs efforts to prevent the spread of the highly invasive European green crab throughout coastal British Columbia. Using folding Fukui fish traps deployed in the intertidal zone, crab populations are tracked, both at sites where European green crabs have become established and at new sites where they could establish in the future. This data will provide insights into the types of habitats and possible impacts of green crab. |
| Pacific oyster and Pacific razor clam stress response | April 1, 2024 to March 31 2025 | Field trials will assess candidate gene sets as means of monitoring stress responses of Pacific oysters and Pacific razor clams during acute warming and low oxygen events (e.g ., heatwaves, hypoxia). Findings will support the development of an early warning system to aid managers and industry in mitigating such events. |
| Bathymetry, seabed classification and tide gauge servicing | July 10 to August 6, 2024 | Mapping of the seabed and collection of bathymetry to enhance navigation safety with periodic tide gauge servicing. |
| Bathymetry, seabed classification and tide gauge servicing | April 1 to October 12, 2024 | Mapping of the seabed and collection of bathymetry to enhance navigation safety with periodic tide gauge servicing. |
| Tide, current and water level gauge servicing | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Installation and maintenance of temporary and permanent water level network and current meters in support of navigational safety, tsunami/storm surge response, and provision of real-time data to all clients. |
| Recovery and deployment of oceanographic moorings | June 11 to 30, 2024 | This cruise is responsible for the deployment, recovery and servicing of oceanographic moorings, as well as collecting water samples. These moorings record tides, currents and water properties in support of long-term environmental monitoring programs. |
| BC Shore Station Oceanographic Program | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | The British Columbia Shore Station Oceanographic Program collects daily sea surface temperature and salinity data at 12 shore stations on the coast of British Columbia. This is a long-term dataset with over 100 years of data from some stations. All shore stations are staffed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, except Race Rocks and Amphitrite Point which are sampled by contracted observers. |
| Underwater glider monitoring | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Fisheries and Oceans Canada uses underwater glider technology to collect continuous, high-resolution data for ocean monitoring, prediction and other research purposes. Gliders can be operated without vessels and in all weather conditions. Data are collected continuously along three glider monitoring lines in collaboration with the Canadian-Pacific Robotic Ocean Observing Facility (C-PROOF) and are available in real-time. |
| Pacific hake assessment survey | August 6 to September 3, 2024 | The fisheries acoustic trawl survey is the primary source of fishery-independent data informing the stock assessment of Pacific hake along the West Coast of Canada and the U.S. This stock is jointly managed by Canada and the U.S. under the international Pacific Hake / Whiting Treaty. The survey occurs coastwide in odd years and at a select locations only for research purpose in even years. |
| Sablefish research and assessment survey | September 27 to November 13, 2024 | This fishing survey uses standardized longline trap gear to capture Sablefish for tag and release and to provide a stock abundance index. Detailed biological data are also collected from sablefish and selected rockfish species. Each year, approximately 90 randomly selected offshore locations and 5 specific sites in mainland inlets are fished. These data provide annual estimates of harvestable biomass that inform the fishery and are incorporated into stock assessments, status reports, and research publications. An additional 15 sets are conducted at offshore locations to study the selectivity of different gear configurations. |
| Pacific herring biological sampling surveys | April 1 to 30, 2024; February 15 to March 31, 2025 | These surveys aim to collect biological samples from pre-spawning aggregations of Pacific herring throughout the British Columbia coast. Monitoring of herring biology helps track changes in age and growth which informs stock status. |
| Pacific herring spawn surveys | April 1 to 30, 2024; March 1 to 31, 2025 | Monitoring of Pacific herring spawn (egg deposition) helps to track changes in stock abundance. These surveys aim to measure herring spawn on kelps and eelgrasses in intertidal / subtidal habitats using SCUBA surveys. |
| Sea otter population assessment | March 9 to 19, 2025 | This sea otter assessment collects data to inform estimates of population abundance, growth and distribution in British Columbia. Annual surveys are conducted in a core index area (with a 40-year longitudinal time series). Additional areas in the occupied range will be surveyed for trends, abundance, and distribution. |
| Large whales assessment surveys | May 27 to June 10, 2024 | The Cetacean Research Program assesses population abundance and critical habitat of species-at-risk, including several species of large whales. Dedicated surveys have been conducted since 2002 to improve understanding of the distribution of cetaceans and their use of habitats such as sea mounts and troughs. |
| Northern resident and Bigg's killer whale physiology and body condition | June 1 to September 30, 2024 and opportunistically throughout the year. | Physiological assessment of individual northern resident and Bigg?s killer whales to improve our understanding of physiological parameters and how they relate to nutritional and reproductive state, and body condition. Prey sampling, fecal and breath sampling, biopsies and drone imaging inform foraging efficiency, prey selection and define physiological parameters of whales. |
| North Pacific humpback whale physiology and metabolic rate | June 1 to September 30, 2024 and opportunistically throughout the year. | Physiological biomarkers, body condition and metabolic rate of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are measured to improve understanding of physiological processes and how they relate to nutritional and reproductive states of humpback whales. Breath samples are collected with drones, biopsies with a crossbow, and fecal with a fine-mesh nets. These samples allow for a comprehensive assessment of metabolic needs and reproductive state of the whales. |
| Northeast Pacific deep-sea expedition | August 13 to September 3, 2024 | This survey will visually explore the habitats and sample the waters in and around Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in existing, planned, and potential Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Findings will support marine conservation initiatives and contribute to long-term monitoring. |
| Long-term impacts of forestry on stream temperature | July 1 to September 15, 2024 | This project builds on forest harvest experiments conducted in the Baptiste watershed as part of the Stuart-Takla-Fish-Forestry Interaction Project (1990 - 2008) and will assess the long term impacts of forest harvest practices on headwater stream temperatures. This will improve our understanding of the interaction between forest harvesting and aquatic habitats in interior British Columbia. |
| Land use impacts on interior juvenile coho salmon habitat | April 1 to November 30, 2024 | This project will assess relationships between terrestrial land use and stream habitat used by juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) for rearing. Over twenty streams will be studied throughout the North Thompson watershed. This work has been developed in conversation with Secwepemc Fisheries Commission and Simpcw First Nation. |
| Tailings pond monitoring: Quesnel Lake | October, 2024 | The 2014 breach of the Mount Polley mine tailings impoundment released 25 M m3 of tailings and water into the West Basin of Quesnel Lake, an important sockeye salmon nursery lake. Five moorings are maintained in the lake to monitor turbidity, temperatures, and currents in support of research on ecosystem recovery. |
| Sockeye salmon freshwater migratory stress | April 1 to November 30, 2024 | Environmental conditions impact salmon migratory and reproductive success. This research on the migration biology of Pacific salmon under variable environmental conditions informs the science advice provided to fisheries and habitat managers. |
| Tire rubber-derived impacts on coho and chinook salmon | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Tire associated contaminants have recently been discovered to be the likely cause of toxic injury and death (40-90%) of adult coho salmon returning to urban and semi urban waterways in Puget Sound, Washington, USA. This research will investigate the impacts of the recently discovered ubiquitous tire rubber antioxidant 6PPD-quinone (N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N?-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine) in British Columbia freshwater. |
| Drift prediction and nearshore modelling | October, June to August, 2024; February 2025 | Improving drift prediction and nearshore modelling is an initiative of the Oceans Protection Plan and involves collecting physical water property data to: a) enhance environmental protection and marine safety applications (e.g., drift prediction for oil spills); and b) enhance safety for navigation and related activities (hydrographic e-navigation). |
| Juvenile coho salmon habitat productivity | April 1 to November 30, 2024 | This project will assess the availability and productivity of tributary and wetland habitats for juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the North Thompson watershed. This work has been developed in conversation with Secwepemc Fisheries Commission and Simpcw First Nation. |
| Juvenile coho salmon freshwater habitat use | October 1 to November 30, 2024 | Freshwater habitat quality and availability has been identified as a key factor in the decline of interior salmon populations. Understanding of distribution and movement within freshwater systems is limited for many of these populations. This research will identify important freshwater habitat for juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) during rearing and migration within the North Thompson watershed. |
| Juvenile coho salmon freshwater food webs | 1 April to 25 October, 2024 | This research will assess food web and ecosystem processes that support juvenile coho salmon (Onchorhynchus kisutch) in tributaries and wetlands across the North Thompson watershed. Findings will inform predictions of coho growth and habitat quality across the watershed. |
| Juvenile sockeye salmon acoustic and trawl surveys | July 15 to November 15, 2024 | Rotational surveys of juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) abundance, diet, and condition in Fraser River nursery lake ecosystems. Data and outputs support the assessment and recovery of aquatic species at risk and fisheries forecasting and management decisions. |
| Juvenile sockeye salmon nursery lake ecosystem assessments | May 1 to November 30, 2024 | Limnological assessments of juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) nursery lake food webs and productive capacity modeling. Data and outputs support fisheries productive capacity estimates. |
| Pacific salmon water temperature monitoring | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Monitoring and forecasting of water temperatures in salmon migratory corridors of the Fraser River helps inform fisheries and habitat management. |
| Crab assessment survey: Strait of Georgia | May 6 to 17, October 8 to 19, 2024 | This project conducts pre- and post-commercial fishery Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) surveys in Crab Management Areas I (Fraser River delta) and J (Boundary Bay) to continue the long term historic record of crab catch per unit effort (CPUE). The survey also collects data on population structure between years by documenting variability in moult times, breeding times, egg extrusion and release, mortality rates, and provides an accurate record of trap bycatch. These surveys have been used to investigate the effects of soak duration, bait and trap type, escape port efficiency, and provide tissue samples for toxicological and genetic analyses. |
| Prawn assessment survey: Howe Sound | October 30 to November 9, 2024 | Prawn assessment trap surveys provide estimates of key biological parameters (e.g., natural morality, recruitment, spawner abundance) which are used in the development and refinement of the spawner escapement index for prawns. This index forms the basis of the assessment and management of prawn stocks. The prawn survey in Howe Sound is an ongoing assessment program that provides data necessary to assess and manage all prawn stocks along the British Columbia coast. |
| Coastal Environmental Baseline Program: Port of Vancouver | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | The Coastal Environmental Baseline Program aims to collect comprehensive data about the marine ecosystem for the Port of Vancouver, for example, rockfish distribution, phytoplankton abundance, and seasonal habitat variability. |
| Green sea urchin assessment survey | September, 2024 | This assessment survey aims to gather data at green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) Index Sites in order to update the assessment models and stock status, and also to inform the Integrated Fishery Management Plan. |
| Shrimp assessment survey: Chatham Sound | September 6 to 28, 2024 | Shrimp assessment surveys estimate the abundance of shrimp stocks (smooth and spiny pink shrimp, and sidestripe shrimp) in select Shrimp Management Areas. The results from these surveys are used to track long-term trends in abundance of shrimp stocks and to set annual quotas for the commercial shrimp trawl fishery. |
| Bathymetric data logger installation: West Coast Vancouver Island | June, 2024 | An initiative under the Government of Canada's Oceans Protection Plan, Community Hydrography is a 5-year (2022 to 2027) program supporting coastal communities to collect and use bathymetric data and information for their own community purposes. Bathymetric data can help to improve marine safety, community planning, identification of undersea hazards and sensitive marine environments, as well as fishing and harvesting. |
| Clam garden biodiversity survey | Spring 2024 | This collaborative biodiversity survey will assess intertidal habitats and species from the Malahat First Nation's clam garden. This data will help support Marine Conservation Targets, Integrated Marine Response Planning, Marine Spatial Planning, and the Malahat Nation. |
| Fraser sockeye return migration mortality | July 20 to August 10, 2024 | The Applied Salmon Ecology Program tags adult sockeye salmon to estimate mortality rates during return migrations, with a particular emphasis on pinniped predation. This work informs recovery planning for at risk Fraser River sockeye salmon assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). |
| s?lilw?ta? and DFO Collaborative Clam Beach Monitoring: Burrard Inlet | May 1 to September 31,2024 | This Burrard Inlet Environmental Science and Stewardship Reconcilliation Agreement project builds off of ongoing work by Tsleil-Waututh Nation that aims to better manage and understand clam beaches in its traditional territory. This project involves the deployment of data loggers and collection of physical/habitat data with paired population surveys to better understand clam beaches in Burrard Inlet. |
| Community stream monitoring project (CoSMo) | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | The Pacific Science Enterprise Centre's Community Stream Monitoring Project (CoSMo) aims to better understand and monitor temperatures and other factors in salmon-bearing urbanized watersheds across the Lower Mainland. The project also aims to develop and foster relations with community groups and municipal governments, and improve collaboration with external partners. These data are publicly available for research and decision-making. |
| Low flow impacts on coho salmon rearing habitat | April 1 to October 21, 2024 | This research will collect data on hydrology and physical habitat structure in Coho Salmon (Onchorhynchus kisutch) rearing streams. These data will inform models to predict the impacts of low flow conditions on coho salmon habitat availability, which will ultimately inform environmental flow needs. |
| Deep water ROV commissioning and testing | April 17 to 23, 2024 | Non-Destructive Survey Tools (NDST) program staff witll be conducting commissioning of new, deep water remotely operated vehicle (ROV) prior to official use in research. This work will include training with Coast Guard crew members, testing launch and recovery and handlign equipment, and the completion of several test dives in depths of 100 to 200 m in Saanich Inlet. This work will support future research associated with Canada's Marine Conservation targets and the establishment and ongoign monitoring of Marine Protected Areas on Canada's Pacific Coast. |
| Steller sea lion satellite telemetry deployment | May 1 to June 30, 2024 | Steller sea lion population estimates generated from counts taken during aerial surveys need to be corrected for the proportion of animals in the water and not counted. A correction factor is developed by following the behavior of a sample of satellite tagged seals. The last tags were deployed in the 2000's. This project will update correction factors by deploying satellite tags and tracking sea lions behavior over several months. |
| Chinook and coho salmon environmental DNA development and application | April 1 to December 31, 2024 | Successful management of critically declining Pacific salmon populations is severely hampered by the persistent lack of vital freshwater habitat use information. This research aims to develop and test environmental DNA methods to determine presence and relative abundance of chinook and coho salmon in the Fraser River basin, and to assess critical habitat use for threatened and endangered populations across life cycle stages. |
| Detection and tracking of whales and vessels | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | The Whale Detection and Collision Avoidance Initiative under the Ocean Protection Program aims to detect and track whales and vessels simultaneously to determine the risk of acoustic and physical disturbance?including ship strikes?and to support the development of timely alerts for mariners of whale presence and whale movements. This project aims to test the effectiveness of thermal imaging technology in combination with Automatic Identification System (AIS) / RADAR receivers to automatically track whales and vessels. |
| Offshore killer whale diet and contaminants | May 1 to September 30, 2024 | Much remains unknown about the diet composition and contaminant levels in Offshore Killer Whales. This study supports the recovery of this Threatened population by informing two identified threats: the reduction in the availability of prey and elevated levels of endocrine disrupting contaminants which could affect survival and constrain the recovery of the population. |
| Seamount Exploration | September 3 to 16, 2024 | This joint Canada-U.S. survey will deploy underwater cameras to examine the distribution of deep-sea corals, sponges, fishes and benthic invertebrates at four seamounts in international waters of the North Pacific. The study will contribute to our knowledge of seamount ecology and management of international fisheries. |
Contact us
Contact information for specific operation leads can be found on the map. See the user guide for detailed instructions.
Contact us at DFO.PACScienceAdvisors-PACScienceconseilleres.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca if you have questions or suggestions about the Fieldnotes interactive map.
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