Nearshore Benthic Habitat Surveys in Bras d'Or Lake 2005-2009

Bras d'Or Lake in Canada contains a history of nearshore benthic surveys from 2005 to 2009, utilizing drop camera, sidescan, and towfish methods. The data documents substrate types, macrophyte canopy, and eelgrass coverage from depths of less than 1 meter to 10 meters, compiled into a Geographic Information System.

Use Cases

• Analyze substrate type proportions across different shorelines to classify nearshore habitats.
• Map eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) distribution and condition relative to water depth and turbidity.
• Use the Geographic Information System data to model potential habitat compensation project placement.
• Assess long-term changes in macrophyte canopy coverage within the first 3 meters of depth as an environmental baseline.

Strengths

• Surveys cover a multi-year period from 2005 to 2009, providing temporal context.
• Data includes detailed nearshore observations from depths less than 1 meter up to 10 meters.
• Integrated into a Geographic Information System for spatial analysis and management applications.

Limitations

• Specific row and column counts are unknown, limiting assessment of dataset scale.
• Surveys were primarily conducted in the northern half of Bras d'Or Lake, not the entire lake.
• Eelgrass beds are noted as frequently in poor shape, indicating potential data quality concerns for that feature.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Coastal Ecosystems Science Division.

Collection Method

Nearshore benthic surveys using drop camera, fixed mount sidescan, and a developed towfish platform with transponder-based positioning.

Time Range

2005 to 2009

Freshness

Data covers 2005-2009, with metadata last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Bras d'Or Lake, specifically the River Denys area and primarily the northern half of the lake, Canada.