Sublittoral Habitat Survey of Brier Island Ecologically Significant Area

Nova Scotia's Brier Island/Digby Neck Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area was surveyed in 2017, producing 962 biological records of 178 taxa. Fisheries and Oceans Canada conducted diver-based surveys at 20 locations to document habitat types, species assemblages, and oceanographic conditions. The data provides a modern baseline for an area where much prior information was over 40 years old.

Use Cases

• Map sublittoral habitat types using georeferenced survey data from 20 locations like Northwest Ledges and Grand Passage.
• Analyze species assemblages and richness for 178 recorded taxa, including 43 algae and 135 animal species.
• Compare modern observations of sensitive benthic species like horse mussel and sponge with historical records to validate conservation significance.
• Support marine protected area network planning by assessing habitat coverage and relative scales of species diversity for the Bay of Fundy EBSA.

Strengths

• Contains 962 distinct biological records documenting species presence.
• Identifies 178 unique taxa, split into 43 algae and 135 animal species.
• Surveys were conducted using standardized georeferenced methods at 20 specific locations.
• Data provides a 2017 baseline for an area where prior information was decades old.

Limitations

• Survey scope is limited to 20 specific sublittoral locations, not a complete area census.
• Differences in species richness for cryptic groups like sponges may be influenced by survey methods rather than true biological change.
• The dataset represents a single survey period (August-September 2017), lacking temporal replication.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Diver-based survey of sublittoral habitats and associated species.

Time Range

August and September 2017

Freshness

Data collected in 2017; metadata last updated in 2026.

Geography

Brier Island/Digby Neck Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area, Nova Scotia, Canada, Bay of Fundy