Green Urchin Commercial Catch Data from the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Commercial catch sampling data for the green urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) collected by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The dataset includes metadata, sample weight, test width, and specimen counts, covering the periods 1995, 1997-1999, and 2003 to present. Data is collected at wharf or at sea to support stock assessments in the Estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Use Cases

• Analyze trends in green urchin test width over time to study population demographics and growth.
• Model the relationship between sample weight and the number of specimens measured for biomass estimation.
• Assess spatio-temporal coverage of commercial catches using metadata to inform fisheries management decisions.

Strengths

• Data collection spans multiple decades, including periods from 1995, 1997-1999, and 2003 to present.
• Includes specific biological measurements such as test width and sample weight for demographic analysis.
• Collected by specialized DFO staff as part of a formal commercial catches sampling program.

Limitations

• Confidentiality protections have simplified or excluded some information, such as precise capture dates and vessel details.
• Entries with only one vessel in a fishing area for a given year were excluded, potentially biasing spatial coverage.
• The exact number of rows and columns is not specified in the provided metadata.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Quebec region).

Collection Method

Sampling of commercial catches at wharf or at sea by specialized DFO staff.

Time Range

1995, 1997-1999, and 2003 to present.

Freshness

Data is updated to present, with a metadata last updated date of 2026-03-24.

Geography

Estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence.