Maritimes Biofouling Monitoring for Invasive Species 2006-2023

Since 2006, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has conducted annual field surveys to monitor native and non-indigenous species in the Maritimes, Gulf, and Quebec Regions. The program uses standardized protocols, deploying biofouling collector plates from May to October at geo-referenced intertidal and shallow subtidal sites, with methods evolving in 2018 to enhance statistical replication. Data includes percent cover scores and presence-absence records for observed species, with additional rapid assessment surveys for the Asian shore crab from 2020.

Use Cases

• Analyze trends in non-indigenous species percent cover scores across geo-referenced sites to assess establishment and spread over time.
• Model the presence-absence of invasive species using deployment site characteristics like habitat type (e.g., docks, marinas) and region.
• Map the distribution and relative abundance of the Asian shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) using standardized count data from 30-minute beach surveys.
• Compare species richness and relative abundance data between the initial (2006-2017) and enhanced (2018 onward) collector array methodologies.
• Assess biofouling risk at aquaculture lease sites by correlating non-indigenous species observations with site-specific environmental and usage factors.

Strengths

• Long-term temporal coverage with annual surveys conducted consistently since 2006.
• Standardized monitoring protocols applied across multiple regions (Maritimes, Gulf, Quebec) and site types (docks, marinas, aquaculture leases).
• Methodological evolution documented, with enhanced statistical replication from 2018 using 10 individual collectors per site.
• Includes specific scoring for percent cover (0-4 scale) and presence-absence data for non-indigenous species.

Limitations

• Sample data and specific column structure (e.g., row count, measured variables) are unavailable for review, limiting preliminary assessment.
• The program's primary focus on biofouling plates may underrepresent mobile species not captured by static collectors.
• Rapid assessment surveys for the Asian shore crab were conducted as resources permitted, potentially leading to incomplete spatial or temporal coverage for that species.

Provenance

Source

Coastal Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Collection Method

Annual field surveys using deployed biofouling collector plates scored for percent cover, supplemented by rapid beach assessments for specific species.

Time Range

2006 to present (with data cited through 2023).

Freshness

Updated as of December 2023, with a platform record last modified in March 2026.

Geography

DFO Maritimes, Gulf, and Quebec Regions, including the Atlantic shore of Nova Scotia and southwest New Brunswick.