Ecologically Significant Marine Areas in Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves

2013 and 2019 processes identified 15 EBSAs in the northern study area and 14 in the Placentia Bay-Grand Banks area. Fisheries and Oceans Canada compiled data layers in a GIS using expert steering committees and peer review. The dataset supports marine biodiversity management under the Oceans Act (1997).

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial overlap of EBSA boundaries identified in 2007 versus 2017 for the Placentia Bay-Grand Banks area.
• Map the distribution of coastal, offshore, and transitory EBSA categories across the Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves Bioregion.
• Use GIS data layers to model ecological significance based on criteria from the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• Compare the 15 EBSAs from the northern study area with the 14 EBSAs from the PBGB area for regional conservation planning.

Strengths

• Data-driven identification process guided by expert steering committees in oceanography and GIS.
• Peer-reviewed delineation of EBSAs across two separate scientific processes in 2013 and 2019.
• Includes 15 distinct EBSAs in the northern area and 14 in the PBGB area with categorized coastal/offshore attributes.

Limitations

• Specific data layers, column attributes, and row counts for underlying GIS features are not provided.
• Boundaries of some EBSAs show variations between the 2007 and 2017 identifications, requiring careful version comparison.
• The dataset's update cycle is not defined; the last metadata update is future-dated (2026-03-24), suggesting potential staleness.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science.

Collection Method

Hierarchical GIS analysis of collected data layers guided by expert committees and peer review.

Time Range

Studies conducted in 2013 (northern area) and 2019 (PBGB area), referencing data from 2004-2019.

Freshness

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Geography

Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves Bioregion, including areas north of and within the Placentia Bay-Grand Banks Large Ocean Management Area.