Northwest Atlantic Ecosystem Production Units for Fisheries Management

Eight Ecosystem Production Units (EPUs) were identified for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, serving as candidate management units. The units are based on K-means clustering analyses and expert knowledge from the North Atlantic Fisheries Organization. They cover continental shelf areas from the Labrador Sea to the mid-Atlantic Bight.

Use Cases

• Map the eight EPU boundaries, such as the Labrador Shelf or Georges Bank, for spatial fisheries management planning.
• Analyze relationships between EPUs like the Scotian Shelf and underlying NAFO subareas for administrative alignment.
• Use the EPU classification, informed by fish community structure, to guide ecosystem-based fishery assessments.

Strengths

• Defines eight distinct Ecosystem Production Units based on consolidated data and expert consensus.
• Spatial analysis incorporates multiple criteria including ecoregion structure and major marine resource distributions.
• Units are designed as practical management tools, corresponding to boundaries of existing NAFO subareas.

Limitations

• Southern Newfoundland (subarea 3Ps) was not included in the original analysis due to missing fall survey data.
• The spatial scope is limited to the NAFO Convention Area, from the 50m to 1500m isobaths.
• The foundational analysis relies on data and methods from studies published in 2014 and 2015.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, based on work by NAFO's Working Group on Ecosystem Science and Assessment.

Collection Method

Defined through K-means clustering analyses (geographically constrained and unconstrained) combined with expert knowledge.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Northwest Atlantic Ocean, covering continental shelf areas from the Labrador Sea to the mid-Atlantic Bight within the NAFO Convention Area.