Bay of Quinte Fish Habitat Suitability Maps for Warmwater Species 1972-2011

Fisheries and Oceans Canada produced habitat suitability maps for the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern. The data models juvenile and adult habitat for low vegetation-associated warmwater fish species at average water levels from 1972 to 2011. Suitability is classified on a 0 to 1 scale into categories of very low, low, medium, and high.

Use Cases

• Model juvenile/adult habitat changes for low vegetation-associated warmwater species using the 0-1 suitability scale over the 39-year period.
• Analyze spatial patterns of 'high' suitability habitat classes derived from depth, vegetation, and substrate variables at a 3-meter grid resolution.
• Validate temperature suitability algorithms by comparing modeled habitat outputs with documented species associations for the Bay of Quinte.

Strengths

• Data covers a 39-year time series (1972-2011) for longitudinal ecological analysis.
• Habitat modeling integrates three key variables: depth, vegetation, and substrate, modified by temperature suitabilities.
• Spatial analysis is enabled by a high 3-meter grid resolution for the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern.

Limitations

• Data is restricted to a single water level scenario (75.0m ASL) and one fish guild (warmwater), limiting broader ecological inference.
• The dataset is one of 16 planned outputs; its scope is specific to juvenile/adult life stages and low vegetation association.
• Suitability classes (very low to high) are derived from scaled values, which may simplify continuous habitat gradients.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Modeled using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool (HEAT) with temperature algorithms, vegetation models, and water level inputs.

Time Range

1972 to 2011

Freshness

Data was last updated in March 2026, though the modeled time range ends in 2011.

Geography

Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, Canada