Fish Habitat Suitability Maps for Bay of Quinte Nursery Species

Habitat suitability maps for high vegetation association fish species in nursery life stages, modeled at a 3-meter grid resolution for the Bay of Quinte. The dataset contains maximum suitability values from a 39-year period (1972-2011), scaled from 0 to 1 and classified into four suitability classes. It was produced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool (HEAT) with inputs for depth, vegetation, substrate, and temperature.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial patterns of nursery habitat suitability for high vegetation association species using the 0-1 scaled values.
• Model long-term changes in habitat quality by comparing maximum suitability values across the 39-year time range.
• Validate ecological models by comparing predicted suitability classes (very low to high) against field observations in the Bay of Quinte.

Strengths

• Spatial data modeled at a high 3-meter grid resolution for detailed analysis.
• Temporal coverage spans 39 years (1972-2011), enabling long-term trend assessment.
• Suitability values are derived from documented habitat and temperature associations for scientific rigor.

Limitations

• Data is limited to a specific geographic area (Bay of Quinte) and may not be generalizable.
• Focuses only on nursery habitat for high vegetation association species, excluding other life stages and guilds.
• Relies on modeled inputs for depth, vegetation, substrate, and temperature, which may contain inherent uncertainties.

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

1972-2011.

Freshness

Last updated in March 2026, but the underlying modeled data covers up to 2011.

Geography

Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, Canada.