Fish Habitat Suitability Maps for Bay of Quinte Coolwater Species

Habitat suitability maps for juvenile and adult coolwater fish in the Bay of Quinte, Canada, modeled at a 3-meter grid resolution. The data represents maximum suitability values from a 39-year period (1972-2011), with values scaled from 0 to 1 and classified into four suitability classes. The assessment was conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada using depth, vegetation, substrate, and temperature variables.

Use Cases

• Train a geospatial model to predict habitat suitability classes (very low, low, medium, high) based on depth, vegetation, and substrate variables.
• Analyze temporal changes in maximum suitability values for the 39-year period to assess long-term habitat trends for coolwater fish.
• Integrate the 3-meter resolution suitability maps with other aquatic ecology layers for cumulative impact assessments in the Bay of Quinte.

Strengths

• Modeled at a high 3-meter spatial grid resolution for detailed habitat analysis.
• Covers a 39-year temporal period (1972-2011), providing a long-term perspective on habitat suitability.
• Suitability values are derived from documented habitat and temperature associations for specific fish guilds and life stages.

Limitations

• Data is limited to a single geographic area (Bay of Quinte, Canada), limiting generalizability.
• The model output represents maximum suitability over a long period, not annual or seasonal dynamics.
• Primary data formats (ESRI REST, FGDB/GDB) require specialized GIS software for access and analysis.

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

The underlying model covers 1972-2011; the dataset record was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, Canada