Bay of Quinte Fish Spawning Habitat Suitability at High Water Level

Bay of Quinte fish habitat suitability maps model spawning conditions for low vegetation association species at a 75.4m water level. The data, produced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, covers a 39-year period from 1972 to 2011. It provides maximum suitability values on a 3-meter grid resolution, scaled from 0 to 1 and classified into four suitability classes.

Use Cases

• Model spawning habitat suitability for low vegetation species using the 0-1 scaled suitability values and four suitability classes.
• Analyze long-term changes in habitat quality by comparing maximum suitability values across the 39-year period from 1972 to 2011.
• Integrate the 3-meter grid resolution habitat maps with other geospatial layers for watershed management planning in the Bay of Quinte.

Strengths

• Data covers a 39-year time series (1972-2011) for analyzing long-term habitat trends.
• High spatial resolution of 3 meters for detailed geospatial analysis of habitat suitability.
• Suitability is quantified on a standardized 0-1 scale and categorized into four distinct classes (very low, low, medium, high).

Limitations

• Limited to a single water level scenario (75.4m ASL) and a specific fish guild (low vegetation association species for spawning).
• Suitability values represent maximums over the 39-year period, not annual time-series, limiting temporal granularity.
• The model output is based on documented associations and may not capture all real-world habitat dynamics.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Modeled using the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool (HEAT) with inputs for depth, vegetation, substrate, and temperature suitabilities.

Time Range

1972 to 2011

Freshness

Data last updated on March 24, 2026, though the underlying modeled period ends in 2011.

Geography

Bay of Quinte Area of Concern, Canada