Important Cetacean Areas in West Coast Vancouver Island Ecoregion

Important Areas for cetaceans in the West Coast Vancouver Island ecoregion were mapped to inform the selection of marine Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas. Experts identified these areas based on high rankings in criteria like Uniqueness, Aggregation, and Fitness Consequences. The data collection for this region was conducted in 2009, building on earlier efforts from 2004-2005.

Use Cases

• Map the spatial distribution of Important Areas (IAs) for cetaceans to support marine spatial planning in the West Coast Vancouver Island ecoregion.
• Analyze the Uniqueness, Aggregation, and Fitness Consequences criteria used to rank and designate these Important Areas.
• Compare cetacean IAs with datasets for other taxonomic groups like birds, fish, and invertebrates to identify multi-species conservation priorities.
• Assess the overlap between proposed Important Areas and the broader process for identifying Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) under Canada's Oceans Act.

Strengths

• Data is part of a formal science advisory process for identifying Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas under Canadian legislation.
• Assessment criteria (Uniqueness, Aggregation, Fitness Consequences) are explicitly defined and applied by experts.
• The dataset is part of a series covering multiple taxonomic groups, enabling comparative ecological analysis.

Limitations

• The assessment methods and scientific advisors differed between the 2004-2005 PNCIMA effort and the 2009 WCVI effort, limiting direct comparability.
• Data collection is considered complete, but the description notes significant new data may merit case-by-case review, indicating potential staleness.
• No quantitative details on spatial extent, number of polygons, or species count are provided in the input.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Expert-based spatial assessment and mapping, coordinated by scientific advisors, to identify areas ranking high on defined ecological criteria.

Time Range

Primary assessment for WCVI conducted in 2009; builds on initial work from September 2004 to March 2005 in adjacent PNCIMA region.

Freshness

Last updated metadata indicates 2026-03-24, but the underlying scientific assessments were conducted in 2009.

Geography

West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI) ecoregion, within Canadian Pacific marine waters.