Sponge Reef Important Areas in Strait of Georgia Ecoregion

Fisheries and Oceans Canada details Important Areas for sponge reefs in the Strait of Georgia ecoregion. This geospatial data was mapped to inform the selection of marine Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas based on criteria like Uniqueness, Aggregation, and Fitness Consequences. Assessment efforts for this region were conducted in 2009.

Use Cases

• Map Important Areas based on Uniqueness, Aggregation, and Fitness Consequences criteria for marine conservation planning.
• Analyze the spatial distribution of sponge reef IAs within the Strait of Georgia ecoregion to support EBSA designation.
• Compare IA assessment methods and temporal extents from the 2009 Strait of Georgia effort with earlier 2004-2005 PNCIMA assessments.

Strengths

• Data originates from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the authoritative government agency for marine management.
• Provides multi-format access including ESRI REST, GEOJSON, and SHP for various GIS workflows.
• Part of a broader series detailing IAs for birds, cetaceans, fish, and other taxonomic groups.

Limitations

• The specific number of spatial features (rows) and attribute columns is not provided, limiting precision for analysis.
• Assessment methods and scientific advisors differed between the 2009 SOG effort and earlier regional assessments, complicating direct comparisons.
• Data collection is considered complete but may become stale if significant new ecological data emerges.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Expert science advisory process identifying areas based on high ranking in criteria like Uniqueness, Aggregation, and Fitness Consequences.

Time Range

Assessment conducted in 2009.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-24, though underlying assessments are from 2009.

Geography

Strait of Georgia (SOG) ecoregion, Canadian Pacific marine waters.