Eastern Scotian Shelf Cod Survey Catch and Biological Data

Maritimes 4VSW Research Vessel Survey data focuses on the eastern Scotian Shelf, primarily in March. The dataset includes total catch in numbers and weights by species, with length frequency data for most species and age, sex, maturity, and weight information for a subset of individual animals. The survey uses a unique stratification scheme to optimize cod abundance estimates.

Use Cases

• Estimate cod abundance using the unique stratification scheme and total catch in numbers and weights.
• Analyze species composition and length frequency data for stock assessment on the eastern Scotian Shelf.
• Study biological parameters like age, sex, and maturity for a subset of individual animals to model population dynamics.
• Investigate seasonal patterns in catch data from survey sets occurring in February, March, and April.

Strengths

• Data includes multiple biological parameters such as age, sex, maturity, and weight for individual animals.
• Survey employs a unique stratification scheme specifically designed to optimize cod abundance estimates.
• Data collection covers multiple months (February, March, April) within the primary survey period.

Limitations

• Sample data and column structure are unavailable, complicating initial data exploration.
• Some biological data like ageing material, genetic samples, and stomach contents are stored separately.
• The dataset size and total row count are unknown, limiting assessment of statistical power.

Provenance

Source

Population Ecology Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S.

Collection Method

Research vessel survey using a unique stratification scheme for cod.

Time Range

Surveys occur primarily in March, with sets also in February and April.

Freshness

Data was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Eastern half of the Scotian Shelf, Maritimes region, Canada.