Maritimes Spring Research Vessel Survey: Fish and Invertebrate Data from Georges Bank

Fisheries and Oceans Canada research vessel surveys monitor fish and invertebrate distribution and abundance on the Scotian Shelf, Bay of Fundy, and Georges Bank. The data includes total catch in numbers and weights by species, with length frequency data for most species and age, sex, maturity, and weight for a subset. These surveys, conducted in January through April and focusing on Georges Bank (5Z), are the primary source for monitoring species trends and provide data to the Atlantic Zonal Monitoring Program.

Use Cases

• Modeling species distribution and abundance trends based on stratified random sampling data.
• Analyzing biological condition and population structure using age, sex, and maturity information.
• Monitoring hydrographic variability by integrating survey data with the Atlantic Zonal Monitoring Program.
• Studying length-frequency distributions for fish and invertebrate species in the region.

Strengths

• Data is the primary source for monitoring species distribution, abundance, and biological condition in the region.
• Includes multiple biological measurements: total catch, length frequency, and age/sex/maturity/weight for a subset.
• Follows a stratified random sampling design, suggesting a structured collection methodology.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Some associated data, like ageing material and stomach contents, are stored elsewhere.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Collected via research vessel surveys using a bottom otter trawl, following a stratified random sampling design.

Time Range

Spring cruises occur in January, February, March, and April.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-24 08:03:36.447237; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Scotian Shelf, Bay of Fundy, and Georges Bank (focus area 5Z).