Predicted Groundfish Distributions in Canadian Pacific Waters

Canadian Pacific waters contain predicted occurrence layers for 65 groundfish species at a 1 km resolution. The dataset includes species richness and median standard error per grid cell, derived from integrated fisheries-independent survey data. It covers seafloor habitats between 10 and 1400 meters depth with mean summer salinity above 28 PSU.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial patterns of species richness and identify biodiversity hotspots across the 1 km grid.
• Model habitat suitability for specific groundfish species using the predicted occurrence (prob_occur) layers.
• Assess model uncertainty for conservation planning using the median standard error layer per grid cell.
• Identify core habitat areas for individual species by applying the hotspot_prob threshold (80th percentile or 0.8).
• Integrate the 65 species occurrence layers with oceanographic data for marine spatial planning initiatives.

Strengths

• Covers 65 distinct groundfish species, providing a broad ecological scope.
• Spatial predictions are provided at a high 1 km resolution across the study region.
• Model integrates data from three different fisheries-independent surveys, improving coastwide coverage.
• Includes a specific measure of model uncertainty (median standard error) for each grid cell.

Limitations

• Predictions are limited to seafloor habitats between 10-1400m depth and salinity >28 PSU, excluding other marine zones.
• Model outputs are predictions with associated error, not direct observational records of species presence.
• The underlying survey data uses different gear types (trawl, longline), requiring statistical integration that may not capture all habitat nuances.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Integrated species distribution modeling (Thompson et al. 2023) using data from three fisheries-independent surveys: DFO Groundfish Synoptic Bottom Trawl Surveys, DFO Groundfish Hard Bottom Longline Surveys, and the International Pacific Halibut Commission Setline Survey.

Freshness

Last updated March 2026.

Geography

Canadian Pacific waters (British Columbia coast).