Terms of Reference

Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program (AZMP)

Zonal Peer Review – Newfoundland and Labrador, Québec, Maritimes and Gulf Regions

March 16-19, 2015
Montreal, QC

Chairperson: Pierre Pepin

Context

The Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program (AZMP) was implemented in 1998 with the aim of collecting and analyzing the biological, chemical, and physical field data that are necessary to:

1. characterize and understand the causes of oceanic variability at the seasonal, interannual, and decadal scales,
2. provide multidisciplinary data sets that can be used to establish relationships among the biological, chemical, and physical variables, and
3. provide adequate data to support the sound development of ocean activities.

The program sampling strategy is based on:

1. seasonal and opportunistic sampling along sections to quantify the oceanographic variability in the Canadian NW Atlantic shelf region,
2. higher-frequency temporal sampling at more accessible fixed sites to monitor the shorter time scale dynamics in representative areas,
3. fish survey and remote sensing data to provide broader spatial coverage and a context to interpret other data, and
4. data from other existing monitoring programs such as CPR (Continuous Plankton Recorder) lines, sea level network, nearshore long-term temperature monitoring, toxic algae monitoring, or from other external organizations (e.g., winds and air temperatures from Environment Canada) to complement AZMP data.

The collected data are edited and archived in databases managed by DFO’s Integrated Science Data Management (ISDM) Branch.

Objectives

1. Assess the biological, chemical and physical oceanographic conditions since 1999 through a peer review of the outcomes of monitoring activities in the four Atlantic regions;
2. Synthesize the multidisciplinary information gathered over the course of the programme;
3. Evaluate and develop new data products aimed at meeting client needs based on regional input;
4. Review the activities of the Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program during 2014 and assess business, operational, logistical, database and remote sensing activities that require regional/zonal intervention or that need to be brought to the attention of Science Directors.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Documents
• Proceedings

Participants

• DFO Science Branch
• Environment Canada

References

DFO 2013. Review of harvest control rules for Pacific Sardine and seasonal biomass and migration in British Columbia for 2013. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2013/037.
DFO. 2014. Harvest advice for Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax) in British Columbia waters for the 2014 season. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2014/026.
Hill, K.T. 2013. Pacific sardine biomass projection in 2013 for U.S. management during the first half of 2014. Pacific Fishery Management Council, Nov, 2013 Briefing Book, Agenda item E.5.b