Archived - Canada's State of the Oceans Report, 2012

Introduction

Canada's State of the Oceans Report, 2012 presents a summary of the analysis of marine data concerning trends and changes in Canada's oceans. The report is theme-based and the information included was selected from regional reports on those areas of Canada's oceans designated as Large Ocean Management Areas (LOMAs). These areas were established under the five-year (2007-2012) Health of the Oceans Initiative, which focused on establishing new marine protected areas, increasing the capacity of government to enforce pollution prevention rules and respond to environmental emergencies and to strengthen collaborative oceans arrangements with international partners in the Arctic and the Gulf of Maine.

The Centre of Expertise on State of the Ocean Reporting was also created under the Health of the Oceans Initiative. Among the contributors to the Centre of Expertise are scientists and managers working at Fisheries and Oceans Canada with specialties in chemical, physical and biological marine sciences.

Themes in Canada's State of the Oceans Report, 2012

• Complete Text
• Ecosystem Shifts
• What is Ocean Acidification?
• Hypoxia
• Sea Ice Variability
• Ocean Climate
• Aquatic Invasive Species
• Cold Water Corals and Sponges

In-Depth State of the Ocean Reports on the Large Ocean Management Areas

• Beaufort Sea
• Pacific North Coast
• Placentia Bay / Grand Banks
• Eastern Scotian Shelf
• Gulf of St. Lawrence

Scope of State of the Ocean Reports on Large Ocean Management Areas

The reports on the Large Ocean Management Areas consist of scientific analysis of marine trends and changes based on marine data collected from: the Pacific North Coast; the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic Ocean; the Gulf of St. Lawrence; the Eastern Scotian Shelf and the Placentia Bay/Grand Banks regions of the Atlantic. The regional reports vary in approach and complexity due to variations in the amount of ocean data available, and the varied fisheries and socio-economic conditions.