Canada’s Coastal Environmental Baseline Program

Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Canada

Arctic Ocean, Expand the Global Ocean Observing System, North Atlantic Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, Project, Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity, Skills, knowledge and technology for all

Canada’s Coastal Environmental Baseline Program (aka Baseline) funds the collection of baseline ecological (physical, chemical and biological) information by Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists and external partners in key coastal areas in Canada – namely areas of existing high or increasing vessel traffic.

The program is currently operating in 6 such areas: Iqaluit (NU), Port of Vancouver (BC), Port of Prince Rupert (BC), Lower St Lawrence Estuary (QC), Port of Saint John (NB) and Placentia Bay (NL).

The Baseline program seeks to establish a baseline understanding of these coastal ecosystems – and to make these data openly available and compatible with international standards, to support decision making by regulators, rights holders and stakeholders. Engagement is a key focus of Baseline – it supports coastal and Indigenous communities and others through partnerships to gather data that often aligns with their own ecological management goals.

This Project is hosted by the Ocean Decade Programme Marine Life 2030

Start Date: 01/01/2017
End Date: 01/01/2030

Lead Contact: Britt Dupuis (Britt.Dupuis@dfo-mpo.gc.ca)