Bibliography of the Maurice Lamontagne Institute

Claude NOZÈRES

NOZÈRES, C., 2011. Managing image data for aquatic sciences : an introduction to best practices and workflows. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 2962, 183 p .

An overview of digital photo and video technologies is presented for the capture and management of image data in aquatic science projects. Digital still images (photos) and digital video technologies are evaluated for current practices and standards in terms of media files, equipment, and workflows. Case examples of science work and several software packages are provided as suggestions for improving the quality of images and for efficient data management.

PROVENCHER, L., C. NOZÈRES, 2011. Protocole de suivi des communautés benthiques de la zone de protection marine Manicouagan ; Monitoring plan for benthic communities of the Manicouagan Marine Protected Area. MPO, Secrétariat canadien de consultation scientifique, Document de recherche ; DFO, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Research Document, 2011/051, 29 p .

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The marine area off the Manicouagan Peninsula has been targeted as a future Marine Protected Area (MPA) to conserve and protect this productive and diverse maritime space. The Science Directorate of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada has been requested to provide managers of the MPA (Regional Ecosystems Management Branch) a recommendation for ecological monitoring protocols for this area. The monitoring design was based on first defining the ecological components that should be monitored to ensure that conservation objectives for the MPA have been met. The biological components that were selected for monitoring are those that have been recognized as being important in terms of productivity and biodiversity, and representative of the MPA. One of the components judged to be of great importance is the benthic community, which was targeted because its components are permanent residents of the MPA. As knowledge of these communities was almost nonexistent, sampling campaigns were conducted from 2006 to 2008 to characterize them and determine how they vary spatially within the MPA. The results of these studies delineated four distinct zones serve as the basis of the proposed monitoring protocol. Twenty-five sampling stations are determined, including twenty-one that cover the first two zones – those that are characterized as having the greatest diversity and productivity. These stations will be sampled annually using an IKU benthic grab and using remote imaging (underwater photos and video). Measures of abundance and biomass of species identified at each station will be used to monitor benthic assemblages in the MPA. Abiotic variables are also to be monitored so that performance indicators may be better interpreted.

KENNEDY, M.K., C. NOZÈRES, R. MILLER, B. VANHOORNE, W. APPELTANS, 2011. The Canadian Register of Marine Species photo gallery : a user's guide, version 1. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 2933, 52 p .

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The Canadian portal of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) hosts taxonomic information specific to aquatic regions in Canada. A user-contributed photogallery serves to complement the taxonomic records for Canadian regions with digital images of species. Images are also viewed by partner registers and species portals around the world. This guide will assist users with the preparation of images and related data to be uploaded to the photogallery, thereby ensuring correct species names and author credit, and facilitate discovery and browsing of taxonomic entries using this public web resource.

MARK, S., L. PROVENCHER, E. ALBERT, C. NOZERES, 2010. Cadre de suivi écologique de la zone de protection marine Manicouagan (Québec) : bilan des connaissances et identification des composantes écologiques à suivre. Rapp. tech. can. sci. halieut. aquat., 2914, 135 p .

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Le secteur marin au large de la péninsule de Manicouagan a été ciblé comme future zone de protection marine (ZPM) en vue de conserver et protéger cet espace marin productif et diversifié. Dans le cadre du programme Santé des Océans, la Direction régionale des sciences du ministère des Pêches et des Océans doit fournir aux gestionnaires des ZPM (Direction régionale des océans, de l’habitat et des espèces en péril) une recommandation de suivi écologique pour chacune des ZPM. Le développement d’un suivi écologique comprend trois étapes : dresser le portrait de la zone, concevoir le suivi et, enfin, le réaliser. Le présent document traite des deux premières étapes en dressant le portrait de l’écosystème de la ZPM Manicouagan à partir des connaissances disponibles et en ciblant les composantes écologiques à suivre pour évaluer l’atteinte des objectifs de conservation de la ZPM. Deux groupes de composantes ont été sélectionnés : 1) celui des composantes dites représentatives de la ZPM qui permettront d’évaluer la performance de la ZPM dans l’atteinte des objectifs de conservation et 2) celui des composantes qui permettront un suivi de l’état global de l’écosystème de la ZPM et apporteront un support à l’interprétation des indicateurs de performance.

NOZERES, C., D. ARCHAMBAULT, P.-M. CHOUINARD, J. GAUTHIER, R. MILLER, E. PARENT, P. SCHWAB, L. SAVARD, J.-D. DUTIL, 2010. Guide d'identification des poissons marins de l'estuaire et du nord du golfe du Saint-Laurent et protocoles suivis pour leur échantillonnage lors des releves par chalut entre 2004 et 2008 ; Identification guide for marine fishes of the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence and sampling protocols used during trawl surveys between 2004 and 2008. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 2866, 168 p .

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The annual survey that scientists conduct on large research trawlers is an important source of information on the status of marine resources harvested in the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The main objective of the survey is to estimate the abundance and biomass of five commercially important species, i.e., Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides), Acadian (Sebastes fasciatus) and deepwater (Sebastes mentella) redfish, and northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis). For several years, biologists have sought to improve the integration of stock status and ecosystem information, which has required a greater effort to better describe catches of other species of fish and invertebrates. The long-used sampling and observation protocol has evolved into a much more complex, detailed model. However, in implementing this protocol, difficulties have been encountered in accurately identifying ten or so species caught at each trawling station. This report provides a guide to the identification of fish species likely to be caught in surveys in the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. This visual guide is designed as a practical tool for training staff and ensuring the quality of data collected. This report also describes the sampling and examination protocol for fish catches used for surveys conducted aboard the CGSS Teleost between 2004 and 2008 and presents a brief descriptive analysis of fish catches during this period.

DUTIL, J.-D., C. NOZÈRES, P.-M. SCALLON-CHOUINARD, L. VAN GUELPEN, D. BERNIER, S. PROULX, R. MILLER, C. SAVENKOFF, 2009. Poissons connus et méconnus des fonds marins du Saint-Laurent. Naturaliste can., 133(2): 70-82 .

[Abstract only available in French]
Des relevés effectués au moyen de chaluts benthiques entre 2004 et 2008 dans le bas Saguenay, l'estuaire maritime et le nord du golfe du Saint-Laurent ont permis d'identifier à l'espèce plus d'un million de poissons. Les captures ont été largement dominées par quatre espèces de prédateurs d'intérêt commercial: le flétan du Groenland, deux espèces de sébaste et la morue franche, mais on a dénombré plus d'une centaine d'espèces dont la moitié peuvent être considérées rares sur les fonds chalutés. Les espèces les plus abondantes dans les captures étaient également celles qui furent répertoriées dans une plus forte proportion des stations échantillonnées. Les espèces inusitées possèdent une distribution soit boréale, soit méridionale, et fréquentent généralement le plateau continental ou même le talus continental au-dessus de la plaine abyssale dans l'Atlantique. Les données issues de ces relevés ne fournissent qu'une vision partielle des communautés de poissons dans le Saint-Laurent: les poissons pélagiques et estuariens étaient mal représentés dans nos échantillons, les fonds rocheux ou escarpés n'étant généralement pas chalutables. Ce vaste territoire d'environ I5O 000 km² est peuplé d'une faune variée.©2009 La Société Provancher d'histoire naturelle du Canada Certains poissons sont communs, d'autres représentent des visiteurs occasionnels en provenance des profondeurs de l'Atlantique, mais tous sont fascinants. Encore aujourd'hui, l'écologie d'un grand nombre de ces espèces reste mal connue.

DAIGLE, D., C. NOZÈRES, H. BENOÎT, 2006. A rapid reference guide for the identification and sampling at-sea of marine fishes captured during commercial fishing activities. Can. Manuscr. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 2744E, 25 p .

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This largely visual guide is intended to serve as a rapid reference for fisheries observers and other staff working aboard commercial fishing vessels in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Division 4T). It provides pictures and key morphological traits to aid in the identification of fish species most commonly encountered by staff in the field during commercial fishing activities. While it is not intended to replace more detailed taxonomic keys and descriptions, it should provide a practical guide that can be used at sea, where conditions prevent staff from referring to the more detailed sources. The guide also provides a summary description with photographs of the procedures employed to sample marine fishes at-sea.

DUTIL, J.-D., R. MILLER, C. NOZÈRES, B. BERNIER, D. BERNIER, D. GASCON, 2006. Révision des identifications de poissons faites lors des relevés scientifiques annuels de l'abondance des poissons de fond et de la crevette nordique dans l'estuaire et le nord du golfe du Saint-Laurent. Rapp. manus. can. sci. halieut. aquat., 2760, 87 p .

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Long time series of data are a source of invaluable information to put a current situation in a historical perspective. The data obtained from the scientific research surveys for the assessment of demersal fish and northern shrimp abundance conducted annually in the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence are regularly used for this purpose. The validity of these data is not questioned with regard to the identification of commercial species managed by our region, but this overall statement may not apply as well to the identification of non commercial fish species. Following a workshop held at IML in 2005, a working group has determined whether the data on the identification of non commercial species and commercial species not being managed by our region and collected between 1978 and 2003 are valid. For these species, the sampling protocol varied markedly over time. Not all fish were identified to the species level and in many instances very broad taxonomic levels were used. The identification of some species was inadequate, particularly in the Cottidae, Liparidae and Zoarcidae families. Overall, this data set must be used with caution if one is interested in the rare species, in measuring biodiversity, or in studying the temporal trends in the case of the species which are not managed by our region. In this report, we identify the weaknesses and suggest solutions to improve quality in the historical data as well as in the process of acquisition of new data.

DAIGLE, D., C. NOZÈRES, H. BENOÎT, 2006. Guide de référence rapide pour l'échantillonnage et l'identification d'espèces marines capturées durant la pêche commerciale en mer. Rapp. manus. can. sci. halieut. aquat., 2744F, 25 p .

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This largely visual guide is intended to serve as a rapid reference for fisheries observers and other staff working aboard commercial fishing vessels in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Division 4T). It provides pictures and key morphological traits to aid in the identification of fish species most commonly encountered by staff in the field during commercial fishing activities. While it is not intended to replace more detailed taxonomic keys and descriptions, it should provide a practical guide that can be used at sea, where conditions prevent staff from referring to the more detailed sources. The guide also provides a summary description with photographs of the procedures employed to sample marine fishes at-sea.

NOZÈRES, C., M. BÉRUBÉ, V. HAEBERLE, R. MILLER, F. PROUST, 2003. Marine species identification guide for the St. Lawrence. DFO, Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, CD-ROM .

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Since the ratification by Canada of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992, various initiatives at documenting the underwater world have highlighted the need for more information regarding less familiar species. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has been doing its part by using every available opportunity to try to document the marine biodiversity. Nonetheless, ship time on missions is precious and researchers are often confronted with the daunting task of quickly identifying various species, some of which are rarely caught in standard fishing gear. In order to improve the identification of species during marine surveys, the DFO Quebec Region Species at Risk team at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute has produced a bilingual field guide of marine species of fishes and invertebrates that may be encountered in the Estuary and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence.

NOZÈRES, C., M. BÉRUBÉ, V. HAEBERLE, R. MILLER, F. PROUST, 2003. Guide d'identification d'espèces marines du Saint-Laurent. MPO, Institut Maurice-Lamontagne, CD-ROM .

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Since the ratification by Canada of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992, various initiatives at documenting the underwater world have highlighted the need for more information regarding less familiar species. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has been doing its part by using every available opportunity to try to document the marine biodiversity. Nonetheless, ship time on missions is precious and researchers are often confronted with the daunting task of quickly identifying various species, some of which are rarely caught in standard fishing gear. In order to improve the identification of species during marine surveys, the DFO Quebec Region Species at Risk team at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute has produced a bilingual field guide of marine species of fishes and invertebrates that may be encountered in the Estuary and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence.