CHONe: Spatial and temporal patterns of decapod larvae in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia

Despite being one of the most productive coastal ecosystems in Canada, and an important nursery ground for numerous commercially valuable species, very little is known about connectivity patterns in the Strait of Georgia. The primary objective of this project is to quantify the community composition and distribution of larval fish and larval decapods (e.g. crabs) in the Strait. Using a combination of field work and a 3D coupled physical-biological model, the research explores whether (i) larvae are distributed randomly within the Strait, or whether (ii) there exist clear “hotspots” for larval production and/or predictable transport corridors. Determining these dispersal patterns is an important step in developing future conservation strategies, and in the effective design and placement of envisioned marine protected areas. Comparing contemporary field data with historical data collected by DFO in the 1960s and 1980s, allows examining whether there have been any shifts in the species composition of these communities. This dataset was collected for a MSc thesis.