National Eelgrass Task Force (NETForce) : building a dynamic, open eelgrass map for Canada / by Javier Guijarro-Sabaniel, Jordan A. Thomson, Bénédikte Vercaemer and Melisa C. Wong.: Fs97-6/3583E-PDF

"Eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows provide important ecosystem services on all three of Canada's coasts. However, to date, we have lacked comprehensive, national eelgrass maps and a centralized platform for storing, displaying and sharing eelgrass distribution data. The National Eelgrass Task Force (NETForce) was initiated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2019 to address this gap. Here, we present this innovative and inclusive partnership, and the process of creating the national map, which is now publicly accessible and useful for monitoring, research and management. So far, 113 datasets have been contributed by diverse partners, with survey methods ranging from field surveys to benthic sonar, aerial/satellite image analysis, modeling and literature review. At minimum, eelgrass has been mapped in 41,896 ha of Canada's coastal ecosystems. We explore regional differences in data availability and highlight the importance of relationship building and data sharing agreements for the success of the initiative. On-going data gathering will refine our knowledge of eelgrass distribution, facilitate research and feed into key management frameworks such as Marine Planning and Conservation, Integrated Marine Response Planning and Fisheries Act assessments"--Abstract, page iv.

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