Malahat First Nation and Transport Canada, initiated a project to develop methods for mapping bull kelp in the southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia using high-resolution optical satellite imagery in support of assessing cumulative effects of marine shipping.The work was performed by ASL and project partners Sarah Schroeder and Dr. Maycira Costa of the University of Victoria.
The study compared two classification approaches—object-based and pixel-based methods—to detect floating kelp beds and map their distribution across the study area. Satellite imagery was acquired and processed to develop kelp detection workflows and evaluate the performance of each approach, producing spatial datasets to support future monitoring and marine management.
Project outputs included:
Chilko Lake chlorophyll product visualized on the LakeView geoportal.
Chilko Lake sockeye constitute one of the most important salmon stocks on the west coast, for which Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has maintained a 55-year record of marine and freshwater survival.
The objective of the LakeView project was to develop a validated, satellite-based time series of water properties for this remote lake, including chlorophyll, temperature and turbidity. These quality-controlled time series could be used to better understand lake dynamics and factors controlling the freshwater survival of the sockeye population. The project team led by ASL also included scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the University of Victoria, and C-CORE. Funding for the project was provided by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing (2019).
Project services included:
Hyperspectral mapping of biofilm.
As part of an environmental assessment for Port of Metro Vancouver (PMV), ASL was commissioned for the processing and analysis of hyperspectral data in the Roberts Bank intertidal zone.
ASL produced maps of biofilm in Roberts Bank, including biomass estimation of the microphytobenthos (i.e., the chlorophyll-containing component of the biofilm). Secondary maps were produced of other habitat classes such as eelgrass, biomat and other vegetation.'
Project services included:
Kelp bed mapping.
The channel from Hecate Strait, through Douglas Channel to the city of Kitimat, has been identified as a strategic gateway for the oil and gas industry. To support circulation models and oil spill contingency planning by Fisheries & Oceans Canada, ASL created seasonal maps of kelp beds in eastern Hecate Strait.
Project services included:
