Data from: Towards an integrated database on Canadian ocean resources: benefits, current states, and research gaps

Oceanic ecosystem services support a range of human benefits, and Canada
has extensive research networks producing growing data sets. We present a
first effort to compile, link, and harmonize available information to
provide new perspectives on the status of Canadian ocean ecosystems and
corresponding research. The metadata database currently includes 1094
individual assessments and data sets from government (n = 716),
nongovernment (n = 320), and academic sources (n = 58), comprising
research on marine species, natural drivers and resources, human
activities, ecosystem services, and governance, with data sets spanning
1979–2012 on average. Overall, research shows a strong prevalence towards
single-species fishery studies, with an underrepresentation of economic
and social aspects, and of the Arctic region in general. Nevertheless, the
number of studies that are multispecies or ecosystem-based have increased
since the 1960s. We present and discuss two illustrative case studies —
marine protected area establishment in Canada and herring resource use by
the Heiltsuk First Nation — highlighting the potential use of
multidisciplinary data sets drawn from metadata records. Identifying
knowledge gaps is key to achieving the comprehensive, accessible and
interdisciplinary data sets and subsequent analyses necessary for new
sustainability policies that meet both ecological and socioeconomic needs.