Location: Lighthouse and weather buoy sampling stations in Canada's Pacific marine areas
Description: As part of the DFO Shore Station Oceanographic Program, sea surface temperature and salinity are measured daily at 12 shore stations, at the first daylight high tide, for many decades. Most stations are at lighthouses (Figure 1), with observations taken by lighthouse keepers using a handheld electronic instrument (YSI Pro 30). The buoy data are provided by Environment Canada from a network of ODAS (Offshore Data Acquisition Systems) buoys that collect weather data hourly. (modified from Chandler 2016).
Background: Daily sea surface temperature and salinity observations have been carried out at several locations on the coast of British Columbia since the early part of the 20th century. Observations started at the Pacific Biological Station (Departure Bay) in 1914, 11 stations were added in the mid-1930s and several more in the 1960s. The number of stations reporting at any given time has varied as sampling has been discontinued at some stations, and started or resumed at others. Presently termed the British Columbia Shore Station Oceanographic Program (BCSOP), there are 13 participating stations. Most of the stations are at lighthouses staffed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but three (Race Rocks, Amphitrite Point, and Active Pass) are sampled by contracted observers. (from P. Chandler on DFO website)
Funding: Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the National Weather Service
Partners: Pending
Observing Guidance: Not Applicable
Source Data: British Columbia Shore Station Oceanographic Program (BCSOP) and the National Weather Service
Outputs: Date are summarized and reported in the State of the Pacific Ocean Reporting found at the Fisheries and Oceans Canada publications page and are occasionally summarized in published reports or papers and online such as on the LEO Network platform.
Project Updates: Data are summarized annually in State of the Pacific Ocean Technical Reports.
Resources:
State of the Pacific Ocean Technical Reports
Data from BC Lighthouses
References:
Chandler, P. 2016. Sea surface temperature and salinity trends observed at lighthouses and weather buoys in British Columbia, 2015. Pages 40-44 in Chandler, P.C., King, S.A., and Perry, R.I. (Eds.). 2016. State of the physical, biological and selected fishery resources of Pacific Canadian marine ecosystems in 2015. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3179.
.
Observations From Members