Determination of potential for aqua-culture activities via passive teledetection and a grid-based geographical information system - Application to coastal waters to the Baie-des-Chaleurs (Eastern Canada)

NOAA AVHRR images taken in 1994 have been used as a primary reference in the regional selection of areas suitable for aquaculture activities in Bale des Chaleurs, Eastern Canada. The sea surface temperature extracted from these images have allowed both a qualitative and quantitative analysis of thermal events that occurred during the period of observations. Other in situ measurements, such as salinity, current speed and chlorophyll pigments have been analysed in such a manner as to identify the space-time variability of surface water characteristics. This information has been analysed within Idrisi grid based geographical information system. The different layers enabled to produce a preliminary regional aquaculture suitability index map of Baie des Chaleurs. According to this index (defined between zero and unity), a zone of an aquaculture potential situated between an index of 0.5 to 0.75 was delineated over a regional surface area of about 300 km(2). This location was foreseeable since it shows periodic water mass fluctuations and high chlorophyll pigment concentrations, providing good environmental conditions for high biological productivity.