Marine assessment
Understanding the marine environment
Archipelago Marine Research conducts marine assessment services based on sound biophysical and fisheries resource inventory information. To assist with surveys and research, Archipelago has developed a range of innovative tools (including standard classification methods for nearshore inventory) that have proven invaluable in numerous environmental assessment and planning applications for nearshore and offshore development projects. To learn more about how Archipelago can help you, contact us.
Marine assessment services:
- Client and agency liaison
- Literature reviews and desktop studies
- Coastal species and habitat surveys, classification, and mapping
- Intertidal and subtidal habitat characterization
- Aerial surveys (ShoreZone)
- Towed underwater video (SIMS) surveys and dive surveys
- Marine environmental assessments
- Mitigation strategies, and input to sustainable project design options
- Compensation offsetting identification, design, and implementation
- Third-party review of marine assessment related documents

Case studies
Archipelago marine assessment services have successfully addressed a diversity of client needs. Visit the portfolio for examples of these and other Archipelago services, or check out the examples below.
Offshore wind energy
As part of an initiative to build Canada’s first offshore wind project, NaiKun Wind Energy Group engaged Archipelago to perform a marine environmental assessment of the region…
Rocky reef construction
With a natural habitat bank planned for Greater Victoria’s Esquimalt Harbour, Archipelago —in partnership with SNC Lavalin—was contracted to help design, construct, and monitor three new rocky reefs…
Gas transmission pipeline
In 2014, Archipelago provided an environmental assessment for the marine component of a proposed natural gas transmission system planned for the northwest coast of British Columbia…
Salmon monitoring
As part of a biodiversity monitoring and assessment project near the site of a proposed LNG export facility, Archipelago introduced a plan to monitor the health of nearby juvenile salmon communities…