Nearshore fish community

Lake Ontario’s nearshore fish community consists of a diverse assemblage of warm- and cool-water species. The “nearshore zone,” loosely separated from the “offshore zones” by the 15-m depth contour, consists of complex habitats spanning a gamut from vast open-coastal areas to sheltered embayments and wetlands. Lake Ontario’s nearshore habitat has been affected to varying degrees by human activities. Although many areas are relatively unimpaired, some are severely degraded and have been designated as Areas of Concern (AOCs) (http://www.ec.gc.ca/raps-pas/; http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-aocs).