SoS - Agency Partnerships Initiative
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
Project Update
Vision
Escapement and catch estimates for each salmon species by Conservation Unit (CU) will facilitate implementation of Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy and the conservation of salmon biodiversity by making it possible for DFO researchers to more readily report on salmon status and trends and access key data for use in CU assessments.
» View scope of work diagram.
Sponsors
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, State of the Salmon Program (Ecotrust & Wild Salmon Center)
Team
Coordinators
Cathy Kellon, SoS
Mark Saunders, DFO
Developer
Karl English, Principal, LGL Limited
Customers
- DFO research and management staff
- State of the Salmon Program
Status (last update: 5/26/09)
We initiated work with DFO staff at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo in 2008 to develop a summarized catch and escapement data set by Conservation Unit (CU) to support assessment and reporting under the Wild Salmon Policy and establish the groundwork for eventual public access to escapement, catch rate, and salmon status information in BC and Yukon provinces.
July — December 2008
The project kicked off with an articulation of the project’s vision and scope of work. A contract was signed with LGL to develop the needed information in close consultation with DFO biologists. Work continued on validating key escapement monitoring streams.
January — June 2009
Indicator streams were linked to Conservation Units (CU) and validated. First methodology workshop was held with DFO district and regional biologists in February to determine approach for estimating abundance and harvest rate by CU. Summary of results and initial CU trend analyses developed. Second workshop to be held in June to review and discuss analytical results.
July — December 2009
Validate datasets; develop and document necessary databases to maximize utility to DFO researchers; and evaluate next steps, including an approach for making this information available to the public. The project is scheduled for completion at the close of 2009 with a final project report.
Project Overviews
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
We're working with the ODFW Research Lab in Corvallis to create the ODFW Salmon & Steelhead Recovery Tracker, a database and web site designed to:
• Make it easier for ODFW staff to report on their progress towards meeting salmon conservation goals.
• Provide public access to frequently requested data and information on salmon and aquatic habitat.
While the site is currently focused on coastal Coho, there is strong interest in expanding the site's geographic and taxonomic scope to reach statewide.
Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP)
SoS is partnered with PNAMP to create an online forum for capturing and reviewing best available methods for monitoring aquatic habitat and species. We are developing a user friendly web-based tool that reflects the unique environs driving the formulation, testing, and endorsement of field techniques. We expect this work to accelerate agency adoption of standards and improve the power of resulting observational data to tell dependable stories about the health of our environment.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)
We have initiated a novel partnership between the WDFW and the NCEAS at UC Santa Barbara that's designed to significantly advance the management community's handling of salmon population data by bringing in techniques and expertise from the pioneering field of ecoinformatics.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
We're working with DFO staff at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo to develop a summarized catch and escapement data set by Conservation Unit (CU) to:
• Ensure DFO researchers have ready access to standard, core information needed to assess biological status of CUs.
• Establish the groundwork for eventual public access to escapement, catch rate, and CU status information in BC and Yukon.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
ADFG's Copper River and Prince William Sound Commercial Fisheries office is working with us to develop databases and web applications to:
• Make it easier for ADF&G area managers to enter, edit, retrieve, and analyze escapement and biological data.
• Provide public access to frequently requested data and information.