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Home  Infocentre Publications Annual Report 2001-2002
7.0 Information Management
National Highlights
Habitat Systems - Habitat Referral Tracking System
Further development of the Habitat Referral Tracking System (HRTS) continued
in fiscal year 2001‑2002. The HRTS is used by Habitat biologists and administrators
across the country to record information and actions taken on requests (referrals)
received either directly from a proponent or indirectly from a provincial
or other agency with respect to proposed works or undertakings which may
affect fish or habitat. The system is also used by Habitat Management to
register information on the Federal Environmental Assessment Index, as required
by CEAA, and is available to the public via the Internet.
The addition of 148 new Habitat users and an additional 74 users from other
programs/sectors in DFO, brings the total number of system users at the end
of fiscal year 2001‑2002 to 809.
Activities related to the development of HRTS include:
- Implementation of Phase II of the three year system re-development
plan of the HRTS. This version incorporated numerous user-defined changes
and enhancements. Major new features include:
- Web-Based Mapping – a web-based mapping tool developed for the
HRTS that provides users the ability to geo-reference referrals;
- Photo
Module – a module that provides users the ability to add
photographs to project files;
- Referral Calendar – a new module that
links calendar items to specific project files;
- Creation of an electronic
link to the Canadian Coast Guard’s Navigable
Waterways Database System; and
- Document Linking - a function that enables
users to link electronic documents to project files.
- Continued work on focus groups and user sessions to determine additional
changes and enhancements for completion of Phase II of the re-development
project for fiscal year 2002‑2003.
- Initial planning work on Phase III of the
re-development project, which will include major system architecture and
database changes, will
continue with a first release and implementation in fiscal year
2003‑2004.
Habitat’s Intranet and Internet
Providing timely, accessible and reliable information to the public and Habitat
Management staff are key elements to improving efficiency within the National
Habitat Management Program. It is also important to help raise awareness
and understanding of the importance of fish habitat to all Canadians. The
National Habitat Management Program’s Intranet and Internet sites were
designed, developed and released in fiscal year 2001‑2002 to help meet these
objectives.
The Intranet Site provides information to national and regional Habitat Management
staff. In addition to providing daily administrative and service tools (translation,
postal, library, travel, financial information), the Intranet provides information
on programs, committees and activities to assist in keeping all staff informed
of Habitat Management issues on a national level.
The Internet site provides the public with easily accessible information on
Habitat Management issues, related legislation and regulations, guidelines
and fact sheets, community involvement activities, and contacts for national
and regional offices. The site also provides information to the public that
will assist them in meeting the habitat provisions of the Fisheries Act when
carrying out works in or around water.
Regional Highlights
Examples of regional activities in habitat enhancement during fiscal year
2001‑2002 are highlighted below. Details are provided in Supporting Documents
available electronically at <http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/canwaters-eauxcan/infocentre/publications/index_e.asp>.
Newfoundland
- Habitat staff participated in the Stream Crossing Inventory Project
in partnership with other government departments and industry. The
main objective of this project is to provide an inventory of stream crossings
on
resource
access roads in order to assist Habitat staff with resource planning
and environmental monitoring initiatives.
- Habitat staff maintained and updated the Newfoundland Freshwater
Inventory, a Geographic Information System that delivers fish
habitat-related
information through a customized interface, and initiated a similar
freshwater inventory for Labrador.
- Staff also updated and maintained the regional intranet site for
use in promoting the Habitat Management Program thorough the inclusion
of newsletters, fact sheets, publications, etc. from the Newfoundland
Region. The digital photo database was also updated and maintained.
Maritimes
The region had a number of information management initiatives that related
to the rollout of the Habitat Blueprint:
- A needs analysis was completed to identify the technical information
management skills and abilities that would aid the Division in better
using information technology in their day-to-day business.
- Ongoing work continued on a prototype internet site that would
provide project proponents with detailed information on the application
process for works in and around water, and on how to design projects
in such a way to minimize the impacts of these projects on fish habitat.
The Proposal Assistant for Nova Scotia attempts to provide a
single-point-of-entry
for people wishing to learn about the requirements from DFO and other
Nova
Scotia provincial departments.
Quebec
- Over one hundred requests for information were answered using the
Fish Habitat Management Information System (FHMIS), a geomatics information
system covering the coastal areas of the marine St. Lawrence and northern
Quebec.
- The staff regularly updated the data provided by the FHMIS and also
worked on the development of a possible partnership with the Quebec Wildlife
and
Parks Corporation for the mapping of critical habitats in the St. Lawrence.
This project will extend our knowledge to fresh water habitats.
Central and Arctic
- A working protocol for data sharing with the Province of Manitoba
is being developed. This will allow the sharing of data and the development
of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to support decision-making
by fisheries management staff. Provincial databases are currently being converted
into
a GIS compatible database.
- A guidance document was prepared to accompany the existing interactive
web-based software program called the Habitat Alteration Assessment
Tool. This tool was developed to assist in the quantification of fish habitat
area losses associated with infilling projects in the Great Lakes
and
fish habitat gains associated with enhancement and creation.
Pacific
- Developed and deployed “Mapster”, an internet-based
mapping application that provides internal and external users access to
over 135 layers of fish habitat and species spatial data.
- A Habitat Steward (funded through the Habitat Conservation and
Stewardship Program), working with the Victoria Capital Regional District,
developed a web-based Sensitive Habitat Atlas. The atlas is available to
municipal planners and the public, providing a “one stop” access
point for land, water, and natural resource information.
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