Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

As part of a team, performs complex biological, statistical, and population modeling work under the administrative direction of the Fisheries Assessment Supervisor, plans, organizes and implements projects and integration/mathematical modeling/statistical analysis of fishery information to provide management information concerning aquatic resources of the Lake Erie Management Unit.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Develops species specific population, harvest, and quota recommendations concerning aquatic resources of the Lake Erie Management Unit by:
Developing, modifying, and implementing complex computer based catch at age models to determine sustainable yield of fish populations.
Interacting with experts through conferences and workshops in the specific modeling fields of virtual population analysis/catch at age/sustainable yield to ensure "State of the art" techniques are evaluated and maintained in order to ensure that the Lake Unit is using the best techniques available.
Recommends extraction levels to managers for Lake Erie's quota species through population modeling, and use of best practices for determining Yield vs. resource risk.
2. Plans, organizes and implements projects to provide assessment information, concerning aquatic resources of the Lake Erie Management Unit by:
Gaining a working knowledge of the complex and diversified fisheries of Lake Erie/St.Clair, Upper Niagara River;
Using statistical techniques to analyze spatial (geostatistical), temporal (time series) characteristics of historical fisheries harvest information;
Using statistical technique to refine and explore hydroacoustic data sets used to determine Lake Erie forage base;
Designing statistically sound sampling programs to measure selected population community/ecosystem parameters;
Determining, designing, and implementing new statistical methods/designs to improve assessment techniques/data;
Determining components of the resource and fisheries to be monitored;
Designs, implements assessment projects to evaluate sport and commercial fisheries; reports on same;
Ensures that parameters required by other unit biologists are measured;
Preparing work plans in consultation with operations/management staff;
Liaising with other MNR staff (Research, OFIS, etc.) and other agencies (state agency partners) to ensure standardization of techniques;
Preparing operations manuals in consultation with operations staff to describe techniques and schedules;
Formulating and preparing fisheries assessment project plans to obtain pertinent data, eg. Biological, physical, chemical and user, etc.
3. Plans, coordinates, organizes and implements the integration of management information concerning aquatic resources of the Lake Erie/St. Clair system by:
Determining information required to address aquatic resource management issues from a biological perspective;
Bringing together professional staff primarily but not exclusively from within the assessment unit or MNR to collectively address biological based issues;
Facilitating the involvement of group participants of bi-national task groups in the use of diverse biological data;
Participating in working groups locally, provincially and internationally involving MNR and staff from other agencies, partners and public to produce annual task group reports in a bi-national context;
Participating in the generation of responses to resource management issues from evaluation of source data through to the preparation of biologically/ecologically based recommendations;
Formulating and preparing fisheries/aquatic resource assessment program plans to obtain pertinent biological data.
4. The incumbent shall, while in the workplace, conduct themselves in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and any workplace practices as directed by their immediate supervisor.

Knowledge :

Knowledge of fisheries management theory, assessment methodologies and practice. Knowledge of hydroacoustic equipment, survey design and analysis. Knowledge of the principles and procedures of advanced statistics and population modeling as they are used in fisheries. Knowledge of fish biology and physiology/growth as required in the fisheries management/ecosystem management context. Advanced knowledge of computer systems and software needed to perform routine statistical tests, and execute simulation models.
Knowledge of workers responsibilities as outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Skills :

Ability to operate effectively in a team environment which fosters participation by representatives from MNR, other government agencies, academic institutions and client groups. Ability in the use of personal computers for fish population modeling, data analysis and information presentation in fisheries or a related field. Ability to communicate scientific information clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing to diverse groups including
scientists and the general public.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working within legislation, regulations, policies and program standards governing natural resource management and research in Ontario [e.g. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act, Environmental Assessment Act] and within recognised technical and scientific procedures and practices for surveying and research [e.g. sampling methods and standards.
Job requires consulting/liasing with supervisors, collaborators, and clients to develop and refine project directions and plans. Job requires the ability to interact (under direction) with client groups to build, foster, and maintain research, assessment and management partnerships.
Job requires communicating project implementation strategies and projects progress to supervisors, collaborators and clients to ensure broader resource program goals and directions are met and links to other science and technology programs are made.