Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To lead the development and implementation of fisheries management and assessment programs on Lake Superior and State of the Resource Reporting for Lakes Huron and Superior. This includes consultation with a diverse array of stakeholders and agencies. As a member of the Upper Great Lakes Management Unit team, performs complex fisheries biological, statistical, and population analysis under the administrative direction of the Lake Management Supervisor. Responsibilities include planning, organizing and implementing projects and reporting on these activities to provide information involving management of Great Lakes resources to the public.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Under administrative direction, plans and implements within the framework of policy, the Lake Superior Management program including fisheries biology, ecology, local and lake-wide planning by:
• Developing or assisting in developing lake-wide plans and activities (i.e. species specific fisheries management and rehabilitation plans) based on goals, objectives, priorities, policies and guidelines of OMNR and GLFC.
• Communicating orally and in writing with a wide array of individuals and organizations to obtain feedback and confirmation on programs and related policies.
• Preparing UGLMU reports (State of the Resource, UGLMU up-dates, management plans and project descriptions) as required;
• Developing and participating in partnerships, public advisory and various liaison committees;
• Reviewing the scientific literature and participating in scientific conferences, seminars and meeting to ensure a level of understanding sufficient to establish a lake-wide ecosystem approach and associated guidelines.
• Assisting in the development and implementation of Lake Superior habitat restoration projects.

2. Plans, coordinates, organizes and implements the integration of management information concerning aquatic resources of the Lake Superior system by:
• Bringing together professional staff primarily but not exclusively from within the assessment unit or MNR to collectively address biological based issues;
• Determining information required to address aquatic resource management issues from a biological perspective;
• 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

3. Performs public relations and extension duties by:
• Responding to inquiries related to the lake management program from internal and external clients including replies to new and controversial developments.
• Participating in the establishment of assessment requirements and regulatory practices;
• Developing and participating in partnerships (Agencies, Angler Clubs, habitat assessment, etc.) and participating in public advisory and liaison committees
• Leading a UGLMU team in the development of fisheries status reports, presentations, and fact sheets.
• Discussing Lake Superior programs with the public, resource users and the media.

4. Performs other duties as assigned

NOTE: 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.

Staffing and Licencing :

Valid Ontario Driver's Licence.

Knowledge :

Knowledge of fisheries management theory, assessment methodologies and practice.

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.

Expert knowledge of computer systems and software needed to perform routine statistical tests, prepare scientific reports and execute simulation models.

Knowledge of Provincial and Federal legislation and regulations, i.e. Fisheries Act, Ontario Fishery Regulations, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, Health and Safety Act, in order to manage harvest of sports and commercial fisheries, exercise control of habitat alterations, and provide health and safety leadership to staff.

Knowledge of Ministry policies, procedures, guidelines and manuals to ensure compliance of fisheries protocols (e.g. biological sampling and program design) and safety protocols (e.g. use of small and large vessels).

Knowledge of workers responsibilities as outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Skills :

Job requires ability to use of personal computers for fish population modeling, data analysis, report writing, and information presentation in fisheries or a related field.

Job requires designing studies/projects which allow for the interpretation and comparison of trends through time data in a scientifically sound manner; designing, implementing and coordinating assessment and research projects with districts, areas, partners (internationally and locally) and research staff.

Job requires research, analytical and evaluative skills to interpret ecological data, to formulate hypotheses describing patterns of distribution or abundance, to propose resource management solutions, and design or modify assessment studies/projects by conducting reviews of the scientific literature and analyzing specialized international, provincial, regional or local databases (e.g. estimating statistical parameters from local, provincial or international databases to determine fish population abundance and sustainable levels of harvest); determining information requirements to establish a sound scientific database for assessing impact of stresses and resource management actions on the aquatic ecosystem.

Job requires writing reports and presenting scientific material to resource managers, clients, partners, and public, locally and internationally, to transfer knowledge from studies.

Job requires interpersonal skills to explain and convey the rationale and logic of project proposals, technical and scientific reports to a wide range of clients, such as field managers, peers, the research community, environmental agencies, media, public servants and the general public.

Job requires acting as a technical and training resource for other employees in the work unit.

Job requires supervision of seasonal employees in situations where there is lead responsibility for a specific project such as a tagging survey, or netting survey. Job requires assigning and scheduling work, monitoring work quality and providing input to performance evaluations for seasonal staff.

Job requires planning and coordinating individual field projects such as bi-national fish sampling and habitat programs or resource use surveys by establishing budget requirements, designing the survey, procuring equipment and entering data into appropriate ministry computer systems.

Job requires organizing source documents, preparing background summary reports and agenda for assessment projects to define project needs and priorities.

Job requires coordinating components of presentations, workshops, science forums by identifying membership lists, arranging rooms and audio visual aids, setting an agenda, arranging for speakers, recording the proceedings and distributing copies of the deliberations.

Job requires estimating budget requirements, recommending purchases or requisitioning of supplies (e.g. nets, laboratory fixatives, electronic fish sampling equipment).

Job requires providing technical instructions and advice to district staff, partners and the public regarding the design and analysis of fisheries sampling projects and management of fish and wildlife resources (e.g. suggesting appropriate levels of harvest to sustain fish populations or suggesting a design for monitoring fish populations).

Job requires computer keyboarding, driving motorized vehicles (e.g. automobiles, boats, all terrain vehicles and snow machines), setting nets from small boats during windy and rainy conditions, and working on board Great Lakes survey vessels in a range of weather conditions e.g. calm to three meter waves.

Job requires adjusting, calibrating, and operating precision instruments or equipment such as hydroacoustic equipment, biotelemetry equipment, water sampling equipment, telemetry equipment and data loggers.

Freedom of Action :

The incumbent acts under the general guidance and direction of the Lake Management Supervisor and the Operations Supervisor, works in a team environment and is required to accept responsibility for actions taken and work carried out.

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.