Section 3
Recognizing Excellence

AWARDS

Dr. Carl J. Walters — Timothy R. Parsons Medal 2007

Dr. Carl J. Walters of the University of British Columbia (UBC) received the 2007 Timothy R. Parsons Medal for Excellence in Multidisciplinary Ocean Science. The award honours his career's work integrating mathematics with ecosystem science and fisheries to develop mathematical models and simulations in support of “adaptive management strategies” and policy. His approach spawned Ecosim, a modelling framework used around the world to predict ecosystem changes in response to fishing and marine environmental changes. He has tested his work in marine case studies on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Florida Everglades, and the sockeye salmon fishery of the Fraser River in British Columbia, among others. Dr. Walters has been on the faculty of UBC since 1969 and was recently elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Dr. William (Bill) Crawford: Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society — Applied Oceanography Award

Dr. William (Bill) Crawford, research scientist with the Institute of Ocean Sciences, was awarded the Canadian Meteorological Oceanographic Society (CMOS) Prize in Applied Oceanography for his important contributions to improved tide tables and to increase our knowledge of Pacific coastal and open ocean circulation and dispersal processes. Of the many applications for his research, his thoughtful contributions to discussions about the fate of potential oil spills in the Queen Charlotte Basin and his leadership in the preparation of the annual State of the Pacific Ocean reports have been particularly valuable. Dr. Crawford's contributions to applied marine studies, together with his great integrity, bring credit to his profession.

Dr. Savithri (Savi) Narayanan: Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society — Appointed Fellow

Dr. Savi Narayanan (right) receives her appointment as a Fellow of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society by CMOS Past President Paul Myers.

Dr. Savi Narayanan, Dominion Hydrographer and Director General of Ocean Science and the Canadian Hydrographic Service, was appointed a Fellow of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. The award honours her exceptional long term service and outstanding contributions to the science and profession of atmospheric and ocean sciences in Canada. It also recognizes her long-standing support to the programs of CMOS and the Canadian National Committee for the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research.

Dr. Susumu (Sus) Tabata: Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society — J. P. Tully Medal in Oceanography

Dr. Sus Tabata, scientist emeritus with the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney, B.C., was awarded the J. P. Tully Medal in Oceanography for his dedication to the collection, quality control and evaluation of open-ocean data over the time scales of climate change before the importance of such work was widely recognized. His work has made a significant impact on Canadian oceanography. His seminal contributions to the collection of unique observations at Ocean Station Papa and along “Line P” are particularly recognized by this award. Dr. Tabata was one of the first oceanographers to study both eddy and decadal changes in ocean conditions, and his work has inspired generations of oceanographers to hypothesize and explore explanations for the changes that he revealed. Dr. J. P. Tully was one of Dr. Tabata's mentors.

DFO Scientists — Nobel Peace Prize for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

DFO scientists from the Pacific, Maritimes, and Central & Arctic regions are among those recognized for their contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007. The Nobel Committee announced the award on October 12, 2007, to be jointly shared by the IPCC and Al Gore, former Vice- President of the United States, for “efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”

Dr. Ken Denman: North Pacific Marine Sciences Organization — 2007 Wooster Award

Dr. Ken Denman, research scientist at the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Pacific Region, received the North Pacific Marine Sciences Organization 2007 Wooster Award for significant scientific contributions to North Pacific marine science. He is an internationally respected scientist who helped establish links between physical and biological processes in the upper ocean. Over the years, he has built a biological oceanographic program at IOS with a focus on how oceanographic and environmental factors affect plankton, which supports fish populations. Dr. Denman has authored more than 75 primary journal articles, book chapters or review papers on air-sea interaction, lower trophic-level biological production, and the role of the ocean in the global climate system. He was recently lead author in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, with which he shares the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Federal Partners in Technology Transfer Award

Two teams of DFO Science researchers — one from the Maurice Lamontagne Institute and the other from the Canadian Hydrographic Service — received Federal Partners in Technology Transfer awards in June 2008 for the successful transfer of technology from a federal laboratory to the private sector.

The commercial launch of Autonomous Underwater Recorder for Acoustic Listening (AURAL) was the result of collaboration between research scientists Yvan Simard and Yves Samson of the Maurice Lamontagne Institute in Mont-Joli, Quebec, Université du Québec at Rimouski and Multi-Électronique Inc.of Rimouski. AURAL records high-fidelity acoustic data to monitor ambient ocean sounds, noise pollution, sounds of human origin such as from maritime shipping, as well as natural sounds such as earthquakes or whale songs. Sales of AURAL, launched in 2005, exceeded the initial investment tenfold in the first two years.

Gerard Costello and Michael Lamplugh of the CHS, a division of DFO Science, and Bob Courtney, Vladimir Kostylev, Dick Pickrill and Brian Todd of the Earth Sciences Sector of Natural Resources Canada, were also honoured for the successful development, transfer and commercialization of multibeam seafloor imaging applications. The researchers, who work together at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, developed software that converts existing multibeam sonar data into digital maps that capture the contours and detailed composition of seafloors. In the fishing industry, the software can be used to more effectively target key species to sharply reduce operating costs and the area of seafloor trawled. As a result, a previously inaccessible fishery was opened off Nova Scotia in 2001, adding $29 million to the economy in the first five years.

Prix d'Excellence – DFO Science Award Recipients

The Prix d'Excellence is DFO's most prestigious award, honouring individuals and teams who have made exemplary contributions to the Department. On June 3, 2008, these employees of DFO's Science Sector received awards.

Dr. Gérald Chaput of the Gulf Region was honoured for “Outstanding achievement in research and scientific writing on North Atlantic salmon populations, as well as invaluable work to strengthen relations between different levels of government and concerned communities in support of fisheries sustainability.”

Dr. William G. Franzin of the Central and Arctic Region, was honoured “For outstanding work in support of the Habitat Management program, including his expertise on instream flow needs; valuable contributions to various technical teams, subcommittee and workshops; and exceptional administrative and management skills.”

Left to right: Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner George DaPont, Dr. Franzin, Deputy Minister Michelle d'Auray and Associate Deputy Minister, Claire Dansereau.

Stratis Gavaris of the Maritimes Region was recognized for, “Development of widely accepted, innovative methods for making an ecosystem approach to fisheries management viable, and the development of innovative stock assessment approaches and software. Also for his dedication to scientific excellence and the economic and social well being of thousands of people who depend on the Atlantic groundfish fisheries.”

Drs Richard Beamish, James Christian, Allyn Clarke, Kenneth Denman, Howard Freeland, Robie Macdonald, Humfrey Melling, Ken Minns, Angelica Peña, R. Ian Perry, Trevor Platt, Jim Reist, Igor Yashayaev and David Welch of the Central and Arctic, Pacific and Maritimes regions were honoured for, “ Contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was co-awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2007. Fourteen DFO scientists participated in IPCC Working Groups over the past 20 years in a variety of roles. Their contributions demonstrate the international calibre of these researchers and their commitment to global sharing of knowledge.”

Front row: Dr. Igor Yashayaev; Dr. Ken Minns; Dr. Richard Beamish; Dr. Humfrey Melling; Assistant Deputy Minister, Science, Dr. Wendy Watson-Wright; Dr. Jim Reist; Dr. Howard Freeland; Dr. Trevor Platt. Back row: Director General, Science Renewal, Serge Labonte; Associate Deputy Minister, Claire Dansereau; Deputy Minister, Michelle d'Auray; Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner, George DaPont; Director General, Ecosystem Science, Sylvain Paradis. Missing: Dr. James Christian, Dr. Allyn Clarke, Dr. Kenneth Denman, Dr. Angelica Peña, Dr. Robie Macdonald, Dr. R. Ian Perry, and David Welch.

From the Gulf region, Matthew Hardy, Thomas Landry and Marc Ouellette were honoured for, “Exemplary work as members of DFO's New Brunswick Aquaculture Project Team, which helped establish a sustainable development plan for off bottom oyster aquaculture in eastern New Brunswick.”

Bottom, left to right: Rheal Boucher, Matthew Hardy, Fernand Savoie, Sophie Daigle, Roland Cormier, Brad Firth. Top: Left to right: Wade Landsburg, Stephen Lanteigne, Guy Robichaud, Deputy Minister Michelle D'Auray, Associate Deputy Minister Claire Dansereau, Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner George DaPont, Ernest Ferguson, Marc Ouellette, Thomas Landry.

Rod McDonald, Fraser Neave, Brian Stephens, Randy Stewart, William Paul Sullivan, and Dr. Rob Young from the Central and Artic Region, were recognized for, “Outstanding leadership as members of DFO's Sea Lamprey Control Centre Team, and expertise in achieving a significant reduction in predatory lamprey populations and the recovery of native fish stocks in Lake Ontario.”

Left to right: Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner George DaPont, Rod McDonald, Fraser Neave, Paul Sullivan, Dr. Rob Young, Deputy Minister Michelle D'Auray, Associate Deputy Minister Claire Dansereau. Missing: Brian Stephens and Randy Stewart.

Dr. Robert E. A. Stewart, from the Central and Arctic region, was honoured for “Outstanding contributions to our understanding of the beluga whale and walrus, and for developing a breakthrough technique to test an hypothesis about the structure of beluga teeth. This has led to new knowledge about the beluga's age of maturation, longevity and population growth, which is now being incorporated into beluga management models.”

Left to right: Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner George DaPont, Dr. Stewart, Deputy Minister Michelle D'Auray, Associate Deputy Minister Claire Dansereau.

PUBLICATIONS

The Oceans and Climate Change: Key Issues from the Fourth IPCC Report

Over the past 20 years, 14 DFO scientists with world class reputations in climate research have made significant contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. They are:

IPCC Second Assessment Report, 1995: Angelica Peña, Ian Perry, Trevor Platt and (formerly of DFO) David Welch

IPCC Third Assessment Report, 2001: Richard Beamish

IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, 2007 - Working Group I: The Physical Science Basis — Ken Denman, Jim Christian, Igor Yashayaev, Humfrey Melling, Howard Freeland, Allyn Clarke, Robie Macdonald, (www.ipcc-wg2.org/)

Following are some of the key climate change issues related to the oceans, as detailed in the Fourth IPCC Report:

• The oceans have stored more than 90 percent of the heat associated with global warming, to depths of at least 3,000 metres. Even if atmospheric carbon dioxide could be instantaneously set back to preindustrial levels, the oceans would cool very slowly. This means that the observed ocean warming will continue to influence the global climate system for many decades.
• Based on a mid-range emissions scenario, the best estimates (1990-2090) are for surface warming of 2.8°C globally. The best estimates for sea level rise are 0.21 — 0.48 metres depending on the scenario, compared with a global mean increase of 0.17 metres during the last century. Possible rapid changes in Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets could cause a much larger rise. Studies since the IPCC report was published predict a sea level rise of at least one metre. Coastal wetlands of Canada, such as British Columbia's lower Fraser River delta and much of coastal Prince Edward Island, would experience more flooding during high tides and be much more susceptible to extreme flooding and wave damage during storm surges.
• The oceans are becoming more acidic due to chemical changes that take place as CO₂ enters the oceans. Greater acidity will tend to dissolve organisms with calcium carbonate structures such as coccolithophorids (plankton that photosynthesize), and small molluscs or snails that provide food for salmon. Coral will also have difficulty maintaining its structure. In 2007, Debby Ianson of DFO's Institute of Ocean Sciences participated in a joint U.S.-Canada research cruise along the west coast of North America, which revealed that waters acidic enough to be “corrosive” to small molluscs and cold water corals are upwelling onto the continental shelf off Vancouver Island.
• With respect to the possibility of abrupt climate change, there is still a significant danger (up to a 10 percent chance) that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) — which moderates the Earth's climate by moving warm surface waters northward and cold deep waters southward — will undergo a large abrupt decrease during the 21^st century. A greatly reduced MOC would lessen the northward flow of warm waters in the North Atlantic and cool much of Western Europe, Greenland, Newfoundland and Labrador.

For more information about the work of IPCC, see: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, 2007 - Working Group I: The Physical Science Basis (www.ipcc-wg2.org/).