SECTION 3: Recognizing Excellence

Publications

Operated by DFO Science, the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) coordinates the peer review of scientific publications for the department. CSAS works with the regional organizations of DFO to develop integrated overviews of issues concerning fish stock dynamics, ocean ecology, and use of living aquatic resources, and to quickly identify emerging issues. In 2006 approximately 200 publications were produced through the CSAS Science Advisory process. See them at: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/

In 2004, the latest year for which the most complete Canada-wide bibliometric data are available, DFO researchers produced 27 percent of all Canadian peer-reviewed science publications in marine biology and hydrobiology and 31 percent of publications in oceanography and limnology.

Individual papers are often very influential, both to science and policy. For example, “Evolutionary response to size-selective mortality in an exploited fish population,” by Douglas Swain, Alan Sinclair, and J.M. Hanson (2007), was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London (Series B. DOI: 10.1098/ rspb.2006.0275). The authors innovatively use a 30-year time series of backcalculated lengths-at-age to test for a genetic response to size-selective mortality in the wild in a heavily exploited population of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). The study stresses the need for the development of management regimes that take into consideration the evolutionary consequences of fishing. The paper was highlighted in Conservation Magazine and on the Faculty of 1000 Biology website, which features the most interesting papers in biology based on the recommendations of 1000 leading scientists. One reviewer asserted, “This is so far the most serious attempt to empirically demonstrate that size-selective fishing can cause growth rate to evolve.”*

* Mikko Heino: Faculty of 1000 Biology, 27 Mar 2007 http://f1000.com/1071957.

Marine Mammal Research – An Overview

DFO Science occasionally publishes overview reports about specific areas of science. In February 2007 the Centre of Expertise on Marine Mammals (CEMAM) released Marine Mammal Research – An Overview, a fully illustrated publication about the research conducted by the members of the CEMAM within DFO. CEMAM is working on a variety of innovative scientific projects to obtain information on the dynamics, ecology, habitat, migration and health of marine mammals. The publication includes information about the endangered beluga in the St. Lawrence, the right whales in the Bay of Fundy, the killer whales in the Pacific, and the research done on narwhal, bowhead and many more marine mammal species. Print copies of the 80-page publication are available by request and the PDF version of the publication is online at: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/coe-cde/cemam/reference-eng.pdf

An Arctic-wide Impact Assessment of Climate Change

With respect to impacts on evidence-based policy — and to public understanding of climate change in general — a powerful illustration of the high quality of DFO scientific contribution is that being made on climate change in the Arctic. In 2000, two working groups of the Arctic Council — Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, and the International Arctic Science Committee — were charged with developing an Arctic-wide impact assessment of climate change. DFO scientist Dr. Jim Reist, a member of the international Steering Committee, played a key role as a co-author and synthesizer of material, soliciting authors and acting as lead author for the chapter on Freshwater Ecosystems and Fisheries. Of the three co-lead authors, 12 contributing authors, and 10 consulting authors on this chapter, six are DFO staff: Jim Reist, Richard Beamish, Jackie King, Robie Macdonald, Brian Dempson, and Ross Tallman. Findings were published in the highly influential 2004 Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) Overview report, a 140- page summary of the science for policy makers and governments, of which Reist was a coauthor. Final delivery of the background science and the impact assessment occurred at an international conference in 2005 with the publication of the full report. In addition to the Freshwater Ecosystems and Fisheries chapter, other DFO staff were contributing or consulting authors to other chapters within the ACIA report, notably the Marine Systems chapter (Eddy Carmack, Ken Drinkwater and Fiona McLaughlin) and the Fisheries and Aquaculture chapter (Jim Carscadden and George Lilly). Read the ACIA material at: www.acia.uaf.edu/pages/scientific.html

In 2006, Reist and co-lead authors Drs. Fred Wrona and Terry Prowse of Environment Canada reformatted the Freshwater Ecosystems and Fisheries chapter from the ACIA Scientific Report and published it as 10 articles in the primary literature journal Ambio to enhance delivery of the findings to the scientific community, government scientists and policy makers. See the Ambio articles at: http://ambio.allenpress.com/ambioonline/?request=get-toc&issn=0044-7447&volume= 035&issue=07

The impact of the various ACIA products has been, and continues to be, immense. It has resulted in a shift in government policy of all Arctic nations with respect to climate change; contributed to a global shift in attitude with respect to climate change from an emerging threat to a real and present danger; modified and influenced Canadian government policy with respect to the Arctic, and contributed directly to decisions by Canada to fund the largest national research program of all Arctic nations for the 2007–2010 International Polar Year (IPY).

Moreover, the substantive regional results from ACIA for the Arctic have recently been used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to support its reassessment of global climate change impacts, to serve as a model for future regional assessments, and to continue to influence adaptation and mitigation of climate change effects in Canada and globally. Within Canada, ACIA has also served as a model for the ongoing re-assessment of climatic impacts and adaptation on a regional basis. Led by Natural Resources Canada, with contributions by DFO scientists, this re-assessment is slated for publication in October 2007. The IPCC website is located at: www.ipcc.ch

Awards

Dr. Ken Denman and Dr. Trevor Platt — Timothy R. Parsons Medal 2006

Dr. Ken Denman of DFO Pacific Region received the Timothy R. Parsons Medal in honour of his career-long contributions on the influence of physical processes on ocean productivity, and for pioneering integrated physical-chemical-biological oceanographic research. Dr. Denman has many influential publications to his name, notably landmark papers pioneering the study of physical/biological interactions in the lower food web, and the coupling of climate systems with biogeological cycles. He is a renowned expert in modeling marine ecosystems and climate, with monumental contributions to climate change science through his identification of processes by which marine ecosystems respond to and feed back on climate. Dr. Denman is among the DFO Science contributors to the International Panel on Climate Change, which was co-awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Denman is employed at both the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis at the University of Victoria, and by the DFO Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney, British Columbia.

Dr. Trevor Platt received the award in honour of his outstanding contributions to the fields of biological oceanography and marine ecology, the thermodynamics of the open ocean ecosystem and an ecosystem approach to fisheries management. Dr. Platt is a leader in interdisciplinary oceanographic research, a pioneer of new quantitative methodologies and the use of satellite remote sensing data for measuring ocean processes. He is a prolific scientific author, with over 285 publications. He is a major influence internationally, serving with the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program, the Scientific Committee on Ocean Research, the Joint Global Ocean-Flux Study and the International Ocean Colour- Coordinating Group. Dr. Platt is employed by DFO at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and is an adjunct faculty member at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Dr. Eddy Carmack — Massey Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society

The Massey Medal recognizes outstanding personal achievement in the exploration, development or description of the geography of Canada. For his leading role in ocean science, Dr. Carmack, a climate oceanographer with the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney, British Columbia, was awarded the 2007 Massey Medal. Dr. Carmack is leading an important International Polar Year project, C3O — Canada's Three Oceans. Two Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers, whose current mission tracks encircle Canada, will obtain a snapshot of large-scale ocean and ecosystem properties, and thus establish a scientific basis for sustained monitoring of Canada's sub- Arctic and Arctic seas in the wake of global warming. In all, approximately 12,000 km of ocean track will be covered. Read more at: http://ipy-api.gc.ca/pg_IPYAPI_032-eng.html

Dr. R. Allyn Clarke — Canadian Meteorological Oceanographic Society (CMOS) — Appointed Fellow

Dr. R. Allyn Clarke, a DFO Scientist Emeritus working at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, was appointed a Fellow of the Canadian Meteorological Oceanographic Society (CMOS). CMOS exists for the advancement of meteorology and oceanography in Canada. Dr. Clarke was recognized for his major contributions to the physical oceanography of the North Atlantic and to global climate studies through research, management and leadership at both national and international levels.

Dr. Howard Freeland — Canadian Meteorological Oceanographic Society (CMOS) — President's Prize

Dr. Howard Freeland of the department's Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney, British Columbia, was awarded the Canadian Meteorological Oceanographic Society (CMOS) President's Prize in recognition of his outstanding leadership in the development of a global array of drifting Argo floats — a major advance in observational oceanography. Along with co-author Patrick Cummins, Dr. Freeland's work is documented in the paper, “Argo: A new tool for environmental monitoring and assessment of the world's oceans, an example from the N. E. Pacific.” The President's Prize is awarded by the Society for a recent paper or book of special merit in the fields of meteorology or oceanography.

Dr. James Gower — Pan-Ocean Remote Sensing Conference (PORSEC) — 2006 Distinguished Science Award

Dr. James Gower is a researcher at DFO's Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney, British Columbia. At the bi-annual Pan-Ocean Remote Sensing Conference (PORSEC) in November 2006, Dr. Gower was recognized for his outstanding work in the advancement of science in this field.

Dr. David Higgs — Aquaculture Association of Canada — Research Award of Excellence

Dr. David Higgs is head of the Fish Nutrition Program at DFO and the University of British Columbia (UBC) Centre for Aquaculture and Environmental Research in the Pacific Region. Dr. Higgs works collaboratively with universities and/or industry in three main subject areas: improving hatchery operations, minimizing environmental effects of salmon farming, and fish nutrition. In November 2006 Dr. Higgs received the Research Award of Excellence from the Aquaculture Association of Canada for his research accomplishments and contributions to advancing our knowledge on fish nutrition.

Dr. Zbigniew “Bob” Kabata — Order of Canada

Dr. Bob Kabata, a Scientist Emeritus at the DFO Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, British Columbia, and a world-renowned parasitologist, was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2007. He was inducted into this prestigious and select group of Canadians for a lifetime dedicated to scientific research on fish parasites. A video entitled Kabata: Evolution of a Scientist is available online at www.science.gc.ca

Jerome Keen and David Haight — Great Lakes Fishery Commission — 2006 Vern Applegate Award

Jerome Keen from the Sea Lamprey Control Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, and David Haight, now retired from DFO, were presented the 2006 Vern Applegate Award by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission for going above and beyond their regular positions and enhancing the profile of DFO's Sea Lamprey Control program throughout the region.

Dr. Simon J. Prinsenberg — Canadian Meteorological Oceanographic Society — J.P. Tully Medal in Oceanography

Dr. Simon Prisenberg, with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, was the recipient of the J.P. Tully Medal in Oceanography. Dr. Prisenberg was recognized for his outstanding ability to conceive of new instruments required to perform unique measurements in harsh environments that have led to breakthroughs in our understanding of both oceanic and glacial processes that influence the northern environment.

Dr. Michael Sinclair — Vice President of International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES)

Dr. Michael Sinclair, the Regional Director of DFO Science in the Maritimes Region, located at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, was elected the inaugural Vice President of International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). ICES coordinates and promotes marine research in the North Atlantic and acts as a meeting point for a community of more than 1600 marine scientists from 20 countries around the North Atlantic.

Dr. Denis Gilbert, Hypoxia Advisory Panel

The Science Advisory Board of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water (OW) evaluates the complex scientific and technical issues that affect the causes, location, magnitude and duration of the hypoxic zone in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, as well as the priority and feasibility of management and control options in the Mississippi River Basin and Gulf. Canada's hypoxia expert, Dr. Denis Gilbert, of the Maurice Lamontagne Institute, is the only non- U.S. citizen to be invited to serve on this committee.

Deputy Minister's Award for the Oceanographic Buoy Network

Bernard Pettigrew, Roger Pigeon and Pierre Larouche of the Maurice Lamontagne Institute earned a Deputy Minister's Award for developing a buoy measurement system to validate colour satellite images of the marine environment of the St. Lawrence. The buoy network is an important component of the Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program, which obtains continuous measurements of the marine environment. Because there were no commercial systems that met operational requirements, the three employees developed a new high-performance oceanographic system. The system was installed on a standard navigation buoy obtained from a local company, tailored to the marine conditions of the St. Lawrence Gulf and Estuary, and resulted in substantial savings in manufacturing costs. With the technical knowledge it acquired, the local company involved in the development of the buoys was able to market its own buoys.

Oceans Directorate Award Presented to CHS Hydrographers

At a meeting of the regional Oceans Directors in Charlottetown, Céline Gaulin, Director General of the Oceans Directorate in Ottawa, recognized the work done by hydrographers by presenting a certificate of appreciation to teams from the Canadian Hydrographic Service that work in the shadows at both the national and regional level. The certificate recognized the team's contribution throughout the last decade, particularly their professional conscience in supporting various initiatives such as Canada's Oceans Strategy and Canada's Oceans Action Plan. New multibeam technologies enable hydrographers to scan and view large parts of the seabed in 3-D and to classify the benthic environment. Each of these techniques contributes significantly to scientific knowledge of Canada's submerged lands with a view to integrated ecosystem management. Richard Sanfaçon, data acquisition manager, accepted the award on behalf of his team members, Roger Côté and Louis Maltais, of the Quebec Region.

Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) — American Society for Quality (ASQ) Canada — Quality Recognition Awards to Canadian Hydrographic Service

In April 2006 The Honourable Kevin O'Brien, Minister of Business, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, presented this award to the CHS Newfoundland District Office in recognition of the successful implementation of a Quality Management System that meets the requirements of the ISO 9001:2000 international quality management standard. ASQ Canada has been active in Newfoundland and Labrador since the early 1990s to advance learning, quality improvement and knowledge exchange. This is the first presentation of Newfoundland and Labrador ISO 9000 Quality Recognition Awards. CHS Central and Arctic also received a Commitment to Quality award at the 2007 Public Sector Quality Fair for its effort at preparing and maintaining standards of quality through the CHS Levels of Service initiative.

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 May 31, 2007, awards were made to these employees of DFO Science Sector:

Award Recipient	Area of Excellence	Region	Reason for Award
Theresa Carolyn Dugas	Values and Ethics	Maritimes	Outstanding individual achievement in support of 60 employees of Canadian Hydrographic Service.
Sherry Niven Judy B. Simms	Valuing and Supporting People	Maritimes	Achievement as members of the Regional Diversity Advisory Committee and the creation of a healthier working environment for all DFO staff.
David Victor Gillman	Service Delivery	Central and Arctic	For leadership in conservation, stewardship and protection of national fishery resources by promoting ecosystem principles and watershed management approaches.
Richard D. Stanley	Service Delivery	Pacific	As part of the Integrated Groundfish Team for work to ensure the Pacific groundfish fisheries are biologically sustainable and economically viable.
Annette Anthony Christine Lemay Gordon Miller Pamela Olson Lynne Post Elva Simundsson	Service Delivery	All Regions	The Council of Fisheries and Oceans Librarians — for the innovation of “Waves,” an online public information database.
Dr. Michael Chadwick	Policy and/or Science	Gulf	For outstanding leadership in fostering a thriving research community and collaboration with stakeholders to foster collaborative solutions among academia, industry, government and First Nations in the interests of marine life in the Gulf region.
Dr. Martin A. Bergmann Donna Laroque Oksana Schimnowski Vera Williams	Policy and/or Science	Central and Arctic, Pacific, National Capital Region	In conjunction with colleagues from Communications Branch, Human Resources, Coast Guard and Transport Canada, these DFO Science employees were honoured for their work facilitating a week-long broadcast of nightly newscasts and associated feature stories by CBC Television's The National from the 2006 Arctic expedition of the icebreaker, CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent.
Michael F. O'Connell	Policy and/or Science	Newfoundland and Labrador	For his work as the pre-eminent authority on Atlantic salmon fisheries and its lasting beneficial impacts and for his contributions to aquatic environmental science.
Sarah Cosgrove	Policy and/or Science	All Regions	As a member of the Bill C-45 Core Team, for its work to present a new bill to Parliament to update the Fisheries Act.

Coming in the 2007—2008 Science Annual Report, a report on the Deep Water Coral Project

During the summer of 2007, senior DFO research scientist Ellen Kenchington led a research team aboard the CCGS Hudson on a 21-day mission to increase knowledge of deep water coral and associated species along the continental slopes of Atlantic Canada. The excitement of the scientists at their findings and the fantastic deep sea images were communicated in extensive media coverage in Canada and around the world. Researchers from the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre and Memorial and Dalhousie Universities took part.

The ROPOS deepwater submersible was deployed in four areas of operation: the Gully Marine Protected Area, the Stone Fence Lophelia Conservation Area and surrounds, and on the southwest Grand Banks at Haddock Channel, Halibut Channel and Desbarres Canyon. The submersible collected more than 3000 high resolution digital images, over 10,000 high quality frame grabs and many hours of high resolution colour video.