1-1 Appendix 1 Responses to survey questions administered to ...

used for any specific purpose. The objective of collecting such data becomes “to
meet the standard requirement”. Within Inland Fisheries, we have fallen victim to
this process. Most of our standard assessment procedures are required, yet the
data collected are often not used or inadequate to meet true objectives.
Additionally, because we have essentially standardized objectives, many of our
managers no longer question the methods used and therefore little effort is made
to improve them.
• Weakness – standardization seems to be a reactionary tactic, implemented to
control proliferation of data, rather than as a means of collecting data needed for
specific, agreed-upon objectives.
• Weakness – Biologists lose their ability to take advantage of their “feel” for the
resource.
• The greatest weakness lies in people getting complacent in performing minimum
effort and standard tasks, and failing to investigate or striving to push for
improved strategies or methodologies. Standardized procedures are needed along
with the flexibility to go beyond minimum standards or break the bureaucratic
inertia and continually find better methods.
• Weakness: In the absence of good practical judgement skills, safety issues could
develop (particularly electrofishing) during sampling. Restricts biologist from
deviating for prescribed procedures where customization might be more practical
and appropriate.
• Weakness: May create a “do only the minimum/standard attitude.”
• Weakness: Entices biologists and administrators into a model where thinking is
optional and any data are good data.
• Trying to apply a standard procedure to any objective just because the standard
exists and not because it is the best procedure – weakness.
• Weakness – Lack of flexibility that takes away from objective-based
management.
• Although standardized assessment procedures provide for continuity of data over
time, they create a lack of flexibility to answer specific or unique questions.
• The drawback is that from time to time, specialized alternatives are needed to
answer specific questions about our fish populations that our standardized
procedures may not adequately.
• The greatest weakness is that there are occasions that what works in one area of
the state does not work in another. Flexibility is needed sometimes to achieve
your goal when standardized methodology does not work.
INLAND NON-ADMINISTRATIVE--QUESTION 3
RESPONDENTS: 35
What is the most pressing issue anticipated in the next 10 years that will require
science-based input from the agency?
• Texas has far too little water and manages water issues with archaic concepts and
good-old-boy and big-money logic. This issue will strike not only sport and
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