bedford institute of oceanography 2001 in review - Région des ...

Retrospective2001In 2001, staff of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography continued toperform targeted oceanographic and biological research mandatedby the Canadian government and engaged in management activitiesunder the Oceans Act and the Fisheries Act. They provided advice onmarine environments, especially those supporting fisheries, aquaculture,offshore hydrocarbon resources, provided navigational chartsfor waters from Georges Bank to the Canadian Arctic, undertooknumerous reviews of development activities under the habitatprotection provisions of the Fisheries Act and the CanadianEnvironmental Assessment Act, and led a number of oceans managementactivities. Some of the activities undertaken during 2001 tosupport emerging priorities are summarized below, or are featuredin articles in this report.NEW INITIATIVESLate in 2000, the Centre for Marine Biodiversity (CMB) was establishedin partnership with scientists and students principally fromDalhousie University, Halifax, NS and the Huntsman Marine ScienceCentre, St. Andrews, NB. In the summer of 2001, Dr. EllenKenchington of BIO was elected as the first Executive Director, andthe Centre’s administrative office was located at BIO. Also in 2001, aspart of a Memorandum of Understanding with Dalhousie University,a DFO Chair in Resource Conservation Genetics was created. Dr. PaulBentzen presently holds this position (see the Other Programs sectionof this report for more information on the CMB).The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) obtained national ISO9001-2000 certification in December 2001 from the InternationalOrganization for Standardization. This achievement is a result of morethan two years of effort by CHS, at the national and regional levels, tomeet the stringent ISO requirements. The ISO 9000 family of internationalquality management standards and guidelines has earned a globalreputation as the basis for establishing quality management systems. Formore details on ISO 9001-2000 at CHS refer to the Science Activitiessection of this report.A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DFO and theCanada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) wassigned on July 26, 2001. This MOU established a formal processthrough which DFO and CNSOPB can work together to facilitate andpromote the sound management of petroleum activities whileprotecting the marine environment. Additional details are in the articlein the Resource Management Highlights section of this report.In 2001, BIO played a leadership role in the federal science andtechnology (S&T) community by initiating the Hypatia Project.Thisproject was designed to identify and develop a strategy to reduce thefactors limiting the recruitment, participation, and retention ofwomen in its science and technology positions. The project wasnamed Hypatia after an Egyptian mathematician, astronomer,natural philosopher, and teacher who lived in Alexandria in thefourth century. According to historical records, she was the firstwoman recognized as a scientist. This initiative is part of a provincialproject to design and implement long-term strategies to improve therepresentation of women in S&T in Nova Scotia. Mandates of theHypatia Project include improving organizational health, increasingawareness of the benefits that diversity brings to creativity in scienceand technology, and developing a workplace that actively supportsdiversity.FIELD PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIESThe Canadian Hydrographic Service conducted surveys in 2001 inNotre Dame Bay, St. Georges Bay, and St. Anthony, Newfoundland; inRed Bay, Labrador; and in the Bras d’Or Lakes, Nova Scotia. TheNotre Dame Bay survey enabled the production of a new Canadianchart to replace a British chart that is over 100 years old. Two new7.5m survey launches were ordered, the first new boats for CHS in 15years. They will provide CHS with trailerable vessels for use on smallhigh priority surveys. Additional activities included:• Processing and publishing Notices to Mariners to update charts formajor changes to the Coast Guard aids to navigation systems.• Electronic chart coverage for all major harbours and routes on theEast Coast has been completed. Production of traditional productscontinued with the publication of new paper charts and neweditions of old charts.4 / BIO-2001 IN REVIEW