Future of Data Collection and Dissemination

The call for government transparency and demand for access to integrated data is part of an information evolution straining our natural resource agency’s ability to meet these demands.  Since we now live in a world where data collection devices are becoming ubiquitous, we must revisit the paradigm that we need to exclusively employ expert data collectors. 

Historically, fisheries data collection required highly trained biologists in waders, painstakingly recording data on waterproof paper and transposing numbers later when their fingers thawed out.  We can now employ devices like smart phones, trail cameras, and sonar recorders in partnerships with wildlife groups, lake and river associations, and citizen volunteers.  Data captured by these devices with built-in-location recorders is reliable.  

Our challenge is how to best integrate these data sources and transform that data into useful information to support resource management decisions.