NFHP Science and Data Committee Report Gary E. Whelan (MI DNR) and Andrea C. Ostroff (USGS) NFHP Science & Data Committee Co-Chairs June 2013

2013 Committee Workplan Refine committee membership Catalog and review FHP assessments Implement approved strategy to refine the 2010 National Fish Habitat Assessment (Assessment) for 2015 and beyond. Develop standard effectiveness measures for conservation actions used to address nationwide fish habitat focus areas. Status of Updated Data System

National Summary Map

Key Processes for All Systems Hydrology Connectivity Material Transport Water Quality Bottom Form and Living Habitat Energy Flow

Committee Membership Focus committee Membership review completed Key interests and skills considered Coverage from all regions of U.S. Expertise needed for priority Committee tasks and meeting 2015 assessment objectives Agency and FHP recommendations

Committee Membership New members will provide : Additional modeling review abilities More coastal and marine representation Expertise in lake systems Specific experience with tracking project data Southeast expertise for the next 2-years to gain momentum with specific FHP advances Awaiting cooperator agency input to fully complete task

FHP Assessment Questionnaire March 8 - Sent to all FHPs April 15 – Initial Due Date –Response rate = 55.5% June 3 - Response rate = 88.8% –2 FHPs have not responded

Questionnaire Summary Results QuestionResponse FHP Data Contacts 100%; 94% secondary; 19% secondary + Completed and planned FHP Assessments 64 datasets/assessments completed Peer reviews and publications 26 publications completed Data acquisition challenges and barriers 48 challenges reported Needed FHP data from 2015 Assessment Missing National datasets Regional datasets Wide variation in responses and needs paving the way for future collaboration

Closer Look at Challenges ChallengeNumber of Responses Data access and availability20 Data format7 Data storage for partner access6 Varied sampling methodology7 Resources to conduct data work5

FHP Assessment Survey Results Data will allow us to determine how to help FHPs overcome key challenges Initial information to assist FHPs with NFHP data inventory Key insights on available process level data from FHPs

National Inland Assessment Progress (MSU) Lower 48 Inland Assessment –Incorporating new datasets Fish and mussel data USEPA – Section 303d, TMDL and NARS datasets USFS – Watershed Condition Framework Hydrology and Mining –Improvement 2010 Assessment framework –Refining approaches with Committee review in Aug. Improving AK and HI assessments Developing lakesheds in preparation for initial lake assessment

National Marine Assessment Progress (NOAA) Significant refinement of methodology –Gulf of Mexico estuary focus –Upgrading assessment to include fish and shellfish datasets –Refining geospatial framework Review process –Regional stakeholder webinar in late July –Science and Data Committee in August Pacific estuaries next area of emphasis - PMEP

Standard Effectiveness Measures Pending contract with Foundations of Success for facilitation Work will “step-down” 6 high-level conservation actions to finer levels of granularity to expose feasible indicators Design pilot-test for implementation

NFHP Data System Update To be released July 2013 Introduces second viewer for visualizing priority data themes Dataset profile pages open within the NFHP Data System for streamlined user experience Ability to consume and disseminate ArcGIS services Supports preservation for authoritative sources of NFHP data

Version 3.0 will introduce a secondary viewer to visualize available data by priority theme – to be released July 2013

Next priority theme will be Connectivity and will disseminate data on fish passage barriers. Version 3.0 Data Theme Viewer will visualize available fish data summarized at the HUC12 scale

Next priority theme will be Connectivity and will disseminate data on fish passage barriers. Version 3.0 Data Theme Viewer will visualize available fish data summarized at the HUC12 scale

Web map services or ArcGIS services are available in dataset profile pages Dataset profile pages are auto-generated more user- friendly and don’t send user outside of the NFHP Data System to view

Consolidated Services and Data Management Best Practices in Action Partnership uploads data FHP receives guidance to help support creating metadata releases data Authoritative NFHP dataset profile is auto-generated Web services can be disseminated in multiple places including FHP web pages

Thank You! Visit for more informationwww.fishhabitat.org Gary E. Whelan Michigan DNR Andrea C. Ostroff US Geological Survey