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Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Basin Indicator Project

Indicator Project: What is an Indicator? • Purpose of the Indicator Project • Benefits of the Indicator Project • Current Indicator Project Partners • Join the Indicator Project Team • Links to More Information

Presented below is a table of definitions of the terms used in the indicator management programs.

TERM DEFINITION EXAMPLE REFERENCE
VISION A general description of the desired state of a lake, geographical area, or bioregion that is expressed by a group of stakeholders. A vision statement provides a description of desired state — it provides direction and establishes a horizon to be sought.

The Hamilton Harbour RAP has established the following vision statement:

"People living in the Harbour's watershed have a vision for Hamilton Harbour as a vibrant centerpiece in their community's life. They look towards a time when the environment will be balanced, friendly, accessible, clean and humming with diversity. They see the pleasure of recreation mixed with prosperity from use of the Harbour as an essential marine transportation link. They hope for what is a vision for them will be a reality for generations to come."

Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan Stage 2 Update. 2002.

GOAL

A condition or state desired to be brought about through a course of action or program. They are usually qualitative statements that provide direction for plans and projects. Goals are not specific numerical limitations, but conditions or states which can be obtained through careful planning and implementation.

The water use goal for the fishery, established by the Hamilton Harbour Stakeholder Group, is "that water quality and fish habitat should be improved to permit an edible, naturally-reproducing fishery for warm water species, and water and habitat conditions in Hamilton Harbour should not limit natural reproduction and the edibility of cold water species." Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan Writing Team. 1992. Remedial action plan for Hamilton Harbour. Goals, options, and recommendations. Volume 2, Main Report. Stage II Remedial Action Plan. Burlington, Ontario, 329 pp.
OBJECTIVE Specific descriptions of the state or condition that must be met in order to achieve goals and the vision.

In Hamilton Harbour on western Lake Ontario, an objective is to shift from a fish community indicative of a eutrophic environment, such as white perch (Morone americana), alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), bullheads (Ictalurus spp.), and carp (Cyprinus carpio), to a self-sustaining community more representative of a mesotrophic environment, containing northern pike (Esox lucius), bass (Micropterus salmoides and M. dolomieui), yellow perch ( Perca flavescens), and sunfish (Lepomis spp.).

Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan Writing Team. 1992. Remedial action plan for Hamilton Harbour. Goals, options, and recommendations. Volume 2, Main Report. Stage II Remedial Action Plan. Burlington, Ontario, 329 pp.
INDICATOR An indicator is a measurable feature or features that singly or in combination provides management with useful information on status, quality, or trends.

Typically, there is a spectrum of outcome-oriented parameters which are monitored and collectively serve as an indicator. For example, parameters which collectively serve as an indicator for the fishery objective for Hamilton Harbour include: abundance of key species; sustainability of indigenous populations; presence of non-indigenous species; and rate of habitat loss and preservation.

Environment Canada and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1995. State of the Great Lakes. Toronto, Ontario, Chicago, Illinois, 56 pp.
PARAMETER OR DATA POINT

A single measurable feature which provides information regarding the status and trend associated with that feature and can be combined with other parametric measurements to serve as an indicator.

Examples of parameters or data points which can collectively serve as indicators for the Hamilton Harbour fishery objective include quantitative measurements of populations of different species, population trends, amount and quality of littoral habitat, etc. Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan Writing Team. 1992. Remedial action plan for Hamilton Harbour. Goals, options, and recommendations. Volume 2, Main Report. Stage II Remedial Action Plan. Burlington, Ontario, 329 pp.
TARGET Specific, attainable, quantitative, end points for indicators that determine achievement of objectives.

Fishery targets for Hamilton Harbour include:

  • total biomass of fish in littoral habitats - 200-250 kg/ha;
  • total biomass of native piscivores (e.g., northern pike, largemouth bass) - 20-25%;
  • percent of native species - 80-90%;
  • species richness - 6-7 species per survey transect;
  • piscivore biomass in littoral habitats - 40-60 kg/ha;
  • specialist (e.g., yellow perch, pumpkinseed - Lepomis gibbosus, alewife) biomass in littoral habitats - 70-100 kg/ha; and
  • generalist (e.g., carp and bullheads) biomass in littoral habitats - 30-90 kg/ha.
 R.G. Randall and V.W. Cairns, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 867 Lakeshore Road Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6 Canada

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