Research Document 2019/060
Science and Foundations of the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool (HEAT)
By Abdel-Fattah, S., Minns, C.K., Doherty, A.M., Jardine, J.J., and Doka, S.E.
Abstract
The Fisheries Protection Program (formerly Fish Habitat Management Program) in Canada is a responsibility of the federal government, specifically Fisheries and Oceans Canada, with a mandate specified in the Fisheries Act and its associated policies. A quantitative framework for assessing net change of productive capacity using the basic concepts of Defensible Methods (DM) for assessing fish habitat was developed by Minns (1995). An online application of this methodology, called the Habitat Alteration Analysis Tool (HAAT), was adopted by the Ontario-Great Lakes Region of the Fish Habitat Management Program for use in lacustrine project referrals involving infill and associated habitat alterations. Since then numerous additions, alterations, and extensions have been made to the software application. The application was updated and further modified to an online R application and is now called the Habitat Ecosystem Assessment Tool (HEAT). The ultimate goal for HEAT is to link habitat management to fisheries management through population and ecosystem production dynamics mediated through all important habitat drivers. The development of HEAT has evolved over a period of roughly 20 years from DM, and continues to be applicable under current departmental policy. This report provides background on the Tool’s underlying science and foundations, its current application and future direction.
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