National Introductions and Transfers Program

Title of the Privacy Impact Assessment

National Introductions and Transfers Program

Government institution

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)

Head of DFO or delegate for section 10 of the Privacy Act

A/Director, Access to Information and Privacy Secretariat

Senior official or executive for the new or substantially modified program or activity

Director General, Aquaculture Management

Name and description of the program or activity of the government institution

National Introductions and Transfers Program

Legal authority

Sections 4, 7, 43, and 61 of the Fisheries Act and sections 55 and 56 of the Fishery (General) Regulations

Personal information bank

Introductions and Transfers of Live Aquatic Organisms - DFO PPU 095

Short description of the project, initiative or change

The planned movement of live aquatic organisms (fish, shellfish and plants) through introductions or transfers supports aquaculture, commercial and recreational fisheries, stock enhancement, research, education, and ecological restoration. These movements are regulated to ensure they take place in a way that limits impacts on other animals and ecosystems.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada issues licences under Section 56 of the Fishery (General) Regulations to intentionally release and transfer live aquatic organisms into fish bearing waters or fish rearing facilities in all provinces and territories except Quebec (in freshwater), Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta where provincial officials authorize the release and transfer. The National Introductions and Transfers Program is implemented by Introductions and Transfers Committees (ITCs) (federal and provincial) established in each province and the Yukon. The ITCs follow the National Code on Introductions and Transfers of Aquatic Organisms.

Individuals seeking a licence to move aquatic organisms within a province, between provinces, or into Canada must obtain application information from the Introductions and Transfers Committee in the province or territory representing the aquatic organisms’ final destination. The Introductions and Transfers Committees will help guide applicants on necessary authorizations or permissions required to carry out a specific request. Licences can be obtained for a single movement or for multiple movements over a designated period of time for the equivalent amount. Several species can also be included in a single licence.

Planned changes to the National Introductions and Transfers Program include the implementation of the renewed National Code on Introductions and Transfers of Aquatic Organisms which involves developing a national database for all introductions and transfers across the country. The renewed National Code is scheduled to be implemented to coincide with the CFIA’s implementation of the domestic movement controls of the National Aquatic Animal Health Program (NAAHP) targeted for December 2015. As part of this process, this PIA was written to assess the privacy risks associated with this new initiative and the program as a whole.

Risk area identification and categorization

The following section contains risks identified in the PIA for the new or modified program. The numbered risk scale is presented in an ascending order: the first level (1) represents the lowest level of potential risk for the risk area; the fourth level (4) represents the highest level of potential risk for the given risk area.

Type of program or activity

Administration of program or activity and services - Personal information is used to make decisions that directly affect the individual (i.e. determining eligibility for programs including authentication for accessing programs/services, administering program payments, overpayments, or support to clients, issuing or denial of permits/licences, processing appeals, etc.).

Level of risk to privacy: low

Type of personal information involved and context

Only personal information, with no contextual sensitivities, collected directly from the individual or provided with the consent of the individual for disclosure under an authorized program.

Level of risk to privacy: low

Program or activity partners and private sector involvement

With other institutions or a combination of federal, provincial or territorial, and municipal governments.

Level of risk to privacy: medium

Duration of the program or activity

Long-term program or activity.

Level of risk to privacy: medium

Program population

For external administrative purposes affects certain individuals.

Level of risk to privacy: medium

Technology & privacy

Does the new or substantially modified program or activity involve implementation of a new electronic system or the use of a new application or software, including collaborative software (or groupware), to support the program or activity in terms of the creation, collection or handling of personal information?

Risk to privacy: no

Personal information transmission

The personal information is used in a system that has connections to at least one other system.
The personal information is transferred to a portable device (i.e. USB key, diskette or laptop computer), transferred to a different medium or is printed.

Level of risk to privacy: medium

Risk impact to the individual or employee in the event of a privacy breach

Inconvenience

Level of risk to privacy: low

Risk impact to the institution in the event of a privacy breach

Managerial harm - Processes must be reviewed, tools must be changed, change in provider.

Level of risk to privacy: low