Fishery Officer Body Worn Camera (“BWC”) Pilot Project

Title of the PIA

Fishery Officer Body Worn Camera (“BWC”) Pilot Project: Maritimes Region & Pacific Region

Government Institution

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (“DFO”)

Head of DFO or Delegate for Section 10 of the Privacy Act

Director, Access to Information and Privacy Secretariat

Senior Official or Executive for the new or substantially modified Program or activity

Director General, Conservation and Protection

Name and description of the Program or activity of the Government Institution

At DFO, Conservation and Protection (“C&P”) is responsible for the promotion of compliance with legislation, regulations, and management measures for the conservation and sustainable use of aquatic resources. C&P takes enforcement action against potential offenders and works in close collaboration with partners and stakeholders to implement effective controls and innovative compliance and enforcement strategies. C&P’s work includes but is not limited to: ensuring safe, peaceful, and orderly fisheries; detecting and deterring illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing; and monitoring contaminated shellfish closures. C&P contributes to the protection of Canadian sovereignty and in identifying potential marine safety and security threats in Canadian waterways. C&P has adopted an intelligence-led compliance and enforcement model based on three pillars: (1) education, shared stewardship and stakeholder engagement; (2) monitoring, control, and surveillance activities; and (3) major cases and special investigations.

Legal authority

DFO’s legal authority to collect personal information for the purposes of the BWC Pilot Project come from section 2 of the Criminal Code (i.e. definition of “Peace Officer”) in conjunction with sections 49 through 56 of the Fisheries Act (i.e. “Powers of Fishery Officers and Fishery Guardians”) and any other legislation which gives investigation and enforcement powers to fisheries officers (e.g. Coastal Fisheries Protection Act). DFO’s C&P Directorate is recognized as a federal investigative body under federal Privacy Regulations (SOR/83-508).

Personal information Bank

The BWC Pilot Project’s proposed handling of personal information falls within the parameters of an existing PIB: Violations under Canadian Fisheries and Fish Habitat Legislation (DFO PPU 460). This PIB governs information related to the investigation and enforcement of Canadian fisheries and fish habitat legislation.

Short description of the project, initiative or change

C&P will test the use of BWCs on a small scale, starting with deployment in two regions: Maritimes and Pacific. The regional pilots will serve as a proof-of-concept for a future BWC program at DFO. BWCs will be used as a supplementary tool to traditional fishery officer investigative and enforcement powers. External vendors may be sought to provide BWC equipment, training, and/or data management services for the pilot project. There is the opportunity to use BWC equipment on loan from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (“RCMP”), but additional software support may require the acquisition of an external vendor. A limited number of officers will be selected for participation in the pilot depending on a variety of factors, including the officer’s exposure to high-conflict scenarios.

Risk area identification and categorization

Type of Program or activity

Risk rating: 4

Type of personal information involved and context

Risk rating: 4

Program or activity partners and private sector involvement

Risk rating: 4

Duration of the Program or activity

Risk rating: 2

Program population

Risk rating: 3

Technology & privacy

The program or activity involves implementation of new technologies or one or more of the following activities:

• Surveillance (audio/video recording device) 

Personal information transmission

Risk rating: 3

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

Risk rating: 2

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

Risk rating: 4