❓ Hon Lynn MacLaren questions the Minister for Fisheries regarding the use of sea surface temperature data in the Department of Fisheries' fish kill incident report for Cockburn Sound, specifically querying the preference for Landgate FireWatch data over IMOS data. The Minister clarifies the department's data sources and contributions to IMOS.
AnsweredQoN 116Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES — FISH KILL
INCIDENT REPORT — COCKBURN SOUND
116. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the Minister
for Fisheries:
I refer to the Department of
Fisheries' fish kill incident report relating to events in Cockburn
Sound in November–December 2015, including figure 2 at page 8 of the
report.
(1) Why was the
Landgate FireWatch website used for information on sea surface temperature
rather than data from the Integrated Marine Observing System?
(2) Does the Department of Fisheries
contribute financially and/or in kind to the IMOS program?
(3) If yes to (2), what is the
department's contribution to that program in this financial year?
(4) Does the department intend in
the future to use IMOS data for information about sea temperature?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
INCIDENT REPORT — COCKBURN SOUND
116. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the Minister
for Fisheries:
I refer to the Department of
Fisheries' fish kill incident report relating to events in Cockburn
Sound in November–December 2015, including figure 2 at page 8 of the
report.
(1) Why was the
Landgate FireWatch website used for information on sea surface temperature
rather than data from the Integrated Marine Observing System?
(2) Does the Department of Fisheries
contribute financially and/or in kind to the IMOS program?
(3) If yes to (2), what is the
department's contribution to that program in this financial year?
(4) Does the department intend in
the future to use IMOS data for information about sea temperature?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of this question.
(1) The main
source of information was the Department of Fisheries' in-situ loggers
deployed in Cockburn Sound. These loggers collect temperature measurements on
an hourly basis, with data having been collected for the last eight years. This
data source was used in preference to IMOS data, as data collected by in-situ
loggers is widely acknowledged as being more accurate than satellite-derived
sea surface temperature, especially in coastal areas in close proximity to
land.
(2) The
department makes an in-kind contribution to the IMOS program in the form of
staff attendance at its reference group meetings and through the contribution
of relevant data sources.
(3) The
contribution is approximately two days of staff time per year in attending the
IMOS reference group.
(4) Yes, when this provides the most
accurate data available.
(5) Not applicable.
some notice of this question.
(1) The main
source of information was the Department of Fisheries' in-situ loggers
deployed in Cockburn Sound. These loggers collect temperature measurements on
an hourly basis, with data having been collected for the last eight years. This
data source was used in preference to IMOS data, as data collected by in-situ
loggers is widely acknowledged as being more accurate than satellite-derived
sea surface temperature, especially in coastal areas in close proximity to
land.
(2) The
department makes an in-kind contribution to the IMOS program in the form of
staff attendance at its reference group meetings and through the contribution
of relevant data sources.
(3) The
contribution is approximately two days of staff time per year in attending the
IMOS reference group.
(4) Yes, when this provides the most
accurate data available.
(5) Not applicable.
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