3.0 Collect Data: Overview

Overview   Introduction    Standard procedures   Other considerations    Resources     Results and next steps

The third step of our salmon monitoring wheel focuses on data collection approaches and procedures.  This field implementation step must be underpinned by clearly articulated goals and objectives and a strong monitoring design as outlined in Steps 1 and 2.  Once this foundation is built, it is essential that project staff make every effort to implement the planned design in the field.   In contrast to Step 2 (Design), you will not find a process for selecting specific data collection methods.  Instead we emphasize the need to use standard protocols and well-designed Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures, which ensure that collected data will successfully answer questions defined by the project and support effective decision making.  You will find information sources and examples for this data collection step.  Monitoring resources are scarce, which heightens the importance of using proven data collection approaches and procedures that are built on a solid design foundation to increase the project's value and likelihood of funding.