Above: Dr. Kevin Cazelles of inSileco Inc. codes the Shiny app
Funding Entity: Department of Fisheries & Oceans (awarded August 2024)
Status: Completed
Principal Investigators: Dr. Kevin McCann & Dr. Joey Bernhardt
The Timing Windows Project was initiated to provide a data-driven approach to assessing and optimizing the temporal protection of fish populations in Canadian freshwater systems. Many fish species exhibit life cycle events—such as spawning, migration, and juvenile rearing—that are closely tied to seasonal and environmental cues. These life processes are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances such as dredging, dam operations, and other industrial activities.
“Many fish species exhibit life cycle events—such as spawning, migration, and juvenile rearing—that are closely tied to seasonal and environmental cues.”
Pictured: A schematic diagram representing the many variables to be considered in the development of the National Timing Windows Database (NTWD).
Timing windows have long been used as a management tool to mitigate these impacts; however, their effectiveness has been constrained by regional variability, limited data availability, and a lack of integration between scientific knowledge and regulatory applications. This project addresses these limitations by developing a National Timing Windows Database (NTWD) and an interactive Timing Windows Calculator as a Shiny web application. These tools are designed to enhance the precision of timing window recommendations, improve risk assessments for fish life processes, and empower decision-makers with a flexible and science-based framework for environmental planning. Biological data specialists Dr. David Beauchesne and Dr. Kevin Cazelles, of inSileco Inc., were tasked with building-out the database and accompanying Shiny app.
They have summarized the project in a detailed data report which can be accessed here.
