DFO's Website - What we Think About it?

Are You Happy with DFO's Website?

  • I like the existing website and can easily find what I'm looking for

  • I can find what I'm looking for but it's time consuming and onerous

  • I can find what I'm looking for with help of others or information is outdated / wrong

  • Website is so hard to navigate that I've given up on it

Results are only viewable after voting.
R

Ringo

Crew Member
With the growing demand for instantaneous and mobile access to the most up to date fishing notifications and other related information, members of different user groups (commercial, recreational, first nations, researchers, etc.) should be able to benefit from some of the advanced tools. This pole is meant to gauge the level satisfaction of the existing website among the members of this forum and also pan out some basic ideas on how our expectations could be communicated and pushed to Ottawa.

Please keep the conversation civil and let us know what you would expect from an upgraded DFO website.
 
The best option would be an interactive map that when you click on each region brings up the regulations or restrictions for that region, as well as a list of recent notices/openings/closures. Ideally you could also zoom into the map to allow you to see exact sub-area boundaries and other things like protected areas etc. The key here is to design the page so when you click a region a pop over or new tab opens with all the pertinent information without navigating away from the map. Also I would like to see all restrictions and closures listed first (at the top of the info page) in an easy to read format for those who use laziness as an excuse to not learn what they can and can't catch. Furthermore, when mentioning areas or sub areas in DFO notices, link back to the interactive map (again new tab or whatever to avoid navigating away from the page) so users can easily see where the notice is referencing.
 
Capilano said:
Don't expect any changes or updates anytime soon for the DFO website as it was just announced last week that efforts to downsize and merge all canadian government websites has ended in failure.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-government-to-downsize-failing-canada-ca-project-1.4202563
Click to expand...

How they came up with the $1.5M initial estimate for that massive project is beyond me!:eek:
However, I think this provides an opportunity to voice our expectations when there are still talks of prioritizing the agencies and their migration timelines:

"Other departments will continue to have the option of migrating content to Canada.ca as resources and technology advances allow," said Ferland.

Efforts to document and communicate our expectations to the government before the next election will not be a waste however I agree that the actual change could be ways out.
 
I can tell you the online licences thing is a complete joke I have clients phoning me all the time is there a easier way???????
its a fishing lic for god sake why make it so hard to download info and GOD FORBID you enter any info wrong or a password ... (as if your going to remember a password from a year ago)
really miss to old paper ones.....
 
Dogbreath said:
Even I know that's far too little and I still type with two fingers.
Click to expand...
Well, at least they are consistent across the board. The certainty of that estimate is in the same neighborhood of their forecast for the Fraser Pink and Sockeye run:p

Besides what Alex_C said above, I like to have an app on my phone where I can renew my fishing licenses and conservation tags without having to re-enter a bunch of redundant info and data - like syncing my profile to finger print logon would be ideal (like the online banking apps). Also, ability to search on a mobile device by sector (recreational, commercial, etc.), area, current location or even GPS coordinates would be ideal. If that app can also be used as my fishing license and I can record and submit my catch online, that would save me from printing and carrying my license in my wallet everywhere I go. Automated notifications of in-season changes for your favorite areas would also be handy to keep you on top of openings, closings and limit changes.
 
Damien said:
Copying Washington State would be an upgrade. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Click to expand...
Good idea however, Canadian privacy laws pose a different set of requirements for government online entities. Specially when it comes to licensing information and sharing of the user info across sectors.
 
I'm with Alex C
I fish different areas as many of us do. I want to be able to click on a map of the area and have ALL the current regulations and info without having to search for it. It's to the point where I print off what I believe to the current restrictions in case I cant find one more current, that way if I ever get stopped by a DFO officer (never happened so far they are so under staffed) I feel at least I have a starting point to argue my case that I am trying to do the right thing.
Also the maps should have closure areas marked on them for every change, not just the closures that happen every year.
Make it easy for us.
 
BCRingo said:
Well, at least they are consistent across the board. The certainty of that estimate is in the same neighborhood of their forecast for the Fraser Pink and Sockeye run:p

Besides what Alex_C said above, I like to have an app on my phone where I can renew my fishing licenses and conservation tags without having to re-enter a bunch of redundant info and data - like syncing my profile to finger print logon would be ideal (like the online banking apps). Also, ability to search on a mobile device by sector (recreational, commercial, etc.), area, current location or even GPS coordinates would be ideal. If that app can also be used as my fishing license and I can record and submit my catch online, that would save me from printing and carrying my license in my wallet everywhere I go. Automated notifications of in-season changes for your favorite areas would also be handy to keep you on top of openings, closings and limit changes.
Click to expand...


An app would be great but the dev costs for something like that would be well out of the reach of an already poorly funded agency.
 
the Android version is in the works from what I hear. No idea wrt timing, however. I have the iphone version of the FishingBC App and I have mixed reviews. From what I hear it will eventually serve as a substitute for a hard copy of your licence/stamp which would be great. The catch log info is also something that I will also find helpful.

A big disappoint for me is the map / regulation info. I was hoping that it would essentially be a copy of the Navionics apps (which is awesome) but then also have pertinent regulatory info (areas, RCA's clearly shown, updated regulations, etc). The existing map is not interactive in a meaningful way IMO. Charts are shown by Area and it's a multi-step process to switch charts from one area to another which is unfortunate. The RCA's are highlighted but not as clearly shown as could be. The regulations (catch restrictions, limits, openings, etc) are all pulled from DFO announcements and are not cleaned up and presented in an easy to read format.

The overall intent of the app is great but in terms of meeting my expectations it's a fail for me at this point. I really wanted to use the app regularly while fishing but given it's shortfalls I've only pulled it out once of twice. Hoping they make some changes to it so that is becomes MUCH more user friendly as I've been out fishing with some 'older' guys who are just as lost on the app as they are on DFO website.

wildthing said:
is it on android yet??????

as not everyone one has a i phone and some folks don't use cell's ....
Click to expand...
 
tincan said:
the Android version is in the works from what I hear. No idea wrt timing, however. I have the iphone version of the FishingBC App and I have mixed reviews. From what I hear it will eventually serve as a substitute for a hard copy of your licence/stamp which would be great. The catch log info is also something that I will also find helpful.

A big disappoint for me is the map / regulation info. I was hoping that it would essentially be a copy of the Navionics apps (which is awesome) but then also have pertinent regulatory info (areas, RCA's clearly shown, updated regulations, etc). The existing map is not interactive in a meaningful way IMO. Charts are shown by Area and it's a multi-step process to switch charts from one area to another which is unfortunate. The RCA's are highlighted but not as clearly shown as could be. The regulations (catch restrictions, limits, openings, etc) are all pulled from DFO announcements and are not cleaned up and presented in an easy to read format.

The overall intent of the app is great but in terms of meeting my expectations it's a fail for me at this point. I really wanted to use the app regularly while fishing but given it's shortfalls I've only pulled it out once of twice. Hoping they make some changes to it so that is becomes MUCH more user friendly as I've been out fishing with some 'older' guys who are just as lost on the app as they are on DFO website.
Click to expand...
I agree with just about everything you said @tincan but I do find the Fishing BC app way easier to use than the DFO website even in it's current version. yes they still have work to do, but at least they are trying unlike DFO it seems.
 
I don't have issues with the RCA and general species info in the app but hate finding shellfish info. Just like on the website it's silly to have to look in so many different places. Why not 1 color coded or layered map with RCA's and all types of shellfish closures shown in detail and zoomable?
 
wolf said:
I can tell you the online licences thing is a complete joke I have clients phoning me all the time is there a easier way???????
its a fishing lic for god sake why make it so hard to download info.....
Click to expand...

Man, you should see the HOOPs involved in collecting an annual commercial license! :mad:
I swear the whole thing has been set up to deter us from collecting any licenses at all, and then to confuse the hell out of everyone as far as information goes!! :confused:

Conspiracy might come to mind (being set up for charges etc) but then again I really don't think they are capable of that much thought / planning...

Cheers,
Nog
 
IronNoggin said:
Man, you should see the HOOPs involved in collecting an annual commercial license! :mad:
I swear the whole thing has been set up to deter us from collecting any licenses at all, and then to confuse the hell out of everyone as far as information goes!! :confused:

Conspiracy might come to mind (being set up for charges etc) but then again I really don't think they are capable of that much thought / planning...

Cheers,
Nog
Click to expand...
Nog
Belive me, it's all because of incompetency rather than conspiracy...
 
Often the IT decisions are made by bureaucrats that have no clue how IT works. Then the order comes down to the development team to build something that makes no sense and is coupled with ridiculous internal work policies (set by management that have no clue about how to manage IT projects) which results in nothing being accomplished and wasting countless $$$.
I'd bet my next paycheque there's a team of overly frustrated good quality developers that have thrown their arms in the air in disgust knowing they were handed an impossible task with the guidelines thrust upon them.

They should let some IT guys who fish build the site.

Or... provide access to the data to the private sector and let any company who wants to consume the data and build an app or website where they can then sell access to the public for a nominal fee. I'd happily pay 10 or 20 bucks to a private company that can supply an app that allows me simple functions as listed above by others.
- buy a license
- look up latest regulations on an interactive map of management areas
- weather with tide/current data
- record your catch
 
It wouldn't be too hard to make a script to intake data from the DFO site daily. I need a programming project, maybe this would be worthwhile. I'll have to look into it and see if my skills are up to snuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top