2016 Sable and Hay Island Aerial Survey to Estimate Grey Seal Pup Production

1.0 Scope1. 1 Title2016 Sable and Hay Island Aerial Survey to Estimate Grey Seal Pup Production1.2 IntroductionThe Department of Fisheries & Oceans is interested in receiving proposals for the 2016 Sable and Hay Island Aerial Surveys. Complete colour digital photographic coverage of Sable and Hay Islands is required.1.3 Contracting PeriodUpon contract award through to March 31, 20161.3 Objectives of the RequirementThe contractor will provide complete photographic coverage of Sable Island and Hay Island which will be used by DFO to estimate grey seal pup production.1.4 Background, Assumptions and Specific Scope of the RequirementAerial surveys of Sable and Hay Islands were last completed during 2007 and 2010. DFO Science is requesting that this aerial survey be repeated during 2016 using the same methods as outlined in the SOW.(W.D. Bowen, C. den Heyer, J.I. McMillan, and M.O. Hammill. 2011. Pup Production at Scotian Shelf Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) Colonies in 2010. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2011/066: vi + 25p.).2.0 RequirementsThe survey is to be completed from an altitude of ~ 308 m (1000 ft), in a fixed-wing aircraft provided and operated by the Contractor, using a Microsoft Vexcel UCX camera or equivalent to provide better than 3 cm ground resolution, as was delivered with the UCD camera in 2007 and 2010. The Contractor is to be mindful of the cycling characteristics of the camera to ensure there is no residual image motion.Fixed-wing aircraft provided and operated by the Contractor to be used to complete an aerial survey of Sable Island and Hay Island. This will be achieved by flying a series of parallel transects with 60% forward and 20% lateral overlap among adjacent photographs.As with previous surveys (1993, 1997, 2004, 2007, & 2010), each survey is to be completed as a one sortie mission in order to preserve the counting integrity of the imagery.The survey is to be completed from an altitude of ~ 308 m (1000 ft) using a Microsoft Vexcel UCX camera or equivalent to provide better than 3 cm ground resolution, as was delivered with the UCD camera in 2007 and 2010 aerial surveys.The Contractor is to be mindful of the cycling characteristics of the camera to ensure there is no residual image motion.The Contractor will provide the digital photography, metadata, *.twf files (geo-referencing presuming a flat terrain at a fixed elevation above sea-level), and a CAD file (*.dxf) with a wire frame of the photographs or digital mosaic.