0500-recomendations.Rmd

# Recommendations

Recommendations for potential incorporation into collaborative watershed connectivity planning include:


 * Continue to acquire background information and leverage ongoing research initiatives in the region to collaboratively clarify current conditions and identify limiting factors to inform prioritization and effectiveness monitoring programs.  
 
 * Develop strategies to explore cost and fisheries production benefits of stream crossing structure upgrades alongside alternative/additional restoration and enhancement investments such as land conservation/procurement/covenant, cattle exclusion, riparian restoration, habitat complexing, water conservation, commercial/recreational fishing management, water treatment and research. Ideentify and pursue opportunities to collaborate and leverage initiatives together in study area watersheds (ex. fish passage rehabilitation, riparian restoration and cattle exclusion) for maximum likely restoration benefits.
 
 * Refine barrier thresholds for road-stream crossing structures to explore metrics specific to life stage and life history types of species of interest. This will further focus efforts of potential remediation actions based on biological attributes (ex. timing of migration, size/direction of fish migrating, population dynamics, etc.) and could result in the consideration of interim "stop-gap" physical works to alter crossing characteristics that can address key connectivity issues yet be significantly less costly than structure replacements (ex. building up of downstream area with rock riffles to decrease the outlet drop size and/or increasing water depth within pipe with baffles and substrate additions).
 
 * Model fish densities (fish/m^2^) vs. habitat/water quality characteristics (i.e. gradient, discharge, alkalinity, elevation, riparian health, distance from high order streams, etc.) using historically gathered electrofishing and remotely sensed geodata to inform crossing prioritization, future data acquisition needs and the monitoring of restoration actions.

  * Continue to develop `bcfishpass`,`bcfishobs`, `fwapg`, `bcdata` and `fpr` as well as to share open source data analysis and presentation tools that are scaleable and facilitate continual improvement.  Tools should continue to be flexible and well documented to allow the future incorporation of alternative fragmentation indicators, habitat gain/value metrics and watershed sensitivity indicators.
 
 * Continue to collaborate with potential partners to build relationships, explore perspectives and develop “road maps” for aquatic restoration in different situations (MoT roads, rail lines, permit roads of different usages, FSRs, etc.) – documenting the people involved, discussions and processes that are undertaken, funding options, synergies, measures of success, etc.