Skip to main content
Ocean Networks Canada

Ocean Networks Canada

Search form

Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn iconYouTube iconFlickr iconInstagram icon

Menu

  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Jobs & Opportunities
    • Events & Workshops
    • Contact Us
    • Support Us
    • Annual Report 2019-2020
    • Organization
      • Leadership
      • Staff
      • Boards
      • Committees
    • Funders, Associate Members & Partners
      • Funders
      • Associate Members
      • Partners
  • Science
    • Science
    • Active Research
    • Highlights
    • Science Plan
      • Summary
      • Science Themes
    • Publications
      • General Interest
      • Academic
    • Getting Involved
      • Proposals
  • Innovation Centre
    • Innovation Centre
    • About the Innovation Centre
    • Success Stories
    • Contact Us
    • Smart Ocean™ Systems
      • Sensors and Instruments
      • Technology Demos
      • Ocean Observing Systems
      • Earthquake Early Warning
    • Partners & Networks
      • Industry Network
      • Global Partnerships
      • R&D Support
      • Students in Industry
    • Atlantic Partners
  • Learning
    • Learning
    • Learning Highlights
    • Learning Events
    • Partnerships
    • Contact Us
    • Ocean Sense
      • Community Observatories
        • Cambridge Bay
        • Campbell River
        • Kitamaat Village
        • Prince Rupert
      • Teacher Info
      • Student Info
      • Resources & Lessons
    • Get Involved
      • For Students
        • For Undergrads & Grads
      • For Educators
        • Educator Opportunities
      • For Communities
      • Ship2Shore
      • Citizen Science
        • Coastbuster
        • Digital Fishers
      • Youth Science Ambassador
    • Resources
      • Learning at Home
      • Educator Resources
      • Ocean Alive!
      • Oceanography 101
      • About the Observatories
      • Research Ideas
      • Student Reports
  • Observatories
    • Observatories
    • Arctic
    • Atlantic
    • Pacific
    • Mobile Platforms
    • Infrastructure
      • Data Facilities
      • Platforms
      • Devices & Sensors
      • Cables & Connectors
    • Expeditions
      • Wiring the Abyss
      • Expedition Logs
      • Maintenance Processes
    • Notices
      • Information for Mariners
      • Alerts
  • Data & Tools
    • Data & Tools
    • Highlights
    • Data Quality
    • Preview & Download
      • Preview & Visualize
      • Data Download Tools
      • State of the Ocean Plots
      • Ocean Report Card
    • Apps & Services
      • Mobile Apps
      • OPeNDAP Web Services
      • Related Sources
      • Earthquake Data Dashboard
    • Data Help
      • Usage Policy
      • Tutorials & Help Pages
      • Request Help
  • Sights & Sounds
    • Sights & Sounds
    • Terms of Use
    • Video
      • Live Video
      • Video Highlights
      • Video Archives
    • Images
      • Maps
    • Audio
      • Audio Highlights
      • Audio Archive
  • News
    • News
    • Stories
    • Newsletters
    • Calendar
    • Media Relations
      • Backgrounders
      • Downloads
      • In the News
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts

About Us

You are here

  1. Home
Mar 25, 2012

Super Digital Fisher Contributes 10000 Annotations

Digital Fishers, a crowdsourcing tool, which uses the input of citizen scientists such as Harold Smith to answer questions about marine biology.

Citizen scientist Harold Smith has now contributed over 10,000 annotations to Ocean Networks Canada's video database using the Digital Fishers crowdsourcing tool. 

The DigitalFishers leader board on 21 March 2012. On this day, Harold contributed 280 annotations and became our first user to break the 10,000 annotation barrier.

Harold is our current all-time leader, and his annotations are helping scientists tackle questions such as:

  • What environmental factors influence the distribution of species in the deep?
  • What is the biodiversity associated with deep-sea environments?
  • How do species interact with each other and with their environment?

We developed Digital Fishers together with the University of Victoria’s Centre for Global Studies (CfGS) with CANARIE funding. Co-investigator Dr. Rod Dobell leads the involvement of CfGS with additional support from eBriefings.ca.

Annotating a video clip showing a sea star on the Endeavour ridge, depth 2158m.

Recently we asked Harold why he’s so involved and what he thinks about DigitalFishers.

Digital Fishers

1. Tell us about your educational and professional background.

Harold Smith

I have a Master’s of Science degree in Business & Management (Troy State Univ), and a Bachelor of Arts degree (Univ. of Maryland) also in Business & Management . I am retired military (United States Air Force/21 years) and retired US Federal Government (a U.S. Dept. of Defense Agency/19 years).

2. In a few words, can you tell us what your particular interests are?

I have always had an interest in Oceanographic research but prior to this endeavor I’ve never been in a position to contribute anything to the field. I use the Internet extensively for investment research and for keeping tabs on new developments in science in general. I also have an avid interest in Archaeology.

3. Have you participated in something like this before?

No. But having discovered this project it also led me to several other crowd sourcing projects and I now participate in several projects of this type where I feel I can contribute something (via the scistarter and zooniverse websites).

4. In a few words, can you tell us why you are interested in being a Digital Fisher?

I like to think that I can make a contribution, albeit a small one, by participating in this project and I have the time and resources to do so.

5. What are your favorite aspects of Digital Fishers?

Trying to identify what I’m seeing. This is also the most frustrating aspect. Researching and finally identifying something I’ve never seen before does carry its own reward.

6. Do you enjoy the game function - cards, levels, leader board?

Not particularly. I think it might come across a bit more professionally if the “game” aspect were to be downplayed and the scientific research aspect were to be emphasized a bit more. I think that others involved in crowd-sourcing type programs might see the word “game” and dismiss the project out of hand without further investigation.

7. What is the most interesting/fascinating thing you have seen so far in Digital Fishers?

An unidentified worm (polychaete) which the camera happened to catch during its descent one day. It took me forever to figure out that it was a worm it was so spectacular.

 

Many thanks to Harold and the hundreds of other Digital Fishers who are contributing to the science on which better public policy can be built. If you have any comments on your experience as a Digital Fisher or questions about the project, please email us.

crowdsourcing | Digital Fishers | citizen science | marine biology

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

Related Stories

Ocean Networks Canada 2018 visiting scientist program: Q&A with Connie Lovejoy of Université Laval
May 8, 2018

Your new Digital Fishers mission (should you choose to accept it)…
Nov 20, 2017

Sablefish study reveals citizen scientists are expert observers
Jun 2, 2017

New app helps citizen scientists collect ocean data
Jun 2, 2015

Sablefish Countdown Redux
May 21, 2014

Digital Fishers: New Sablefish Campaign
May 21, 2014

Teen Spots Hagfish-Slurping Elephant Seal
Jan 23, 2013

Calendar of Events

January 2021

  • « Prev  
  •   Next »
S M T W T F S
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Newsletter

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter:

 

Tweets Follow @Ocean_Networks

 

 

Highlights

  • Audio
  • Data
  • Learning
  • Science
  • Video

Reading Room

  • Active Research
  • Backgrounders
  • FAQs
  • Glossary
  • News Briefs
  • News Stories
  • Newsletters
  • Publications

Cool Stuff

  • Apps
  • Digital Fishers
  • iBooks & e-Pubs
  • Live Video
  • Maps
  • Images
  • State of the Ocean

Data & Tools

  • Apps
  • Data Plots
  • Data Search
  • Data Policy
  • Data Help
  • OPeNDAP Web Services

Opportunities

  • Calendar
  • Educator Opportunities
  • Global Partnerships
  • Industry Network
  • Jobs
  • Staff List
  • Technology Services

Sites & Instruments

  • Arctic Sites
  • Northeast Pacific Sites
  • Salish Sea Sites
  • Notice to Mariners

Follow Us

Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn iconYouTube iconFlickr iconInstagram icon

Sign up for our newsletter

Feedback

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

                              

About Us | Contact Us | Media Relations | Legal Notices

©   Ocean Networks Canada. All rights reserved.  2474 Arbutus Road, Victoria, BC, V8N 1V8 | 1.250.472.5400