8149

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8149
• Author: Phenicie, C. K. and J. R. Lyons.
• Title: Tactical Planning in Fish and Wildlife Management and Research.
• USFW Year: 1973.
• Copyright Material: NO

To illustrate this third step, continue with the example above and
examine the objective,

Measure the annual increment of the fishery attributable to
marsh production.

This now becomes the conclusion and from it we must derive its anteced-
ents. What obstacle is specified? What must be done to overcome it? The
obstacle is statistics of the increment of the fishery attributable to
northern pike produced in the artificial marsh. To overcome it we might
obtain catch statistics from experimental lakes with the marsh-reared northern
pike distinguished by a mark. But knowing the contribution of these marked
fish to the creel might not overcome the obstacle to objective attainment, for
superimposing the marsh-reared northern pike upon the present fish population
could alter the overall fishery significantly. Therefore, it will be neces-
sary to obtain fishery statistics both before and after marsh operation. This
has been phrased as two third-echelon objectives in the example on the
centerfold.

Next check the validity of this derivation using the conditional sen-
tence. Will the conclusion be reached if and only if these two third-echelon
objectives are met? If the answer is yes, proceed to divide other objectives
into their constituent parts for further plan development. If the answer is
no, stop at this point and determine what is necessary to provide a valid set
of antecedents for the conclusion.

The question now arises, how far is successive derivation of echelons
continued? This varies with the nature of the problem. Management,
development, survey, and inventory-type problem plans will normally terminate
when items reached are recognized as actions which can be performed. For
example, examine again the two third-echelon elements of the plan which
estimate parameters of the fishery. A fourth echelon of items says how this
will be accomplished. Artificial marsh-reared fish must be fin clipped for
identification, and methods of creel census must be designed. Fin clipping
is certainly a terminal item. The creel census design is also, for it is a
technique either within the worker's repertoire or available on consultation
with a biometrician.

But the spawning marsh example illustrates another type of terminal item.
Also in the fourth echelon is the following objective:

Develop procedures for management of each of the experimental
spawning marshes.

By the method already described the solution was resolved into three
subordinate fifth-echelon objectives, each dealing with one phase of marsh
operation. Down to this level in the plan, and in that area of the plan
discussed above dealing with creel census, derivations were based on rational
consideration of factually warranted belief. Thus it can be reasoned that
one of the fifth-echelon objectives would be the determination of the most
productive and least costly method of marsh utilization for spawning.

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