The RDGs prepare operational plans for each of the regional service lines, applying national level of service standards. These regional plans are rolled up and assessed by the HQ functional ADMs for their respective program areas, with final consideration and resource allocation performed by the department s management committee. The RDGs annual allocation is on a program basis, but a RDG has the flexibility to move resources between programs to meet higher priority needs. The Commissioner s functional responsibilities include a mix of programs, i.e. marine aids to navigation, ice breaking, search and rescue, and a service function, the marine vessel fleet. The vessel fleet service is available to support the above marine programs together with other DFO programs such as fish management and science.
Fleet services recover their operating costs from the programs they serve.
The fleet comprises 114 vessels which operated in 1999-2000. Another 36 large vessels are in lay up status. The department faces the challenge of having insufficient capital dollars to re-invest to maintain an appropriate vessel age and life expectancy. The department has seen its budgets reduced over the last few years and consequently there are program resource shortfalls. When the different programs are planning their annual fleet requirements and negotiating service arrangements with the fleet, the costs of vessel sea-days are watched very closely.