Canadian Hydrographic Service : The Canadian Hydrographic Service traces its history back to 1883, when it first reported to the Minister of the Department of Marine and Fisheries. Since then the service has been placed in several departments. Despite these changes, the hydrographic services' responsibilities have remained much the same. Its main objectives are to carry out all necessary hydrographic surveys and to publish, maintain, and distribute navigational charts, sailing directions, and tide tables needed to permit safe and efficient navigation in all navigable Canadian waters.
In 1883 Commander J.N. Boulton of the British Admiralty reported to the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries on the Great Lakes Survey. As of 1894 the Hydrographic Survey's report was filed as part of the report of the Chief Engineer of the Department of Marine and Fisheries. Various marine surveys and survey functions previously carried out by the Department of Public Works, the Department of Railways and Canals, as well as by the Department of Marine and Fisheries were all united under the new Canadian Hydrographic Service of the Department of Marine and Fisheries (Orders-in-Council PC 461 - 11 March 1904 and PC 1200 - 2 August 1904). In 1910 The hydrographic service was transferred to the Department of Naval Service where it remained until it was returned to the Department of Marine in 1923. After a brief stay in the Department of Transport, the hydrographic service was placed in the newly-created Department of Mines and Resources in 1936. Here, it fell under the Surveys and Engineering Branch until 1949, when it was transferred to a new branch, Mines, Forest, and Scientific Services Branch. In 1949 the hydrographic service was placed in another new ministry, the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys. From 1949 to 1962 the service was with the Surveys and Mapping Branch and then transferred to the Marine Sciences Branch. The hydrographic service remained in the Marine Sciences Branch; however, in 1966 this branch became part of the new Department of Energy, Mines, and Resources. The hydrographic service was moved to the Marine Sciences Directorate of the Department of the Environment in 1970. In 1976, the name was changed to Marine Surveys Directorate. With the creation of the Department of Fisheries and Environment in 1977, the hydrographic service was placed in the Fisheries and Marine Program's Ocean and Aquatic Sciences Division. Since 1979, the Canadian Hydrographic Service reports to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Ocean Science and Surveys, Department of Fisheries and Oceans. As of 1987, the Canadian Hydrographic Service was part of the Department of Fisheries and Ocean's Science and Surveys component. RG139 General Inventory
