The 2023 Report of the Workshop on Assessing the Impact of Fishing on Oceanic Carbon (WKFISHCARBON; outputs from 2023 meeting) is now available on the ICES online library.
The citation for this report is:
ICES, 2024. Workshop on Assessing the Impact of Fishing on Oceanic Carbon (WKFISHCARBON; outputs from 2023 meeting). ICES Scientific Reports. 6:12. 63 pp. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.24949122
https://wgftfb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ICES.jpg519675Antonello Salahttp://wgftfb.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/top1.jpgAntonello Sala2024-02-07 11:44:402024-02-12 17:50:40Report of the Workshop on Assessing the Impact of Fishing on Oceanic Carbon (WKFISHCARBON)
From 31 Jan to 2 Feb the ICES training on social science for natural scientists will be held in The Hague. We thought this may be of interest to gear technologists, many of whom work with/interview fishers and increasingly with social scientists and/or find themselves involved in societal discussions about gear/net innovation with multiple stakeholders.
31 January – 2 February 2024
Den Haag, the Netherlands
Research projects are increasingly interdisciplinary enterprises often with a strong emphasis on stakeholder participation and engagement. As a result natural scientists are being called upon to engage with a broader set of scientific and societal stakeholders and operate in new and challenging environments. In this changing professional context, gaining appropriate research skills is becoming a necessity. What this means in practice is finding new ways to collaborate, communicate, and engage with stakeholders (in our case fishers), managers and policy makers to broaden the knowledge base and increase the policy relevance of our work. As a result there is a need for targeted training in social science research methods for natural scientists.By way of professional introduction to the topic, this course will provide ‘hands on’ guidance on the basics required to navigate this challenging landscape. Employing a participant-led ‘learning by doing’ approach the facilitators will guide the participants step by step through the basics of social science methods such as interviewing, participant observation, mapping etc., in a supportive and interactive process designed to develop confidence and capacities.Background to the topic such as how social scientists understand and study the world, and the underpinning social science theory will also be discussed where appropriate. The course is designed to be challenging, flexible and fun ,and includes fieldwork in a fishing port.
Objective
Through gaining new skills, participants will be better able to work effectively with stakeholders in (cooperative) research projects, as well as having a better appreciation of the strengths and application of the social sciences in fisheries research.
Level
It is assumed that scientists have a natural science background, have or will have experience with working in cooperative research projects, working with stakeholders or are otherwise interested in learning more about social science methods in fisheries science. No knowledge of social science is required.
Course instructors
Marloes Kraan, Wageningen Economic Research, the Netherlands
Nathalie Steins, Wageningen Marine Research, the Netherlands
A new FAO-IMO report calls for systemic approaches to fishing gear recycling: building it into design and manufacturing through to end-of-life management.
Cite this content as:
Sala, A., Richardson, K., 2023. Fishing gear recycling technologies and practices. Rome, FAO and IMO, 120 pp. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8317en.
FAO-SEAFDEC publication: Assessment of the sustainability of fishing technologies and operations in Thailand: Options for innovation
I am pleased to share with you a new publication on “Assessment of the sustainability of fishing technologies and operations in Thailand: Options for innovation” which has been made available online. The publication is a result of joint work with SEAFDEC under the Multidisciplinary Fund (MDF) project on “Financing innovation for sustainable fisheries with the private sector”.
Arnupapboon, S., Saikliang, P., Suasi, T., Tiaye, R., Thimkhrap, T., Manomayithikan, K., Manajit, N., Yasuk, N., Putsa, S. and Van Anrooy, R. 2023. Assessment of the sustainability of fishing technologies and operations in Thailand: Options for innovation. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular, No. 1263. FAO, Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8501en
Please assist us to disseminate this circular widely, to promote innovation in fishing vessels, gears and fishing operations in Thailand and elsewhere in Asia.
Reference: ICES (2023). Workshop 2 on Innovative Fishing Gear (WKING2). ICES Scientific Reports Vol. 5(97), Eds. A. Sala, J. Calderwood, S. Eayrs, K. Hamon, N. Steins. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.24299146.v2
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In this report we convey on additional performance criteria that were included in the factsheets, based on review of the WKING report and discussions arising from WKING2. These include the perceived level of “Complexity”, “Capital cost”, and “Return on Investment”. Questions were also included that sought information related to operational and health and safety considerations, while others were based on the PESTEL framework, designed to evaluate the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors that may play a role in the uptake of innovative gear. Collectively, these additional performance criteria were an attempt to better understand main drivers that may influence the uptake of the innovative gear. We contacted members of the Joint ICES/FAO Working Group on Fishing Technology and Fish Behaviour (WGFTFB) and other relevant individuals seeking advice on innovative fishing gears. These individuals were invited to complete a revised factsheet with details describing an innovative gear they had developed and/or tested, including performance details.
The WKING2 report is based on the innovative gear catalogue containing an additional 75 factsheets which includes two updated innovations of gears (e.g. shrimp pulse trawl and Flemish panel) present in the previous WKING report.
The EU projects, Discardless, Minouw, SmartFish, GearingUp,and EveryFish were also reviewed to identify innovative gear, and to the extent practicable a factsheet was produced. Limited STECF (Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries) plenary meeting and EWG reports were also consulted.
Based on information provided in the factsheets, it was found that:
Almost 80% of innovations were categorized as having a high level of technological readiness and only 4% were categorized as having a low level of technological readiness. Almost half (47%) the innovations were perceived to have a minimal level of complexity, and most (80%) of those gears were also deemed to have a high level of technological readiness. Almost one-third of the remaining innovations were perceived to have a medium level of complexity and moderate or high technological readiness level.
Most (80%) innovative fishing gears were considered to result in a positive effect (incremental, transformative, or disruptive improvement) in catch efficiency, and most (80%) of these were also considered to have a high level of technological readiness. Those gears considered to result in a negative improvement in catch efficiency require further development, and despite their medium to high level of technological readiness it is unlikely fishers will adopt these gears unless they provide substantial improvement elsewhere, i.e. reduce fuel costs.
When considering gear selectivity, most (80%) innovative fishing gears were deemed to result in a positive effect (incremental, transformative, or disruptive). Most (78%) of these innovations were also considered to have a high level of technological readiness. Five gears were considered to result in a negative improvement in selectivity and require further development or discarding, despite their high level of technological readiness.
Most (64%) innovative fishing gears were considered to result in a reduction (incremental, transformative, or disruptive) of the impact on the marine ecosystem. Most (77%) of these innovations were also considered to have a high level of technological readiness. There were zero innovations with an increased impact compared to the baseline gear, and 27 with no effect.
The PESTEL framework, based on six factors (e.g. political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal), was used to provide additional performance criteria to better understand the main drivers that influence the uptake of innovative gear.
Initial use of PESTEL questions in the factsheets, and feedback received during the workshop, indicate that numerous, and often combined, factors are likely to influence gear uptake. More thorough and systematic collection of these data, based on an improved framework as developed in the workshop, is required before any conclusions can be drawn as to what factors encourage or impede uptake of innovative gears.
Most factsheet responses (53%) indicated that deployment and retrieval of the innovative gear was not expected to be any different from the baseline gear, while 28% of innovative gears were considered to make deployment and retrieval of the gear more difficult. Less than 10% of innovative gears were thought to be easier to deploy and retrieve.
Most (44%) innovative gears were likely to be more difficult for fishers to maintain and repair compared to the baseline gear while one-third were thought to make no difference, and 12% to be easier to maintain and repair.
Almost three-quarters (72%) of innovative gears were thought to have similar impact on fisher health and safetyas the baseline gears and only 1% to present a higher risk to health and safety.
Reference to the innovative gear reducing fuel consumption and or greenhouse gas emissions was apparent in 19 (25%) factsheets.
The report concludes that most innovations reported in the factsheets were deemed to be ready for adoption by industry, subject to minor alteration to suit operational and design differences between vessels.WKING2 attempted to understand where impediments may be delaying the uptake of these gears by industry, although the data only permits identification and analysis of trends and indications. Some recommendations to improve data collection in future are also included.
In response to the EU DG-MARE request for ICES advice on the progress and impact that has been made in innovative gear use within EU waters, I would like to inform you that the Workshop 2 on innovative fishing gear (WKING2) will be chaired by Antonello Sala (Italy) and Julia Calderwood (Ireland) and meet online 23-25 August 2023 to:
a) Evaluate/endorse the catalogue of gears considered ‘innovative’, including their objectives, technical specificities, and known impacts/benefits (in terms of selectivity and catch efficiency on target and non-target species and environmental impact in terms of benefits for, or negative effects on, marine ecosystems and sensitive habitats);
b) For innovations ready for deployment, assess the level of uptake of innovative gears by the EU industry (per sea basin and fishery). Investigate what aspects impact the uptake of innovative gears. Depending on data and knowledge availability, assess the impact of finance, user-friendliness, health, and safety. For those innovations which are already taken up, present the results for the fleets;
c) For those innovations not implemented, discuss the main drivers that prevented their use if known. Where possible, include analysis of the socio-economic trade-offs and propose ways to facilitate their implementation;
d) Produce a report detailing the process taken and presenting the results;
e) Draft a summary advice based on the report produced.
Report of the Workshop on Assessing the Impact of Fishing on Oceanic Carbon (WKFISHCARBON)
/in blog, News/by Antonello SalaDear all,
The 2023 Report of the Workshop on Assessing the Impact of Fishing on Oceanic Carbon (WKFISHCARBON; outputs from 2023 meeting) is now available on the ICES online library.
The citation for this report is:
ICES, 2024. Workshop on Assessing the Impact of Fishing on Oceanic Carbon (WKFISHCARBON; outputs from 2023 meeting). ICES Scientific Reports. 6:12. 63 pp. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.24949122
Social science methods for natural scientists
/in blog, News/by Antonello SalaFrom 31 Jan to 2 Feb the ICES training on social science for natural scientists will be held in The Hague. We thought this may be of interest to gear technologists, many of whom work with/interview fishers and increasingly with social scientists and/or find themselves involved in societal discussions about gear/net innovation with multiple stakeholders.
31 January – 2 February 2024
Den Haag, the Netherlands
Research projects are increasingly interdisciplinary enterprises often with a strong emphasis on stakeholder participation and engagement. As a result natural scientists are being called upon to engage with a broader set of scientific and societal stakeholders and operate in new and challenging environments. In this changing professional context, gaining appropriate research skills is becoming a necessity. What this means in practice is finding new ways to collaborate, communicate, and engage with stakeholders (in our case fishers), managers and policy makers to broaden the knowledge base and increase the policy relevance of our work. As a result there is a need for targeted training in social science research methods for natural scientists.By way of professional introduction to the topic, this course will provide ‘hands on’ guidance on the basics required to navigate this challenging landscape. Employing a participant-led ‘learning by doing’ approach the facilitators will guide the participants step by step through the basics of social science methods such as interviewing, participant observation, mapping etc., in a supportive and interactive process designed to develop confidence and capacities.Background to the topic such as how social scientists understand and study the world, and the underpinning social science theory will also be discussed where appropriate. The course is designed to be challenging, flexible and fun ,and includes fieldwork in a fishing port.
Objective
Through gaining new skills, participants will be better able to work effectively with stakeholders in (cooperative) research projects, as well as having a better appreciation of the strengths and application of the social sciences in fisheries research.
Level
It is assumed that scientists have a natural science background, have or will have experience with working in cooperative research projects, working with stakeholders or are otherwise interested in learning more about social science methods in fisheries science. No knowledge of social science is required.
Course instructors
Nathalie Steins, Wageningen Marine Research, the Netherlands
Fees
450 Euros (for ICES member country affiliated participants)
750 Euros (for non-member country affiliated participants)
Information on the training and how to register
https://www.ices.dk/events/Training/Pages/social_science_2024.aspx
Reflections by natural scientists who attended the previous training
https://www.ices.dk/news-and-events/news-archive/news/Pages/Narrowing-the-gap—ICES-course-to-tutor-natural-scientists-in-social-science-skills.aspx
Fishing gear recycling technologies and practices
/in blog, News/by Antonello SalaA new FAO-IMO report calls for systemic approaches to fishing gear recycling: building it into design and manufacturing through to end-of-life management.
Cite this content as:
Sala, A., Richardson, K., 2023. Fishing gear recycling technologies and practices. Rome, FAO and IMO, 120 pp. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8317en.
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FAO-SEAFDEC publication
/in blog, News/by Antonello SalaFAO-SEAFDEC publication: Assessment of the sustainability of fishing technologies and operations in Thailand: Options for innovation
I am pleased to share with you a new publication on “Assessment of the sustainability of fishing technologies and operations in Thailand: Options for innovation” which has been made available online. The publication is a result of joint work with SEAFDEC under the Multidisciplinary Fund (MDF) project on “Financing innovation for sustainable fisheries with the private sector”.
Please access this publication here: https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8501en
Cite the publication as follows:
Arnupapboon, S., Saikliang, P., Suasi, T., Tiaye, R., Thimkhrap, T., Manomayithikan, K., Manajit, N., Yasuk, N., Putsa, S. and Van Anrooy, R. 2023. Assessment of the sustainability of fishing technologies and operations in Thailand: Options for innovation. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular, No. 1263. FAO, Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8501en
Please assist us to disseminate this circular widely, to promote innovation in fishing vessels, gears and fishing operations in Thailand and elsewhere in Asia.
With warm regards
Raymon van Anrooy (PhD)
Senior Fishery Officer/ Team leader
Fishing technology and operations team (NFIFO)
Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI)
Workshop 2 on innovative fishing gear
/in blog, News/by Antonello SalaReport ICES WKING2 Released
The report is available at: https://ices-library.figshare.com/articles/report/Workshop_2_on_Innovative_Fishing_Gear_WKING2_/24299146
Reference: ICES (2023). Workshop 2 on Innovative Fishing Gear (WKING2). ICES Scientific Reports Vol. 5(97), Eds. A. Sala, J. Calderwood, S. Eayrs, K. Hamon, N. Steins. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.24299146.v2
===========================================
In this report we convey on additional performance criteria that were included in the factsheets, based on review of the WKING report and discussions arising from WKING2. These include the perceived level of “Complexity”, “Capital cost”, and “Return on Investment”. Questions were also included that sought information related to operational and health and safety considerations, while others were based on the PESTEL framework, designed to evaluate the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors that may play a role in the uptake of innovative gear. Collectively, these additional performance criteria were an attempt to better understand main drivers that may influence the uptake of the innovative gear. We contacted members of the Joint ICES/FAO Working Group on Fishing Technology and Fish Behaviour (WGFTFB) and other relevant individuals seeking advice on innovative fishing gears. These individuals were invited to complete a revised factsheet with details describing an innovative gear they had developed and/or tested, including performance details.
The WKING2 report is based on the innovative gear catalogue containing an additional 75 factsheets which includes two updated innovations of gears (e.g. shrimp pulse trawl and Flemish panel) present in the previous WKING report.
The EU projects, Discardless, Minouw, SmartFish, GearingUp, and EveryFish were also reviewed to identify innovative gear, and to the extent practicable a factsheet was produced. Limited STECF (Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries) plenary meeting and EWG reports were also consulted.
Based on information provided in the factsheets, it was found that:
The report concludes that most innovations reported in the factsheets were deemed to be ready for adoption by industry, subject to minor alteration to suit operational and design differences between vessels.WKING2 attempted to understand where impediments may be delaying the uptake of these gears by industry, although the data only permits identification and analysis of trends and indications. Some recommendations to improve data collection in future are also included.
The public page is here: https://www.ices.dk/community/groups/Pages/WKING2.aspx
Anto (on behalf of the Core Group Steve, Katell, Nathalie, and the co-chair Julia)
Workshop 2 on innovative fishing gear
/in blog, News/by Antonello SalaIn response to the EU DG-MARE request for ICES advice on the progress and impact that has been made in innovative gear use within EU waters, I would like to inform you that the Workshop 2 on innovative fishing gear (WKING2) will be chaired by Antonello Sala (Italy) and Julia Calderwood (Ireland) and meet online 23-25 August 2023 to:
a) Evaluate/endorse the catalogue of gears considered ‘innovative’, including their objectives, technical specificities, and known impacts/benefits (in terms of selectivity and catch efficiency on target and non-target species and environmental impact in terms of benefits for, or negative effects on, marine ecosystems and sensitive habitats);
b) For innovations ready for deployment, assess the level of uptake of innovative gears by the EU industry (per sea basin and fishery). Investigate what aspects impact the uptake of innovative gears. Depending on data and knowledge availability, assess the impact of finance, user-friendliness, health, and safety. For those innovations which are already taken up, present the results for the fleets;
c) For those innovations not implemented, discuss the main drivers that prevented their use if known. Where possible, include analysis of the socio-economic trade-offs and propose ways to facilitate their implementation;
d) Produce a report detailing the process taken and presenting the results;
e) Draft a summary advice based on the report produced.
Draft agenda
The public page is here: https://www.ices.dk/community/groups/Pages/WKING2.aspx
Please Register at https://forms.gle/8yP9XSEdYavnxJnM6 to get the link for participation.
I look forward to your response.
Best,
Anto (on behalf of the Core Group Steve, Katell, Nathalie, and the co-chair Julia)