Bringing the fishing industry into the 21st century
Having the right information at the right time can make all the difference. In the fishing industry, collecting data from the tens of thousands of vessels which may be at sea at any given time is a difficult task. However, emerging information and communication technologies (ICT) could turn this situation around. European funding was awarded to the 'Catch, effort and discard estimates in real-time' (Ceder) project to investigate the potential of ICT in this regard. The first step involved constructing a database with information on variables such as catches, discards and quotas. Automatic upload helped reduce the time required for inputting the data, which was collected from a number of different sources. The database was subsequently used to test four different models developed by Ceder's multidisciplinary team. Considerable effort went into describing relationships between key parameters, such as discards and bycatch, for several different target species. In order to optimise the transfer of critical data, it was necessary to map all data flows, such as reporting required by law. Recommendations were made concerning how ICT infrastructure could be exploited to facilitate data storage, exchange and reporting. Issues such as standardisation, confidentiality and reporting frequency were also addressed. Since technology is not always cheap, the Ceder team investigated the costs associated with the implementation of the system. Where possible, less expensive alternative technologies were proposed. Costs were also kept to a minimum by reducing the reporting frequency without negatively impacting the system's value. It is expected that adoption of the Ceder technologies could eventually lead to increasing the total allowable catch (TAC) as more accurate information becomes available in near real-time. This is good news for fishermen and consumers alike.
