Final Report Summary - CEDER (Catch, Effort and Discard Estimates in Real-time)
Uncertainties in the assessment of fish stocks and in the impact of fisheries management advice were significantly increased by the uncertainties in human activities. However, given the existing innovative technologies, the latter could be minimised, thus increasing the potential of a more responsive fisheries management.
Under this framework, the precise objectives of the CEDER project were to harness new technologies providing more accurate and timely information on catches, effort, landings, discards and quota uptake as well as to assess the benefits of this information for fisheries management. The project measurable targets were:
1. the production of a harmonised database for fisheries data;
2. the identification of relationships between these data, national catches and landings;
3. an assessment on the relationships' accuracy;
4. the development and testing of an almost real-time system to monitor catch, effort, discards and landings of the fisheries;
5. an outline design for introducing such a system into operation;
6. an assessment of the benefits to industry, to authorities and to the sustainability of both the fishery and the stock.
Data from various fisheries was collected and harmonised. A database able to combine information from different sources and fisheries regardless of their format and resolution was created. Most of its contents could be input automatically; however, manual manipulation remained necessary in some cases. Confidentiality of specific data sets was maintained during the process.
After the database completion the development of alternative models was feasible. Four system prototypes were developed and tested, following their completion, in the real conditions of selected fisheries of different countries in order to evaluate their robustness and performance.
Studies were carried out along with the prototypes construction, aiming to identify and assess relationships between the available data and the national catches and landings. The performed studies focused on different aspects of the process and were spatially oriented. They included relationships construction for discards and by-catch in Greenland shrimp, Scottish pelagic effort estimation, the development of a catch-at-length model for catches and discharge, the construction of an effort model and an estimate on the spatial and temporal distribution of fishing.
The relationships were also examined from a data flow point of view. In this context, standard fisheries reporting chains for regulatory and scientific information on catches and discards were identified. Moreover, the communications infrastructure and the timeliness of information in the project fisheries were described and the regulations and use of new technologies were outlined. It appeared that most of the assessments on reporting chains would not be affected by the speed of data deliverance. However, an electronic logbook would potentially result in increased information reliability. Application of the available alternative technologies could enable timely transmission of fisheries information in the future.
The introduction of the proposed system into operation was outlined as part of CEDER. The existing communications' flow between stakeholders was refined to account for the future equipment of vessels with satellite communications. It occurred that the existing two years difference between data acquisition and total allowable catch (TAC) determination could be significantly reduced by temporally relocating European working groups meetings. The proposed input access structure ensured the required confidentiality. Given the various data which could be exploited by CEDER application, it was considered necessary to provide standardisation recommendations, so as to achieve concrete results. Based on the duration of various activities, it was estimated that the minimum information transmission interval ought to be 15 minutes. Apparently a higher sampling frequency would detect more phenomena, with increased certainty.
Regarding implementation costs, various communication alternatives of different prices were available to vessels and met CEDER requirements. A single message per day combining both position and logbook data would be the preferred solution since it would reduce relative costs. However, such decisions could not rely solely on an economic basis.
All prototypes and methodologies developed as part of CEDER were advantageous, to a greater or lesser extent, for the authorities and industry. In addition, the project implementation, along with adequate decisions regarding the overall sector policy, could result in a more sustainable fisheries management.
Regarding TAC, which is of interest for the fishing industry, it was estimated that it could potentially increase based on the more accurate and timely assessment of the target species. Moreover, in the long term, more plentiful stocks and more sustainable harvesting were expected to increase profitability and mitigate economic uncertainty. Finally, faster transmission of accurate information would reduce economic uncertainty at the end of a calendar year, when quota would be nearly consumed. Thus, professionals of the sector would be the ultimate beneficiaries of more and better quality data.
Under this framework, the precise objectives of the CEDER project were to harness new technologies providing more accurate and timely information on catches, effort, landings, discards and quota uptake as well as to assess the benefits of this information for fisheries management. The project measurable targets were:
1. the production of a harmonised database for fisheries data;
2. the identification of relationships between these data, national catches and landings;
3. an assessment on the relationships' accuracy;
4. the development and testing of an almost real-time system to monitor catch, effort, discards and landings of the fisheries;
5. an outline design for introducing such a system into operation;
6. an assessment of the benefits to industry, to authorities and to the sustainability of both the fishery and the stock.
Data from various fisheries was collected and harmonised. A database able to combine information from different sources and fisheries regardless of their format and resolution was created. Most of its contents could be input automatically; however, manual manipulation remained necessary in some cases. Confidentiality of specific data sets was maintained during the process.
After the database completion the development of alternative models was feasible. Four system prototypes were developed and tested, following their completion, in the real conditions of selected fisheries of different countries in order to evaluate their robustness and performance.
Studies were carried out along with the prototypes construction, aiming to identify and assess relationships between the available data and the national catches and landings. The performed studies focused on different aspects of the process and were spatially oriented. They included relationships construction for discards and by-catch in Greenland shrimp, Scottish pelagic effort estimation, the development of a catch-at-length model for catches and discharge, the construction of an effort model and an estimate on the spatial and temporal distribution of fishing.
The relationships were also examined from a data flow point of view. In this context, standard fisheries reporting chains for regulatory and scientific information on catches and discards were identified. Moreover, the communications infrastructure and the timeliness of information in the project fisheries were described and the regulations and use of new technologies were outlined. It appeared that most of the assessments on reporting chains would not be affected by the speed of data deliverance. However, an electronic logbook would potentially result in increased information reliability. Application of the available alternative technologies could enable timely transmission of fisheries information in the future.
The introduction of the proposed system into operation was outlined as part of CEDER. The existing communications' flow between stakeholders was refined to account for the future equipment of vessels with satellite communications. It occurred that the existing two years difference between data acquisition and total allowable catch (TAC) determination could be significantly reduced by temporally relocating European working groups meetings. The proposed input access structure ensured the required confidentiality. Given the various data which could be exploited by CEDER application, it was considered necessary to provide standardisation recommendations, so as to achieve concrete results. Based on the duration of various activities, it was estimated that the minimum information transmission interval ought to be 15 minutes. Apparently a higher sampling frequency would detect more phenomena, with increased certainty.
Regarding implementation costs, various communication alternatives of different prices were available to vessels and met CEDER requirements. A single message per day combining both position and logbook data would be the preferred solution since it would reduce relative costs. However, such decisions could not rely solely on an economic basis.
All prototypes and methodologies developed as part of CEDER were advantageous, to a greater or lesser extent, for the authorities and industry. In addition, the project implementation, along with adequate decisions regarding the overall sector policy, could result in a more sustainable fisheries management.
Regarding TAC, which is of interest for the fishing industry, it was estimated that it could potentially increase based on the more accurate and timely assessment of the target species. Moreover, in the long term, more plentiful stocks and more sustainable harvesting were expected to increase profitability and mitigate economic uncertainty. Finally, faster transmission of accurate information would reduce economic uncertainty at the end of a calendar year, when quota would be nearly consumed. Thus, professionals of the sector would be the ultimate beneficiaries of more and better quality data.
