Final Report Summary - FEUFAR (The future of European fisheries and aquaculture research)
The FEUFAR project aimed to define the necessary midterm research to enable sustainable exploitation and farming of aquatic resources. A set of publications was developed outlining the principal challenges and opportunities for fisheries and aquaculture as well as the required research effort to meet the challenges and exploit the opportunities.
Firstly, previous foresight studies were analysed and evaluated. The applied methodology allowed for the determination of critical factors, the examination of their evolvement during the past and the estimation of their potential development in the future. Stakeholders, scientists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and consumer organisations were motivated to participate in the evaluation process through the organisation of targeted workshops.
The fisheries and aquaculture sector was divided in seven interconnected areas, in order to represent all system components. The key drivers for future development were then identified and their indicators and progress were documented. Alternative hypotheses for the drivers' evolution were formulated to enable the formulation of micro-scenarios, which outlined the probable progression of system components. The synthesis of micro-scenarios resulted in the elaboration of macro-scenarios which referred to the entire system. Five different macro-scenarios were created to analyse numerous operating and resources' exploitation conditions.
Research priorities, necessities and opportunities were therefore assessed. The finalised proposals referred to the system as a whole as well as to its individual components. General practices which ought to be developed and refined were the methodologies for data acquisition and risk management as well as the techniques for communication of knowledge to target groups. Moreover, priorities for fisheries were identified, such as the needs for technological and instrumentation development and improved resources' exploitation and management. Research options concerning aquaculture were related to exploitable species and alternative feeds and promotion of solutions for the development in the sector for non-food uses. Methods for enhancing the ecosystem approach in the system were also identified. Finally, FEUFAR investigated alternatives for the progress of the social and economic dimensions of the industry and the improvement of governance, management and social aspects.
Firstly, previous foresight studies were analysed and evaluated. The applied methodology allowed for the determination of critical factors, the examination of their evolvement during the past and the estimation of their potential development in the future. Stakeholders, scientists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and consumer organisations were motivated to participate in the evaluation process through the organisation of targeted workshops.
The fisheries and aquaculture sector was divided in seven interconnected areas, in order to represent all system components. The key drivers for future development were then identified and their indicators and progress were documented. Alternative hypotheses for the drivers' evolution were formulated to enable the formulation of micro-scenarios, which outlined the probable progression of system components. The synthesis of micro-scenarios resulted in the elaboration of macro-scenarios which referred to the entire system. Five different macro-scenarios were created to analyse numerous operating and resources' exploitation conditions.
Research priorities, necessities and opportunities were therefore assessed. The finalised proposals referred to the system as a whole as well as to its individual components. General practices which ought to be developed and refined were the methodologies for data acquisition and risk management as well as the techniques for communication of knowledge to target groups. Moreover, priorities for fisheries were identified, such as the needs for technological and instrumentation development and improved resources' exploitation and management. Research options concerning aquaculture were related to exploitable species and alternative feeds and promotion of solutions for the development in the sector for non-food uses. Methods for enhancing the ecosystem approach in the system were also identified. Finally, FEUFAR investigated alternatives for the progress of the social and economic dimensions of the industry and the improvement of governance, management and social aspects.
