Technical reports

Work Package 1:

• Drivers for Fisheries Management Report (PDF, 481 KB)

This paper summarises the results of questionnaires and a workshop held to establish the main drivers in the sustainable management of fisheries in Europe. Fisheries managers from each MariFish Partner organisation were asked to give opinions about their priorities, however these are the views of individuals and may not be representative of the official policy of the countries themselves.

• Communication between research managers and scientists (PDF, 594 KB)

This report summarises the findings of study on communication issues during the process of commissioning marine fisheries science. The study commenced with a series of interviews of six MariFish partners, examining how fisheries managers communicate their evidence needs to researchers and advisers, and how research results and advice are conveyed back to them. A literature review was also carried out and is summarised in the report. Finally, recommendations and guidelines for good practice are provided.

• Knowledge management in fisheries science and policy, Final Report (PDF, 846 KB)

MariFish commissioned a study on Knowledge Management (KM) to help ensure that we gain the greatest possible value from the substantial knowledge held within the MariFish network. The report draws on a literature review carried out earlier in the study and which sets out the context for KM in the fisheries area. The report also gives the findings of a case study and concludes with a section on nine golden rules of KM. It suggests a number of practical actions that the MariFish partners can take in order to adopt some of the good practice referred to in the Golden Rules.

Work Package 2: COMPLETE

• Pre-analysis report on research commissioning methods (PDF, 569 KB)

This report provides a summary of the information collected via questionnaires and interviews from each partner on their methods for commissioning research (and other related information). A copy of the questionnaire is included, and response to each question is provided.

• Good practice guidelines for commissioning research (PDF, 635 KB)

The results of the pre-analysis report were discussed between partners and recommendations for good practice have been summarised in this final output. These recommendations will be used when collaborating on joint calls for research.

Work Package 3: COMPLETE

• Report on International, European and Regional Collaboration (PDF, 878 KB)

This report identifies the existing collaboration between MariFish Partner countries at the international, European and regional level; it also identifies areas where more effective linkages are required. The two main regions are as follows: Region 1: Mediterranean; Region 2: North Sea, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea. This report will be used, along with other outputs, by MariFish partners to decide on the subject of collaborative research programmes in the next few years.

Work Package 4: COMPLETE

• Database on socio-economic research papers related to fisheries

Over 1000 publications related to fisheries in the fields of economics, sociology, anthropology, law, public administration and other social sciences are available via this database. It's aim is to provide an overview of, and access to, the increasing volume of research in this area, particularly with reference to European fisheries.

• State of Art Report: Socio-economic research related to fisheries (PDF, 1.23 MB)

This report summarises and distils the available information and research carried out out in the field of socio-economic studies. It focuses upon principles and evidence that may interest fisheries managers when considering management strategies. As this is a broad ranging area, a large number of references were used, many of which can be found in the database listed above. EAFE (European Association of Fisheries Economists) has responded positively to this summary report, and it is hoped that other stakeholders may find this a useful reference point.

Within this report is also a study on the relevance of other research disciplines to fisheries management. It provides an overview of the linkages between non-traditional research such added value products, food engineering and pharmaceuticals to fisheries management.

• Future priorities workshop report (PDF, 376 KB)

Work Package 5: COMPLETE

• National Research Programs Database

This database provides an overview of the existing national research programs of MariFish partners in the field of marine fisheries research. The data can be viewed as a list of funders, list of collaborations; or can be viewed by sea area, research field or by funding mechanism. It was created to assist MariFish partners in their discussions on possible collaborative research projects in the future (WP7 and 8), but it is hoped that it may be of use to other interested parties.

The MariFish Projects Database is hosted side by side with the EurOcean database of EU funded marine research projects and the MarinERA Marine Projects Database (http://marinedb.marinera.net/).

The database is described more fully in the 'Inventory of National research programmes' (PDF, 1.7 MB).

Further information can be found in the following two reports:

• Criteria Matrix for the Evaluation of National Research Programs (PDF, 184 KB)
• Evaluation of national research programmes. (PDF, 1.45 MB)

Work Package 6: COMPLETE

• Report on the analysis of special research topics (PDF, 303 KB)

This report analyses information collected in previous work packages by mapping current research programmes against the identified future priorities. At a meeting in February 2008 the results were refined during a workshop and from these priorities the topics for the five collaborative programmes for WP7 were selected.

Work Package 7:

Under this work package, five collaborative programmes have been developed, in which MariFish partners will work closely together, sharing data and expertise on existing or planned research projects. The five collaborative projects undertaken in the WP7 are:

• Regional Case Study – Developing the Ecosystem Approach in The Channel – led by IFREMER, France
• Regional Case Study – The Mediterranean – Fish Habitats and Trophic Interactions – led by GSRT, Greece
• Thematic programme - Reducing by-catch and discards – led by Defra, UK
• Thematic programme - Influence of climate on small pelagic fish biology, distribution and population dynamics– led by IEO (MICINN), Spain
• Thematic programme – The use of indicators to support an ecosystem approach to fisheries management- led by MI, Ireland

Partners selected one collaborative programme for fast track development to develop and test ways of working together in advance of the other collaborative programmes. This collaborative programme is led by the WP7 Leader IFREMER (France) and is developing a regional case study in the Channel on "Towards adopting an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management in the Channel: spatial characterisation and contribution to the management of fishing effects".

An MoU was developed to set out how partners agree to work together and then adapted when developing the other collaborative projects.

• MoU for a collaborative MariFish project CHANNEL version signed by all PartnersObservers (PDF, 390.67 KB)
• MoU for a collaborative MariFish project MED version signed by Partners Observers (PDF, 353.12 KB)

WP7 Deliverables

• Paper D7.1 Annex to MariFish Collaborative Agreement which sets out common management procedures and protocols to be adopted in managing the pilot programmes (PDF, 103.98 KB)
• Paper D7.2 List of Regional case study theme and candidate pilot programmes (PDF, 32.26 KB)
• Paper D7.3 Expert working group reports on content of pilot programmes (PDF, 276 KB) This report provides a summary of the progress that has been made in each of the collaborative programmes as of July 2008.
• Paper D7.6. WP7 S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of adopted approach to co-ordination (PDF, 393 KB)
  • D7.6 Annex I and II. (PDF, 666 KB) Here you will find feedback of the personal experience of two scientists actively involved in the WP7 Mediterranean Collaborative Programme.

MariFish WP7 - Workshops on End-to-end models and Mediterranean models

November 15–19, 2010 Barcelona –Spain  
For further information of the outcome of the joint workshop, please see MariFish WP7 co-ordinated workshops

For further details of WP7 results, including key reports and workshops carried out within each programme, please see WP7 Downloads

Work Package 8:

• Report of MariFish Workshop on the use of Indicators in Fisheries Management (PDF, 535 KB)

This report summarises the discussions held at the MariFish Workshop on the use of Indicators in Fisheries Management, held in Copenhagen on 31st August-1st September 2010. It includes a summary of the breakout sessions for each of the 3 projects funded through the MariFish joint call (BADMINTON, REPROdUCE and DEFINEIT). Recommendations from the workshops are also provided.

• Report of workshop on Future Demands for Fisheries Research (PDF, 206 KB)

This report summarises the discussions held at an international symposium hosted by the Danish Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries on 7-8th June 2007. It includes the abstracts of the three workshops that were facilitated by the speakers. Recommendations from the workshops are also provided. Further details of the symposium and the PowerPoint presentations of each speaker can be found here: http://www.marifish.net/News/2007-08-07.htm.

• Report of identified strategic requirements for joint funding of fisheries research (PDF, 198 KB)

This report summarises the strategic requirements for joint funding of fisheries research that were identified in the Roskilde meeting and suggests the development of fisheries management indicators to help achieve Maximum Sustainable Yield as a topic for a joint call. It was presented to MariFish partners in Athens in February 2008 and their comments were incorporated into the report after the meeting. Partners indicated at the meeting the amount of funding that would be possible in principle for their organisation to set aside for the joint call (or calls), this amounted in total to approximately €3m.

• Identified topic for a jointly funded strategic research programme (PDF, 187 KB)

This report was presented to partners in Reykjavik in June 2008. The topic for the joint call is the development of operational fisheries management indicators that can assist fisheries managers in the development of long term fisheries management plans and ways these indicators could be formulated by applying the concept on selected fisheries. The total available funding for the joint call amounted to €3.38m and partners agreed that one joint call for proposals would be held. The call will be published on 15th October 2008.

• Administrative framework for the joint call for proposals (provisional) (PDF, 559 KB)

A provisional administrative framework for the common call for proposals was prepared and presented to partners in Reykjavik in June 2008. Partners agreed on the framework and final comments are being accepted until September 2008. The final document will be available at the end of September.