The following was released by the Garden State Seafood Association:
March 17, 2011 – The commercial fishing industry is working with members of an interdisciplinary team of marine researchers to develop the science needed to reduce unwanted incidental catch in commercial fisheries. By combining habitat models developed by research scientists with ecological knowledge provided by fishermen, this team is working together to predict areas and times in the ocean where unwanted species may be avoided. This work comes at a time when federal fisheries managers are trying to develop policies which take into account the broader ecosystem, as opposed to focusing on just certain fish species.
“There is an evolving approach in fisheries management to develop policies which are based on ecosystem processes, and not just how many fish we think there are to catch. Hopefully this study will help support the move in that direction.” said Dr. Steven Gray, a scientist working on the team.
This innovative approach to bring together different scientific disciplines and fishing experience was developed and funded by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's Northeast Cooperative Research Program.
Since 2008, scientists from Rutgers University, the University of Delaware and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS) have been working to combine biological ocean data from catches with physical ocean observatory information to generate habitat models for several fish species in the mid-Atlantic. By integrating these datasets, they have uncovered major environmental indicators associated with a range of marine organisms. They then use these correlations to develop real-time predictions about where fish might be in the coastal ocean- and how their movement might change based on fluctuating ocean conditions.
“We have some pretty good ideas about how changes in the physical ocean might affect where you might find certain fish, but these are just statistical predictions. To see if our models make any sense in the real world, we really needed to talk to fishermen who are out there every day.” said Dr. John Manderson, the lead ecologist on the project.
Since developing these first habitat models, the research group has now expanded to include members of the commercial fishing industry and the Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA). Integrating the knowledge of scientists and fishermen has resulted in models which combine the best of both worlds: cutting-edge ocean monitoring technology and the practical knowledge of time spent at sea. The hope is that the science generated from these collaborations will not only be more comprehensive, but also break down some of the perceived barriers between resource science and resource users to create trusted information that can used for environmental decision-making on several levels.
Dr. Josh Kohut, lead oceanographer on the project explains; “Advances in ocean observing technology are beginning to change the way we think about ocean management. Using ocean observatories gives us a real-time account of how marine habitats are changing over timescales of a day to several years. Scientists, fishermen, and managers alike can then use this information to adapt their decisions to match changes in the environment.”
As a first step in developing standards of adaptive ocean management, a pilot program is scheduled to begin next fall with the aim of reducing incidental catch in the loligo squid fishery. The models developed by the team will be used to make decisions about where to fish in the hopes that fisherman can reduce the amount of unwanted catch in their nets.
“We are a long way from incorporating the full complexity of marine ecosystems in the way we manage ocean resources- but capitalizing on the knowledge held by different groups involved in marine fisheries should build more trusted relationships and create better science will lead to better decisions” said Dr. Gray.
Contact:
Gregory P. DiDomenico, Executive Director
Garden State Seafood Association
212 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
609 675 0202/gregdi@voicenet.com