Changes in marine resources in Skagerrak and Kattegat 1946-2012—Catch and revenue in the post war fishery and transformation of the fleet (DIGIFISH) (39103)

The project has compiled catch and economic data from fisheries in Skagerrak and Kattegat since 1946. The aim of the project was to establish a common database for future utilization in the research of development of fisheries and socio-economics in the specific area.

Research institutes from Sweden (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), Norway (Oxford Research) and Denmark (DTU Aqua) participated in the project. Data has been extracted from various national statistical databases and logbooks/landing slips from the fishery. The output from the project is a database with landings and economic values of fish landed in Skagerrak and Kattegat, comprising all commercial species and thereby valuable for historic studies of the species and their utilization.

There is a pressure from consumers on the fishing industry to legitimate sustainability in the fisheries, which normally requires assessments and advice consistent with international criteria on sustainability. A prerequisite for such an approach is complete catch data back in time. Therefore, the present project provides important data to base assessments on and to perspective recent fisheries with historic data.

Economic data in the database will enable socio-economic analyses of the different fisheries, including changes on structure of society and fishery.

This project was coordinated by DTU Aqua and funded by the AG Fisk (Working Group for Fisheries), Nordic Council of Ministers.

Research area: Marine Living Resources
Research area: Marine Populations and Ecosystem Dynamics
Research area: Fisheries Management