Project Details
Description
The purpose of the STICKMAN project is to pave the way for a new fishing opportunity for the Danish fishing sector. This stickleback fishery should aim at economic and ecological sustainable catch levels, with positive effects on ecosystem services and functioning as well as low negative influence on other ecosystem components and climate.
In the Baltic Sea, a conspicuous ecological transformation has been going on over the past decade, where the biomass of once abundant cod and herring have declined dramatically, while the three-spined sticklebacks have proliferated and biomass is literally surging, signaling significant alterations in the ecosystem dynamics. Concurrently, it has become challenging to maintain an economically sustainable fishery for the industry. There is therefore a great interest from the industry to explore the possibility for an economically and ecologically sustainable fishery on stickleback in the Baltic Sea.
The STICKMAN project builds on a close collaboration with four project partners representing the fishing industry: Danmarks Pelagiske Producentorganisation (DPPO), Danmarks Fiskeriforening Producentorganisation (DFPO), Redskabsfremstiller Egersund Trawl DK A/S, Fiskemel/olue producent Marine Ingredients Denmark (MID) og DTU Aqua.
STICKMAN is structured in six work packages:
- Work package 1 will develop a targeted and clean (low bycatch) fishery for three-spined stickleback, by 1) testing/developing optimized gear(s) and excluders, 2) estimating carbon footprint and fuel efficiency, 3) quantifying bycatch composition based on eDNA, and 4) estimating biomass from acoustic data. The combined output will be a scientifically based monitoring program, which includes both acoustic data and samples from the catch, which will provide data for WP2-4.
- Work package 2 will monitor and optimize fish meal and fish oil products by 1) Optimize the production of fishmeal and fish oil from bulk material obtained from experimental landings, and 2) Evaluate the efficiency and sustainability of the fishmeal and fish oil production process.
- Work package 3 will provide all information on biology and ecology that is necessary for an accurate stock assessment, including 1) Spatially and temporally resolved age and length distributions, maturity ogives, parasite load and growth rates, 2) Spatial patterns in migrations and life cycle, 3) evaluation of size-selection and natural mortality, and 4) Perform ecosystem modelling to assess the ecological impact of sticklebacks in the Baltic Sea.
- Work package 4 will develop the statistical tools needed to assess the future stickleback fishery in the Baltic Sea by developing 1) an acoustic survey index, 2) area-based version of SAM/multi-stock SAM to (be ready to) incorporate sub stocks and spatial distribution in assessment and management, 3) methods for incorporating ecosystem indicators/predator and abundance/climate change in assessment models to better predict recruitment and mortality and estimate reference points, and Simulation model to assess seasonal and spatial gear selectivity, otolith back-calculated growth and size-based M.
- Work package 5 will develop management strategies that advise fisheries reference points and rules for total allowable catches in an ecosystem context, and provide ecosystem evaluation of a stickleback fishery.
- Work package 6 will maintain project management and administration, coordination of national and international collaborations, and dissemination of project results.
Funding
Research area: Marine Populations and Ecosystem Dynamics
Research area: Marine Living Resources
Research area: Population Genetics
In the Baltic Sea, a conspicuous ecological transformation has been going on over the past decade, where the biomass of once abundant cod and herring have declined dramatically, while the three-spined sticklebacks have proliferated and biomass is literally surging, signaling significant alterations in the ecosystem dynamics. Concurrently, it has become challenging to maintain an economically sustainable fishery for the industry. There is therefore a great interest from the industry to explore the possibility for an economically and ecologically sustainable fishery on stickleback in the Baltic Sea.
The STICKMAN project builds on a close collaboration with four project partners representing the fishing industry: Danmarks Pelagiske Producentorganisation (DPPO), Danmarks Fiskeriforening Producentorganisation (DFPO), Redskabsfremstiller Egersund Trawl DK A/S, Fiskemel/olue producent Marine Ingredients Denmark (MID) og DTU Aqua.
STICKMAN is structured in six work packages:
- Work package 1 will develop a targeted and clean (low bycatch) fishery for three-spined stickleback, by 1) testing/developing optimized gear(s) and excluders, 2) estimating carbon footprint and fuel efficiency, 3) quantifying bycatch composition based on eDNA, and 4) estimating biomass from acoustic data. The combined output will be a scientifically based monitoring program, which includes both acoustic data and samples from the catch, which will provide data for WP2-4.
- Work package 2 will monitor and optimize fish meal and fish oil products by 1) Optimize the production of fishmeal and fish oil from bulk material obtained from experimental landings, and 2) Evaluate the efficiency and sustainability of the fishmeal and fish oil production process.
- Work package 3 will provide all information on biology and ecology that is necessary for an accurate stock assessment, including 1) Spatially and temporally resolved age and length distributions, maturity ogives, parasite load and growth rates, 2) Spatial patterns in migrations and life cycle, 3) evaluation of size-selection and natural mortality, and 4) Perform ecosystem modelling to assess the ecological impact of sticklebacks in the Baltic Sea.
- Work package 4 will develop the statistical tools needed to assess the future stickleback fishery in the Baltic Sea by developing 1) an acoustic survey index, 2) area-based version of SAM/multi-stock SAM to (be ready to) incorporate sub stocks and spatial distribution in assessment and management, 3) methods for incorporating ecosystem indicators/predator and abundance/climate change in assessment models to better predict recruitment and mortality and estimate reference points, and Simulation model to assess seasonal and spatial gear selectivity, otolith back-calculated growth and size-based M.
- Work package 5 will develop management strategies that advise fisheries reference points and rules for total allowable catches in an ecosystem context, and provide ecosystem evaluation of a stickleback fishery.
- Work package 6 will maintain project management and administration, coordination of national and international collaborations, and dissemination of project results.
Funding
The project is co-funded by the European Union through the Danish Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme (EMFAF).
Research area: Marine Living Resources
Research area: Population Genetics
| Acronym | STICKMAN |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Effective start/end date | 01/05/2024 → 08/07/2027 |
Collaborative partners
- Technical University of Denmark (lead)
- Danish Pelagic Producers Organisation
- Danish Fishermens Producers Organisation
- Egersund Trawl DK A/S
- Marine Ingredients Denmark
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