Technologies for ecosystem and fisheries monitoring (113630)

The monitoring of fisheries and marine ecosystems faces significant challenges that hinder our ability to make informed and sustainable decisions. Traditional monitoring methods are often resource intensive, requiring manual data collection of species composition and size distribution, and have limited resolution, both in terms of spatial and temporal scale of the data. Such limits have become particularly concerning given the speed at which marine species are redistributing and ecosystems are shifting in response to stressors like climate change.

Recent developments in the technology available to collect, manage and analyse fishery-relevant data provide a suite of possible solutions to update and modernize fisheries data systems and greatly expand data collection and analysis. This project aims at addressing the current shortcomings of fisheries monitoring by integrating cutting-edge science and technology, such as state-of-the-art observation technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as less invasive monitoring approaches (e.g. environmental DNA). Moreover, the project aims at ensuring robustness and usability of the new data-streams by closely collaborating with the end-users of fisheries monitoring data.

To achieve these objectives the project will:
i) provide geo-referenced information about species distribution and automated detection of bycatch hotspots;
ii) develop a pipeline for high-resolution, less invasive and digitalized monitoring by automating underwater species detection and length measurement of the catch;
iii) develop and compare the accuracy of monitoring approaches (eDNA, EM, observers) in estimating multi-species catch composition;
iv) expand the range of species that can be automatically-detected, including for example benthic macro-fauna, to monitor changes in biodiversity.

Moreover, the project has established a partnership with the major end-users and stakeholders of fisheries monitoring data, such as the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the Danish Fishers and Producers Organization (DFPO), to ensure that the project's outcomes are aligned with their needs and can be effectively integrated into existing monitoring frameworks.

Funding

The project is co-funded by the European Union through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme (EMFAF).

Research area: Fisheries Technology
Research area: Marine Living Resources

Research area: Population Genetics
Research area: Ecosystem based Marine Management