GAP2 supports Fisheries Dependent Information (FDI) conference in Rome

The second international symposium on Fisheries Dependent Information (FDI 2014) will commence in Rome next week, focusing on how to manage fisheries sustainably, using information provided by fishermen.

Data collection has never been more important as the reformed Common Fisheries Policy emphasises the need for an "ecosystem-based approach". Yet data deficiencies often hamper effective fisheries management. A new collaborative approach, using knowledge and data from fishermen, may prove the answer.

Using fishermens knowledge not only enriches understanding, but also ensures stakeholders take part in managing their fisheries - an approach championed by the international research project, GAP2.
However, questions remain regarding how to make that data credible and consistent with that collected by scientists.

Organised by the Institute for Marine Research (IMR) and partnered by a range of international organisations, including GAP2, this four-day symposium will address these questions, with content tailored for an audience of resource-managers, scientists and the fishing sector.

Featuring key-note speeches from world experts, including the UN FAO Assistant Director-General, Arni Mathisen, the conference will:
-Explore next steps for fisheries dependent data, the ecosystem approach and collaborative management approaches
-Facilitate international dialogue between industry, scientists and policy-makers
-Include a full afternoons workshop featuring Australian Barefoot Ecologist Dr Jeremy Prince, on how fishermen can monitor their own fisheries

Across the four days of the symposium, GAP2 will be offering detailed insights into how fishermen and scientists have collaborated throughout the projects 13 international case studies to support economically and environmentally sustainable fisheries.