The SEAwise team are working to understand stakeholder needs, address knowledge gaps, and produce tools to facilitate the implementation of Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management in Europe. You can explore the results of our Work Themes as they are published, and stay up to date with recent news and updates via our blog.
The scale and diversity of SEAwise’s work means that clear, concise communication between research partners and stakeholders is central to the success of the project. To ensure that the updates and outputs of the project are communicated effectively with all stakeholders, we will:
Lead partner – Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Denmark
Fisheries are often described as part of a “Social Ecological System” – a complex, interactive system in which people and nature are bound together. SEAwise aims to describe and assess the fisheries Social Ecological System, drawing together an understanding of how society, culture, economics, and governance affect fisheries and vice-versa.
We are working to achieve this by:
Lead partner – Coispa Tecnologia & Ricerca Scarl (COISPA), Italy
Environmental changes can have a profound impact on the welfare and productivity of fish stocks. This means that the amount of fish available in a fishery can vary depending on ecological factors, such as water temperature and nutrient availability.
Currently, limited understanding of the effects that ecological changes can have on fisheries makes it difficult to predict their potential long-term impacts. This hinders the ability to identify adaptive and responsive management measures. SEAwise aims to deliver a better understanding of this relationship to improve future management advice.
To achieve this, we’re setting out to:
Lead partner – Institut Francais De Recherche Pour L’exploitation De La Mer (Ifremer), France
Determining the causes and effects of changes in fish distribution is vital for effective fisheries management. A number of human activities and environmental conditions are known to affect the locations of fish at sea, such as pollution, fishing impacts, and habitat type. However, current understanding of these relationships is limited.
SEAwise aims to establish the reasons for and the effects of changing fish distributions, linking these factors to fisheries productivity (the amount of fish available to catch) and selectivity (which fish end up being caught), as well as determining the economic impacts of such changes.
To achieve this, we will:
Lead partner – Hellenic Centre For Marine Research (HCMR), Greece
Fisheries are known to have unintentional effects on habitats and species which are not directly targeted by fishing activity. This can include the accidental capture (bycatch) of potentially sensitive species, as well as the potential disturbance of seafloor habitats.
SEAwise aims to improve our knowledge of these issues, and identify ways in which different management strategies can lessen their impact. This work will also consider the additional influence of non-fishing-related pressures, such as pollution, climate change, invasive species, and algal blooms.
To achieve this, we will:
Lead partner – Marine Institute, Ireland
In order to establish the most effective recommendations for future fisheries management, it is essential that we utilise existing knowledge and lessons learned. SEAwise aims to evaluate fisheries management plans across Europe, determining which have achieved Good Environmental Status, are economically successful, and protect the well-being of local fishing communities. This information will then be used to develop well-informed, evidence-based future recommendations.
Our approach involves:
Lead partner – Fundacion AZTI – AZTI Fundazioa (AZTI), Spain
Stay up to date with SEAwise news and research, hear about upcoming events, and receive updates on fisheries news from across the European seascape.