1. D4 Science World User Meeting. FAO Rome 25-26 November 2009
Fishery science and policy Connecting information and decision
Serge M. Garcia
I have been asked to present the views of the fishery science community as a user and producer of information. This community informs fishery governance and society about the state of the system and the options available for its development and management. It collects and manages data, generates knowledge and organizes the supply of information to decision-makers.
The community it is not homogenous. Its members work for governments, Universities, NGOs or industry, in the developed or developing world. In reality, the “fishery science community” does not exist yet, broken as it is in disciplines, specializations, and socio-economic conditions. I will use the term, nonetheless, for convenience and will focus my presentation on the marine capture fisheries that I know best.
I take full responsibility for the views I will express but wish to acknowledge the thoughts I collected through enquiry from many of my colleagues whom I dared to bother as representatives of the fishery science community and whom I wish to thank wholeheartedly
D4 Science World User Meeting. FAO Rome November 2009

2. Outline The fishery system The advice & decision process
Current situation
Conclusions
Respondents
Baran, Eric; Brenton, Bob; Chavance, Pierre; Farmer, Tina;
Fulton, Beth; Grainger, Richard; Guitton Jérome; Hall, Martin;
Le Fur, Jean; Laloé, Francis; Maguire, Jean-Jacques; Mahon, Robin;
O’Boyle, Bob; O’Dor, Ron; Rice, Jake; Sainsbury, Keith; Sibert, John;
Sinclair, Michael; Taconet, Marc; Vanden Berghe, Edward;
Williams, Meryl; Ye, Yemin
First, I will describe the complexity of the fishery system as a means to illustrate the diversity of information required; Second, I will describe the integrated assessment-to-decision process in which the information is used. Third, I will give some examples illustrating where the community information systems stands at the moment before offering some conclusions.what are the expectations of the community for the future.

3. Outline The fishery system The advice & decision process
Current situation
Conclusions
The fishery system is one of the most complex social-ecological systems.

4. The fishery system Demography Global economy Global market
Shipyards
Agriculture
Aquaculture
Demography
Maritime
transport
Defence
Industrial
fleet
Government
Artisanal
Fleet
Fish
processors
Global economy
Oil & Gas
Cables
Pipes
Resources
Ecosystem
Ports
Marinas
Global market
Fish
traders
Fishery
agency
Banks
Fishery
research
Int. Instruments
Chemical
industries
Tourism
It consists of a complex set of components interacting between them and with the broader environment.  At the centre, the productive ecosystem and its resources
 Exploited by a segmented sector
 The exploitation is controlled by a fishery agency supported by fishery research.
 The sector interacts strongly with consumers, NGOs and the media.
 It interacts also with many other sectors which support it and, sometimes also compete with it.
 It is in open conflict with many sectors which constrain its activities or affect its resources
 It is financed by the Banks and must comply with government policies
 And conditioned by powerful external drivers.
Consumers
Media
Climate change
NGOs

5. Complex processes
The system is crisscrossed by a web of non-linear and often fuzzy cause-effect and feedback relationships (illustrated here by this food web in California) resulting in a large number of potential pathways which reduce predictability and controllability.
Figure from: Kaplan, I,; Harvey, C,; Levin, P,; Link, J.; Townsend, H. and Fulton, B. The Atlantis Ecosystem Modeling Framework. Californian ecosystem food web.

6. Nested scales
Its natural and human sub-systems have multiple relevant nested scales, representing different perspectives of the system, different interacting components, with different characteristics. Information is needed at each level and conclusions at a given level may be misleading at another.

7. Overlapping systems of boundaries
232 Ecoregions
1km
2km
O° ° ° ° ° ° °
Latitude
Depth
Equatorial Epipelagic
Central Epipelagic
TransitionalEpipelagic
Subpolar Epipelagic
Equatorial-Central mesopelagic
Subpolar Mesopalegic
Bathypelagic
Longhurst, A.R Ecological geography of the sea2nd Edition. Academic Press
Equator
Poles
64 Large Marine Ecosystems
62 coastal provinces
19 FAO Main Fishing Areas
12 coastal ecological realms
Longhurst, A.R Ecological geography of the sea2nd Edition. Academic Press
57 open ocean provinces
SAUP:
160 Exclusive Economic Zones
Its relevant geographical structure changes with the points of view. For example, the information is collected and may need to be represented according to:
 12 coastal ecological realms or biomes
 19 FAO Fishing Areas
 57 open ocean provinces and
 62 coastal provinces
 64 large marine ecosystems
 160 exclusive economic zones and the high seas;
 232 ecoregions.
In addition, UNEP and IOC as well as all Regional Fishery Commissions have their own mandated regions. At a lower level, we have legally designated areas such as marine parks, sanctuaries, protected areas, closed areas. We also have productive ecosystems such as upwelling areas, deltas, estuaries, lagoons, coral reefs, mangroves, kelp forests, etc.
 Finally, it should be stressed that the ocean is more explicitly tri-dimensional than continental ecosystems. To make things even more exciting, ecological limits are often fuzzy, change seasonally, from year to year and with climate change.
All these spatial classifications have a degree of relevance and one of the requirements of global fishery information systems is to be able to redistribute the data accordingly.

8. Multiple time units Century: the evolutionary scale of the sector
Decade: the scale of natural oscillations
Year: base of formal fishery statistics and quota regulations
Season: basic biological, fishery & management pattern
Trip: often the base of fishery reporting
Day: fishery reporting, log books
Haul: fishery reporting
< hour: VMS recording
Continuous: Plankton recorder. Bioborne sensors
The relevant time unit of the information is also highly nested: the century for fisheries history; the decade for natural oscillations, vessels’ life span and development planning; the year for catch regulations, economic analysis and simulation models; the season (and the month) for management, biology and simulation of tropical fisheries; the day and the haul for log books. Finally, Vessel Monitoring Systems track vessels’ position and speed many times per day and some recording systems are continuous.

9. Traditional rules Taboos
A complex governance
Regional
Councils
Fishery Associations
Parliament
Management Agency
Government
Fishery
Committees
Statistics
Enterprises
Households
Fishery Research
Traditional rules Taboos
Fishing operations
Constitution
Fisheries Authority
Legislation
Fishery Chambers
NGOs
Other stakeholders
Other citizens
Courts
Média
Garcia, S.M. & Cochrane, K.L. 2009
Arenas
Public
Private
The structural and functional complexity of fishery governance is often ignored or neglected. It is a network of components from the public sector (in blue), the private sector (in yellow) and some hybrid institutions that jointly administer and control the sector.
Each of these institutions may in turn be complex networks of smaller components and relations with their own lower-level governance. The flow of adequate information through this multiscale web of institutions is crucial to the performance of the sector and the information gets slowed down and modified in the process.
Administration
Regulation
Lobbying
Functions

10. Cross-sectoral connections
Socio-economic policy
Environmental policy
Fishery policy
Foreign policy
Maritime policy
In addition the fishery sector is only a small player in the national economic and political arenas and its sector policy stands at the intersection of many national policies such as the national socio-economic, environmental, foreign and maritime policies which constrain it.

11. Cross-scale connections
Fisheries
Market
Civil society
Science
State
Global
Fisheries
Market
Civil society
Science
State
Regional
Market
National
Science
State
Civil society
Fisheries
On a different plane, fisheries governance stands at the intersection between other governances: that of the State the role of which is decreasing rapidly; that of the market and of civil society which are growing in importance and that of the scientific community which maintains an important mandate.
 All of these have their own structures, objectives, rules and processes and act at national, local and global level.

12. Information requirements
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Global change
Impacts
Fluctuations
Survival
Working conditions
Rehabilitation
Protection
Restoration
Demand
Supply
Management
Development
Information
Lobbying
Behavior
Votes
Removals
Depletion
Gear impact
Pollution
Clues
Risks
Attraction
Habitat
Change
BIOTIC Target species Other species
Interactions
Living habitat Predators Preys
ABIOTIC Weather
Physical habitat Water Contaminants
CLIMATE
OTHER ECOSYSTEMS
FISHING Capture Processing
Competition
INSTITUTIONS Conventions Regulations Financing Organization Process
As a consequence of this complexity, the scientific community and the stakeholders need a wide variety of information on the structure and dynamics of:
The abiotic environment of the resources and the fishery
The resource itself and the ecosystem that sustains it, with its internal bio-ecological interactions
The fishing system and its techno-economic interactions
The fishery institutions and their internal functioning
The external drivers, and
 The main interactions between these components.
MARKETS
POLICY
VALUES
Source: Garcia et al. 2003

13. Communication channels
Conventional
New
Coordination
Policy-
makers
Pressure
Communication
Query
Info
Complaints
Evidence
Sentences
Participation
Media
Public
NGOs
Courts
Regulations
Objectives
Advice
Modified from Garcia (2005)
The broadening of issues and stakeholders brought about by the adoption of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries in 2001, created the need for a significant improvement in the communication system, particularly with the intrusion of the media, the NGOs, the public at large and the courts
Compliance
SCIENTISTS
Stakeholders
NGOs
Data
Information
Integration
Negotiation

14. Outline The fishery system The advice & decision process
Current situation
Conclusions
Let’s look now at the integrated process of assessment, advice and decision

15. Integrated decision process
Demand
Arena
Co-assessment
Options
Advicel
Co-implementation
Performances assesmt.
Decision
Monitoring
New policy
Crisis
Extended
knowledge
Stakeholder participation
Good practices
Sci. Disciplines
Trad. knowledge
Making decisions requires data, methods, and processes. Because of uncertainty, the process of analysis, advice and decision is necessarily adaptive. Because of the multiple dimensions, it is inter-disciplinary.
 Vertical integration is needed between the steps of the process to ensure coherence and efficiency;
 Knowledge-building and adaptation are ensured by institutionalized feed-back processes;
 Horizontal integration combines scientific and traditional knowledge during all phases;
The co-elaboration of decisions with stakeholders is considered a sine-qua-non condition of the legitimacy of difficult choices.

16. Integrating information
Environment
Development
Societal demand
Science
Other knowledge
Facts
Perceptions
Values
Quantitative & quantitative analyses
Fishing
Coastal zones
Sectoral policies
Integrating:
Relevant disciplines
Science and other knowledge
Facts, values and perceptions
Quantitative and qualitative analyses
Science and negotiation processes
Knowledge and sectoral policies
Development and management
Sectoral policies in a given area
Sectoral policies and societal demand
The EAF process calls for integration of information across time and space, disciplines and sources of knowledge. It calls for reconciliation between facts, values and perceptions and blending of quantitative and qualitative information. It also requires distinct but communicating processes of science and negotiation. Finally, it calls for better integration between development and management, between sectoral policies, and between them and societal demand.

17. Outline The fishery system The advice & decision process
Current situation
Conclusions
Outline – 3. Current situation
Let us see what is the current situation is in the three key areas of needs: (1) Access to basic or reference data; (2) Availability of tools for data processing and (3) Diffusion of results beyond the strict decision and publication processes.

18. Catalogues of expertise
ACCESS
Processing
Diffusion
Catalogues of expertise
Finding the expertise is a problem. There is a web-based registry of ocean experts that could be used as a useful source of information but the registration of fisheries expertise in this database is still very limited. Fishery experts need to make themselves better known and more easily reachable.

19. Bibliographic records
ACCESS
Processing
Diffusion
Bibliographic records
Bibliographic records
Bibliographic information is available in many commercial sites. The Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) developed with FAO has the advantage to offer good conditions to developing countries.
The Aquatic Commons repository covering marine, estuarine and fresh water environments as well as the science, technology, management and conservation of these environments and their resources with their economic, sociological and legal aspects.
 OceanDocs from the IOC is also a free access library of non-copyrighted material or material the distribution of which has been authorized.
Efforts to facilitate access to bibliographic information need to be continued.

20. Ocean bathymetry WWW. VIRTUALOCEAN.ORG ACCESS
Bathymetric data is also available at various resolutions, for example at the GEBCO.
 The virtual ocean platform allows the online generation of maps concerning bathymetry, geology, hydrology, etc. can be obtained and mapped online.
As far as I know, other bottom-related information of importance to fisheries, such as bottom types, is not available.
These facilities need to be continued, improving the availability of high resolution bathymetry in coastal zones.

21. Hydroclimatic data ACCESS Processing Diffusion Hydroclimatic data
The IODE programme of IOC is the centre of a very active global network for the exchange of oceanographic and atmospheric data. The ICOADS database, for instance, contains 220 years of data, easily accessible and constantly updated.
This system is an example and needs to be connected to biological information. This might come with the recent entry of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System into IODE.

22. Biological information
ACCESS
Processing
Diffusion
Biological information
A lot of reference data on fishery resources is also available in FIGIS Fact Sheets as well as in Fishbase or Sealife base. The information concerns: images, taxonomy, biology, ecology, distribution, diseases, diet, and life history parameters.
Financial support is needed to ensure the survival and updating of these fundamental sources of biological reference data (particularly considering the potential impact of climate change on these parameters)
At the moment the life parameters are only accessible by species.
The system should be modified to allow transversal access to all parameters to allow meta-analyses.
Biodiversity information
As fisheries management moves towards a more ecosystemic approach, biodiversity data becomes important. OBIS, a project of the Census of Marine Life, has already more than 20 million records (from close to one hundred databases) and is connected to WoRMS (World Register of Marine Species); GBIF (the Global Biodiversity Information Facility), FishBase, Encyclopedia of Life, etc. and offers web mapping facilities. The map shows the distribution of the records already collected.
With its network of regional nodes, OBIS is a good example of the types of web infrastructures that would be useful for an enlarged fishery community in the future.
The taxonomic records need to be further enriched with more detailed information on species, probably through more connections with dedicated databases as presently done with FishBase and FIGIS.

23. Biodiversity information
ACCESS
Processing
Diffusion
Biodiversity information
As fisheries management moves towards a more ecosystemic approach, biodiversity data becomes important. OBIS, a project of the Census of Marine Life, has already more than 20 million records (from close to one hundred databases) and is connected to WoRMS (World Register of Marine Species); GBIF (the Global Biodiversity Information Facility), FishBase, Encyclopedia of Life, etc. and offers web mapping facilities. The map shows the distribution of the records already collected.
With its network of regional nodes, OBIS is a good example of the types of web infrastructures that would be useful for an enlarged fishery community in the future.
The taxonomic records need to be further enriched with more detailed information on species, probably through more connections with dedicated databases as presently done with FishBase and FIGIS.

24. Migration and environmental data
ACCESS
Processing
Diffusion
Migration and environmental data
Information on migration of fish and on the environment they cross during those migrations is being collected and made available on maps by the Ocean Tracking Network. Fish and marine mammals (from 20 grammes to 20 tonnes) and other marine animals are tagged with acoustic and archival electronic devices through which they collect geolocated information on their oceanic environment (and on other tagged fish they meet). The animals are passively or actively tracked as they travel and the information collected is downloaded either to satellites (when the animal comes to the surface), or to FADs, underwater vehicules, or large-scale telemetry arrays of radio-listening devices installed on the ground in many places around the world. The information allows the analysis of the oceanographic conditions under which migration takes place as well as the mapping of fish movements.
This sort of information (accessible on Google Ocean) may soon become a lot more available and usable for management, particularly of high migratory species like tuna, salmon, sharks, marine mammals.

25. Fishery statistics ACCESS Processing Diffusion Fishery statistics
FAO statistics are available at national, regional and global levels with different degrees of accessibility and practically no interoperability between systems. Global statistics are available since 1950 and are accessible in FAO through FIGIS and FishStat. The database can be querried and the outputs can be graphed but not mapped. This limitation might be overcome in the future by the D4 Science project to develop the Integrated Capture Information System (ICIS).
Access to these data at national and sub-national level remains problematic. A semi-automatic uploading of national statistics into regional and global systems would be a major improvement.

26. Regional fisheries monitoring
The regional web platform of the ISTAM project (financed by the EU in West Africa) organizes regional fisheries monitoring. It improves national statistical systems, develops common standards and sharing protocols, validates datasets and provides assessment methods and training with the view to improve stock assessment and management practices (particularly of shared stocks) as well as general diffusion of scientific assessments on internet.
Such systems are probably part of the solution to improve national systems and global accessibility to statistics as well as capacity-building.

27. Information on stocks & Fisheries
ACCESS
Processing
Diffusion
Information on stocks & Fisheries
Information on stocks & fisheries
A global systematic inventory of the world stocks, fisheries and management systems is being undertaken by the FIRMs partnership with FAO support. FIRMS is part of FIGIS, the FAO Fisheries Global Information System, and the information contained in its database is published in the form of fact sheets. This system provides the various data owner with tools to ensure controlled dissemination of high quality and updated information.
As in FishBase, the system should be modified to allow transversal access to all parameters to allow meta-analyses on stocks or fisheries.
The system could also be completed by a system of reference data on fishing vessels characteristics and performance.

28. Processing platforms ACCESS Processing Diffusion
A number of fishery modelers and analysts use this R platform it for analysis and visualization of data and it is a good example of the sort of open source software development platform that is needed in fisheries. The fishery community has already reacted positively to the opportunity that the R platform represented:
The FLR library is the result of an open collaborative effort by researchers from a number of laboratories and universities in various countries (under ICES Leadership, I believe) to develop a collection of tools in the R statistical language. Tt is a generic toolbox, but is specifically suited for the construction of simulation models, such as bioeconomic or ecosystem models and other models suited for fisheries management strategies evaluations (MSE).
 Similarly, the AD Model Builder is a high–level software suite is an environment for non-linear statistical modeling, enabling rapid model development, numerical stability, fast and efficient computation, and high accuracy parameter estimates. The ADMB-Project promotes wider application of ADMB to practical fishery problems and assists ADMB users to become more proficient.
More efforts in that direction are needed, particularly to enhance the capacity of the developing world to participate, for instance to test the robustness of the simpler, less demanding models.

29. Interactive mapping AQUAMAPS IMAPS Caspian ACCESS Processing Diffusion
Rhincodon typus
AQUAMAPS
IMAPS Caspian
Interactive mapping
Interactive mapping is rapidly improving. UNEP-WCMC has developed interactive mapping services and IMAPs is an authoritative source of environmental data that can freely be accessed (downloaded if needed) and mapped online to the user requirements. It can be used for environmental impact assessment.
 A number of thematic or regional applications exist on the WCMC website. This one refers to the Caspian Sea.
 Aquamaps[1] is another example of the substantial progress made in interactive mapping on the web developed y FishBase and SealifeBase. The facility has been used to generate model-based probability distributions of species based on their ecological requirements and known distribution.
Regional data integration is a crucial level of collaboration for the development of any global system and should be a priority for systems development. Such platforms could very usefully improve the work of regional fishery bodies. Indeed fishery management applications seem to be still hard to find.
[1] Kaschner, K., J. S. Ready, E. Agbayani, J. Rius, K. Kesner-Reyes, P. D. Eastwood, A. B. South, S. O. Kullander, T. Rees, C. H. Close, R. Watson, D. Pauly, and R. Froese AquaMaps: Predicted range maps for aquatic species. World wide web electronic publication, Version 10/2008.

30. Global diffusion ACCESS Processing Diffusion
Goole Oceans is available as a unique publication platform in which large quantities of data can be made available, in the form of images, videos, sound file, connection to specific sites, etc. OBIS and the Census of Marine Life projects are already in Google Oceans.
 Another important knowledge-federating output is the emerging Encyclopedia of Life.
These global platforms should probably be always used in the future to put selected information at disposal of the public.

31. Globefish: Fish Trade Portal
ACCESS
Processing
Diffusion
Globefish: Fish Trade Portal
Globefish is an international network of regional institutions established by or with the assistance of FAO and specialized in the centralization, processing analysis and distribution of information on fish trade.
It is not yet publicly accessible and could perhaps develop a reference data system on fishery products.

32. Information portals ACCESS Processing Diffusion
The UN Atlas of the Oceans is a dynamic portal developed by FAO on behalf of its sister UN agencies. It publishes information from all UN agencies dealing with oceans and their partner institutions.
 OneFish is another fisheries information portal maintained by FAO. Both OneFish and the UN Atlas offer to users the possibility to establish Virtual Offices, i.e. specific sub-websites that can be used of working platform to organize collaboration, WGs etc.
Once established, they are maintained at low cost. More focussed portals are needed to support communities of practice, for example on fisheries assessment and management.

33. Thematic groups ACCESS Processing Diffusion Thematic groups
Most regional and global projects use thematic portals focussed on their core business.
 Some are rather specific like the portal of the Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics project (GLOBEC) dealing with the impact of climate change on abundance, diversity and productivity of marine populations.
 Others are more diversified, like the FAO FishCode project aiming at supporting nerous aspects of the implementation of the Code of Conduct.
Such portals are now routinely offered. They are usually static and one-way, with little or no interaction with the users yet.
These sites (particularly the institutional ones) should be upgraded as interactive platforms to mobilize the epistemic communities needed for their progress and success.

34. Outline The fishery system The advice & decision process
Current situation
Conclusions
Some brief conclusions

35. A complex decision-support system
Demand
Arena
Co-assessment
Options
Advicel
Co-implementation
Performances assesmt.
Decision
Monitoring
New policy
Crisis
Good practices
Stakeholder participation
Sci. Disciplines
Trad. knowledge
Extended
knowledge
In the preceding part of the presentation, I have already stressed a few things that could be done to improve the support of information systems to the fishery community in terms of facilitating the access to data, the data processing, and the diffusion of the results to a broader audience. I will try to be more synthetic here.

36. A complex decision-support system
Demand
Arena
Co-assessment
Options
Advicel
Co-implementation
Performances assesmt.
Decision
Monitoring
New policy
Crisis
Good practices
Stakeholder participation
Sci. Disciplines
Trad. knowledge
Extended
knowledge
OUTPUTS
PROCESSING
INPUTS
Resources data
Legislation
Catch/Fleet data
Intl. Agreements
Environment data
Stat. software
Policies & Plans
Economic data
Models
Best practices
Compliance data
Methods
Training
Cross sectoral data
WGs
In order to function, the recurrent Assessment & Decision process described before needs to use a wide range of input information regarding the resources, catch, fleet and fisherfolks, environment, economic performance, compliance, sectors competing with fisheries for space or resources, available scientific analyses, and non-conventional knowledge.
 This primary and reference information is processed using various methods and models, sometimes by the lone scientist but often by Working Groups.
 The process results in a range of outputs such as new legislation, policies and plans, or catalogue of best practices, as well as material for training, education and communication.
 Indeed a large part of this output is crosschecked and recycled as knowledge input in the successive assessment and decision loops.
Education
Bibliography
Communication
Informal knowledge

37. Decision-support system (cont…)
Social networks
Data bases
Open Libraries
Knowledgebases
Glossaries
Repositories
Legislation
Stat. software
Resources data
Intl. Agreements
Models
Catch/Fleet data
Policies & Plans
Methods
Environment data
Best practices
WGs
Economic data
Training
Compliance data
Education
Cross sectoral data
The wide range of information needed should ideally be organized in data bases, open bibliographic libraries, knowledgebases, glossaries, and information repositories. The scientists should have access to analytical tools such as statistical and modelling software and other assessment tool boxes, etc. and open- source platforms to develop these tools.
 Facilities are also necessary to organize the assessment-&-Decision working groups, including e-meeting facilities, wikis, catalogues of contacts and expertise, (for joint reporting) and e-training for on-the-job competence-building.
We have seen that many of these facilities existed even if they are far from generalized and many more exist than I could show or I ignore. But they tend to be scattered, non-comprehensive, not inter-operable. Most portals are static and weakly interactive if at all with a few nice exceptions.
 There is a clear need to make more use of social networks if we are to develop communities of practice or, why not, a common global platform for fisheries assessment, advice and management.
Communication
Bibliography
Inf. knowledge
Open Source platforms
e-Meetings
Wikis
Contacts
e-Training

38. Ideal system properties
Multisource
Multipurpose
Multidisciplinary
Multicultural
Multilingual
Multiple outputs
Multiscale
Interactive
Inter-operable
Nested
Evolutive
Authoritative
Affordable
Flexible
Building capacity
Action-oriented
End user-oriented
Ethical
The ideal properties of future information systems are rather straightforward and I list them here without commenting: Multisource: harvesting data from multiple providers; Multipurpose: for many different types of users; Multidisciplinary: integrating various types of knowledge; Multicultural: for users with different backgrounds; Multilingual:20 languages in FishBase; Multiple outputs: statistics, maps, graphs, briefs, fact sheets; Multiscale: in space and time. Possibility to scale up & down; Interactive: piloted both by users and providers; Inter-operable: federating efforts and data. Based on common standards; Nested: e.g. connecting national, regional ad global systems; Evolutive: adapting to demands; Authoritative: provide verified information. Data traceability. Pedigree; Affordable: low cost; Flexible: allowing on-line processing as well as downloading for offline work; Building capacity: providing training, best practices, etc.; Action oriented: Connected to decision-making; End user-oriented as opposed to technology- or supply-oriented; Ethical: recognises data providers and system developers

39. TO DO list Improved access to authoritative data systems
More systematic geo-referencing
3-D displays
Visualisation of uncertainty
More dynamic representations
Google Oceans applications
Platforms for building atlases
Standardized publication platforms
E-training
The specific community expectations range from very basic in the developing world to rather sophisticated in the most developed countries. The following selection may be of particular interest to the D4 Science community:
 Improved access to authoritative, federated regional data systems; generalization of geo-referencing of fishery data, starting by FAO statistics; access to 3-Dimensional displays as depth is essential in oceans; Visualisation of uncertainty, particularly on maps and charts; More dynamic representations; More Google Oceans applications; Platforms for collaborative development of multidisciplinary atlases; Standardized publication platforms; and availability of e-training, particularly for assessment, modelling and management.

40. Fishery Management Knowledge Network
D4 Science dream list
Fishery Management Knowledge Network
Development of a community of practice
Open-source modelling platforms for inter-disciplinary, bioeconomic, behavioural and ecosystem models and role games
Pool computing for large model runs
A wish that perhaps encapsulates most of the others would be
 To use IC technology to foster the development of a community of practice around fishery science and management with perhaps many interconnected smaller and more specialized communities around sub-sectors (e.g. artisanal fisheries) or themes (e.g. roles games)
 Within such effort, to develop open source platforms to accelerate the collaborative development and diffusion of inter-disciplinary; bioeconomic, behavioural, and ecosystem models as well as participatory role games;
 To develop pool computing for large model runs
 In 2006, a multidisciplinary sample of fisheries scientists, practitioners, donors and FAO information systems experts under FAO leadership, developed and agreed with the concept of a Fisheries Management Knowledge Network (FIMNET). Perhaps the ultimate wish could be that this platform be really developed?

41. Thank you for your attention
Fishery Management Knowledge Network
Thank you for your attention