Benefits and organization of cooperative research for fisheries management

Abstract

Johnson, T. R., and van Densen, W. L. T. 2007. The benefits and organization of cooperative research for fisheries management. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 834–840. Drawing on research in the northeastern USA and northwestern Europe, a description is given of how cooperative research is organized and a statement made of how involving fishers in research can contribute to better fisheries management. The focus is on improving stock assessments through the collection of better fishery-dependent and -independent data and through efforts to address bycatch through gear-selectivity studies. Direct benefits of cooperative research include increased quantity and quality of data, inclusion of fishers' knowledge in science and management, improved relevance of research to fisheries management, and reduced costs of science. Indirect benefits are the buy-in of science and management by industry and improved relationships and trust between fishers and scientists (and managers). These indirect benefits are best achieved under conditions of transparency and communication. In some cases, cooperative research also provides income to the industry and supports the maintenance of fishing infrastructure. Most important, cooperative research improves capacity-building and establishes intellectual property rights within the fishing industry, and it encourages innovative approaches to management, such as adaptive and ecosystem-based approaches. Finally, guidelines for making cooperative research more effective are outlined.

Cooperative research and knowledge flow in the marine commons

“…The key is that they are able to use their "interactional expertise" gained through cooperative research to communicate their knowledge and expertise with scientists. Improvement in communication across the boundary between scientists and fishers is an important outcome of cooperative fisheries research (Johnson and van Densen 2007). In addition to the ability to communicate due to fishers gaining interactional expertise, communication also emerges as trust builds between fishers and scientists.…”

“…As one example, in the past many fishers did not understand the scientific concept of "stratified random sampling" used for resource surveys, often questioning why scientists towed in places where fishers already knew that fish were unlikely to be found (Johnson and van Densen 2007). They also questioned the "standardization" of the survey (i.e.…”

“…One approach to linking the local knowledge and experiences of fishers with the large-scale efforts of science-based management (and hopefully creating mutual understanding about the condition of the resources) is to include fishers in scientific research in what is known as cooperative (or collaborative) research (e.g. NRC 2004; Reid and Hartley 2006;Johnson and van Densen 2007). Cooperative research refers simply to fishers and scientists engaged together in scientific research, with partnerships ranging from chartering vessels to the full industry integration in all stages of research (Bernstein and Iudicello 2000;Karp et al 2001;Conway and Pomeroy 2006;McCay et al 2006;Johnson and van Densen 2007).…”

“…NRC 2004; Reid and Hartley 2006;Johnson and van Densen 2007). Cooperative research refers simply to fishers and scientists engaged together in scientific research, with partnerships ranging from chartering vessels to the full industry integration in all stages of research (Bernstein and Iudicello 2000;Karp et al 2001;Conway and Pomeroy 2006;McCay et al 2006;Johnson and van Densen 2007). By recognizing the expertise of different stakeholders (scientists and non-scientists), increasing transparency of the research process, and improving relationships and trust among fishers, scientists, and managers through participation, cooperative research is expected to improve the effectiveness of marine commons management (Kaplan and McCay 2004;Johnson and van Densen 2007).…”

“…While these funds focused on the New England groundfish fisheries surfclam (Spisula solidissima) and ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) fishery, the Illex and Loligo squid fisheries, and the sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery. In the Northeast region, a form of cooperative research emerged that goes beyond past efforts of simply chartering fishers' vessels as research platforms and instead involves fishers in meaningful ways throughout the scientific research process (McCay et al 2006;Johnson and van Densen 2007).…”