EMB Autumn Plenary Highlights

The EMB Autumn Plenary assembled during 14 – 15 October in the historic city of Split, Croatia. The meeting was hosted by the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries. Bringing together 26 EMB delegates as well as guests from the European Commission, JPI Oceans, ICES, IUCN, EurOcean, the Pelagic Freezer-Trawler Association and the EMB Communications Panel, the Autumn Plenary featured a special session on new paradigms in science-based fisheries management as well as updates from the EMB Secretariat on current and future science activities. Delegates and guests enjoyed flash presentations by early career researchers from the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, spanning the study of meteorological tsunamis, Adriatic ichthyofauna and Anisakis, a genus of parasitic nematodes. In addition, the plenary evening lecture focused on the Marine Strategy Framework Directive’s descriptors of Good Environmental Status.

Jan Mees, EMB Chair, opened the Autumn Plenary and welcomed EMB delegates and guests to Split on behalf of the host organization, the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries. The Institute was founded in 1930 as the first national institution for sea research in Croatia.

Autumn Plenary participants received two new EMB publications. Discover the most pressing deep-sea research priorities in our latest position paper 22, ‘Delving Deeper: Critical challenges for 21^st century deep-sea research’ and learn about the history of Ocean Literacy and the Horizon 2020 project Sea Change in the booklet ‘Sea Change, Increasing Ocean Literacy’, developed by EMB and CoExploration Ltd. In addition, since the plenary meeting, the EurOCEAN 2014 report has been printed. The report highlights the key messages from this major European marine science policy conference, held on 7-9 October 2014 in Rome. The Ocean Climate Nexus Consensus Statement has also been finalized, outlining key priorities for ocean research in the context of global change in preparation for the imminent COP21 climate change talks. All of these publications are available to download from the EMB website.

Nedo Vrgoč (Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Croatia) opened the session with a presentation on Croatian fisheries in the Adriatic. Current fisheries regulations in Croatia are a combination of EU regulations and national regulations from before Croatia joined the EU. Nedo explained that only 1% of the Croatian marine fisheries catch is sourced from outside territorial waters. In recent years Italy’s total annual catch has been decreasing while Croatia’s has been increasing, with a particularly strong increase in the amount of small pelagic fish being caught, mainly comprising sardines and anchovies. These fish represent 80% of the catch, over half of which are used to feed farmed tuna. The demersal fish-catch has remained stable in recent years with the majority of demersal fish being caught in Italian waters. The data from previous scientific surveys of the Adriatic have been shared by both Croatia and Italy, examples being the Hvar, Pipeta, Mefits, AdriaMed, Solemon, Deep Sea Survey, UWTV (Underwater Television) survey, Medias and Medits expeditions. Data on the current state of resources from recent surveys (notably Medits) shows that the distribution of commercially important species has decreased, with Mullus barbatus being the only species showing an increase in biomass. In addition, stock assessments show that many species are being overfished, such as sardine, anchovy, common sole, hake, red mullet, and Norway lobster. In an effort to alleviate this, two months ago, a no-take zone of 2,500 km2 has been designated in the centre of the Adriatic Sea, including an area known as the Jabuka Pit which is the principal spawning and nursery area in the Adriatic. The total area being monitored is 12,000 km2.

Kenneth Patterson (EC DG MARE) followed with an overview of how the EU supports marine science in a presentation titled, ‘Science Support to the Common Fisheries Policy-perspectives of the European Commission’. Through the Horizon 2020 programme (2014 – 2020) there is a total budget of €79 billion available. Of this, approximately €100 million/year is allocated to marine and fisheries-related research and €31.7 million was allocated to CFP-related topics in 2014. The EU also provides financial support for the science needed to inform implementation of the CFP, examples including contributions to the ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) Secretariat and services, the STECF (Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries) Secretariat and operations, and GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) support.
Kenneth focused on the issues surrounding the 4 main changes in the updated CFP.
1. Specific and quantified biological objectives for each stock in EU waters.
In the northeast Atlantic quotas are fixed for approximately 100 stocks. Around half of these are assessed annually against the MSY (Maximum Sustainable Yield) objective, which accounts for about 80% of catches. A further 20 deep-sea stocks (approximately) are not assessed against MSY objectives and about 70 TAC (Total Allowable Catch) decisions are taken without an MSY basis. In the Mediterranean there are no quotas other than for Bluefin tuna, and sprat and turbot in the Black Sea. Only a small proportion of catches are assessed each year representing a large knowledge gap and most assessments indicate serious levels of overfishing. Currently there is a need for more research into MSYs for more stocks.
2. No discards of species under quota or under minimum size regulations by 2019.
This is a big challenge. Initiatives are expected to be taken by fishers with incentives created to avoid catching small fish and recommendations are to be made to the Commission.
3. Long-term plans to be developed for areas and groups of species in order to reach the objectives.
4. Recommendations on technical measures to be developed by Member States on a regional basis and after consulting stakeholders.
The CFP is an EU-led responsibility. However, Member states may provide recommendations on some CFP issues, mostly on technical measures and in the context of discard plans. Further priorities include developing management tools for tuna, increasing the profitability of EU fisheries, improving market supply and food security, understanding ecosystems of the central Arctic Ocean and support for regional fisheries management organisations, including outside the EU.

Yvonne Walther (ICES) presented on ICES Integrated Assessments as part of an Ecosystem Approach to Management. There is an agreement between the EU and ICES that ‘advisory deliverables shall be based on an ecosystem approach consistent with the targets and objectives for GES determined through MSFD’. Based on this ICES has made a commitment to put the ecosystem approach into practice. Yvonne explained that we need an integrated understanding of marine ecosystems because how we demand services from the marine system has changed. The Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEAs) delivered by ICES can assist with scoping of societal, managerial and operational objectives, monitoring, risk analysis, developing indicators, target and reference points and assessing cumulative effects. Methods for combining indicators need to be developed to allow an IEA to reach an overall conclusion about the state of the ecosystem. Areas with ICES IEAs include the North Sea, Baltic Sea, Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Western European Shelf Seas and Northwest Atlantic Regional Seas and different problems and pressures have been identified in the different regions. Yvonne explained that ICES is evolving from giving recommendations in response to requests, to providing knowledge. For example, ICES has made maps available in relation to ICES ecosystem overviews, with information available on chlorophyll, pelagic habitat, benthic habitat, management politics and social information. In addition, ICES is working in new ways. While the usual practice is to establish working groups, workshops are also now being organized that include information sharing and scoping. For example, WKSIBCA (Workshop on Scoping for Integrated Baltic Cod Assessment) investigates why Baltic cod stock is not developing as it should. Yvonne concluded by highlighting that ICES strives to enable marine science in support of EAM, build participatory processes, be a collective institutional memory, stimulate policy development and has a long term commitment to continue its work.

Martin Pastoors (Pelagic Freezer-trawler Association) presented on building bridges between industry and science in his presentation titled, ‘Fishing industry science: unlocking the real potential of fishing industry data, knowledge and curiosity.’ Taking the view that fishermen are ‘the eyes and ears at sea’, Martin sees significant capacity to learn more from the fishing industry. Research projects have demonstrated the value of engagement but, so far, the exchange has been mostly limited to the fishing industry offering data, information and knowledge to research science, and research reciprocating with results, reports and presentations. Martin highlighted that through his work he tries to change this relationship into a much more dynamic one where science is integrated into the fishing industry via engaged data collection and knowledge exchange. Martin works with freezer-trawlers which generate significant amounts of information on catches through their fish handling work involving catching, grading, sampling, freezing and storing. These vessels have advanced equipment in use and provide information and data which should be used to support fisheries science and management. Martin concluded by emphasizing the benefits that the fishing industry can bring to science and the importance of optimizing the engagement. Working as scientists for the fishing industry gives access to new and previously untapped sources of knowledge and fishing industry scientists need to build up trust within the industry.

Serge Garcia (IUCN) focused on the role of global fisheries in future food security. Serge introduced food security as a set of parameters ensuring that people have access to enough food. The factors that ensure such security include, amongst others, political stability, climate, technology, good governance, sustainable resources and affordable prices and these factors work at and across all scales. Serge emphasized that food security is a cross sectoral and systemic issue of which fisheries is only one component. Directly and indirectly, fisheries are a significant contributor to food security with 4.5 billion people getting 20 % of animal protein from fish and small-scale fisheries sustaining 90 % of fisheries-dependent people, thereby playing an important role in food security and poverty prevention in developing countries. Yet, fisheries are facing many challenges. For example, issues such as IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) and discards require attention. In terms of global consumption and dependency, Asia is the region with the highest production, dependency and consumption of fish and therefore will be a hot spot for economic reform of world fisheries. Looking to the future, by 2030 50% more energy and 30% more fresh water will be needed to produce 50% more food. According to the World Bank, fisheries will need to contribute 75.10⁶t more than today, and this contribution will be particularly crucial given the challenges that lie ahead for terrestrial food production. Therefore, well-managed fisheries have a role to play in future food security as well as in global environmental management. Aquaculture is expected to fill the growing global supply/demand gap and alleviate price increases. However, while most people can turn to fisheries, aquaculture remains a difficult entry point for the poorest. Serge outlined governance and policy issues and concluded with the key points that: food security and sustainability are interdependent; fisheries contribution to food security is essential; rebuilding depleted resources is fundamental; aquaculture is expected to fill the supply/demand gap; small-scale fisheries are needed to ensure food security in poor rural and peri-urban areas; optimizing production is not enough; ensuring decent livelihoods is essential; food security requires coordination of enabling national policies; effective pro-food security policies are context-sensitive and combine a mix of measures and; good governance is a top priority.

Amongst updates provided by the EMB Secretariat was progress on the work of WG Marine Graduate Training which is due to publish a Future Science Brief describing the challenges in the current marine graduate training landscape and presenting recommendations in the context of societal challenges and policy needs. The impact report for Position Paper 21 Land Beneath the Waves, Submerged landscapes and sea level change and the accompanying policy brief was also presented to EMB members. This process involves active dissemination and tracking uptake and impact of the publication at national, regional, European and international levels. Also included were updates on a joint initiative between EMB and EuroGOOS to promote and advance a European Ocean Observing System (EOOS) and finalization of the Consensus Statement in preparation for EMB’s 5th Forum, The Ocean-Climate Nexus: The Critical Role of Ocean Science in Responding to Climate Change, a European Parliament event, since held on 21 October.

The Chair of the EMBCP (European Marine Board Communications Panel), Jan Seys, updated EMB members and guests on recent activities. Jan highlighted that the EMBCP has played a significant role in promoting Ocean Literacy, now the subject of current Horizon 2020 funded projects such as Sea Change and ResponSEAble. EMBCP has been represented at European Maritime Day, the EurOCEAN 2014 conference in Rome and recently ran a workshop titled ‘speed course in marine science communication’ at the EMSEA 15 (European Marine Science Educators Association) conference in Crete. A key activity of the group has been EMBCP’s involvement as co-organizer of the first International Marine Science Communication Conference (IMSCC) in Porto in 2014. Following on from the success of this conference, EMBCP is now taking the lead in organizing a second such conference, IMSCC 2, planned to take place in Bruges in November 2016.

You are invited to a briefing session on position paper 22 “Delving Deeper: Critical challenges for 21st century deep-sea research” on 11 November 2015 at 12:30-13:10 in Brussels. As a special session of the 3rd Ocean of Tomorrow Conference: ‘What results so far for healthy and productive seas and oceans?’, the briefing will highlight key outputs of WG Deep Seas with opening statements by Ricardo Serrão Santos, MEP, Sigi Gruber, DG Research and Innovation, EC and a presentation by WG Deep Seas Chair, Alex Rogers, University of Oxford. Invited participants include the European Commission, European Parliament, deep-sea stakeholders and the wider European marine scientific and stakeholder community. Please register for the event here.

EMB delegates and guests were treated to flash presentations by three early-career researchers from the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries. Jadranka Šepić started the session with her presentation on the little-known phenomenon of meteorological tsunamis. Branko Dragičević continued with an account of recent changes in the Adriatic ichthyofauna and Ivana Bušelić updated the audience on new advances in Anisakis research (a genus of parasitic nematodes) - a presentation aptly-timed immediately before dinner.

Autumn Plenary Evening Lecture

Ferdinando Boero (University of Salento, Italy) gave the Autumn Plenary evening lecture, titled ‘GES Revolutions’. In his presentation, Nando went through each of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive’s 11 descriptors of Good Environmental Status, each accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Italian artist Alberto Gennari. He spoke about the features of the Mediterranean, such as its canyons and gyres, and about ecosystem functioning. Nando particularly emphasized that we must link processes, revive taxonomy and upgrade observation systems to include measures of biodiversity.

Thanks for being part of the EMB Autumn Plenary 2015

EMB Autumn Plenary 2015

Highlights from Split

Decisions approved by the Board

New EMB Publications

Special Session on new paradigms in science-based fisheries management

EMB Science Activity Updates

EMB Communications Panel

EMB's Next Event

Flash Presentations by Early Career Researchers from the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries