Cooperative NMFS-OAR Workshop Examines the Role of Environmental Data in Fisheries

The role of NMFS for research, management, and enforcement of regulations for fisheries and protected species involve a broad range of activities that are all affected by environmental variability. A workshop funded by NOAA's ESDIM program was co-convened by PFEG oceanographer George Boehlert and Jim Schumacher of the ERL Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory; the meeting took place at PFEG's facility in Pacific Grove, California. It examined how environmental data are applied to practical problems in fisheries research and management. The objectives of the workshop were to Participation included over 50 scientists with expertise in fisheries, physical sciences, environmental data, and computers. They represented all five science centers in NMFS, most line offices of NOAA, NASA, the Navy, NSF, Canada, Great Britain, and 7 academic institutions. Presentations by fisheries scientists described uses of environmental data in fisheries research and management; physical and computer scientists described sources of environmental data, including that from ocean models and geophysical investigations, and how they are managed. Internet and video-based demonstrations described ocean model output and data management systems.

Open discussions were a very important element of the workshop, and four working groups to addressed i) real-time or near real-time environmental data applications to fisheries, ii) retrospective environmental data applications to fisheries, iii) applications of oceanographic and atmospheric model output to fisheries, and iv) data delivery systems, data accessibility criteria, and formats. An additional working group was convened to address opportunities and mechanisms for cooperation across line offices in NOAA and across agency boundaries.

The working groups developed more than 40 recommendations. A common thread among the working groups was the need for improved communication among fisheries scientists, oceanographers, and the physical and computer scientists who provide model and environmental data. There was also consensus that follow-up workshops, focused on specific topics (e.g. model data applications, remote sensing and fisheries) be developed. Applications of new environmental technology, including remotely sensed data, multi-beam sonar technology, and numerical model output were highly recommended. Parallel efforts among different agencies were identified at the meeting, leading to suggestions to promote collaboration and increase the inter-operability among existing environmental data access systems. The working group dealing with partnerships for fisheries oceanography recognized the critical need for cooperation and collaboration to identify and fully utilize all environmental data and model output that could be beneficial to NOAA's environmental stewardship mission.

The workshop proceedings will be published as a NOAA Technical Memorandum before the end of the year. In the interim, a short workshop report along with the full text of recommendations is available at http://www.pfeg.noaa.gov/workshop. This meeting was the first large workshop held in PFEG's new facility in Pacific Grove. The venue was excellent for such a meeting.
(G. Boehlert [831]648-8447).