The problem

Fishery management is largely based on annual fish stock assessments. Owing to the uncertainty inherent in annual estimates of the stock size, fish quotas set on such a basis will be variable. This makes planning for the future difficult. A multi-annual management strategy is needed and, to be effective, this requires the commitment of managers and the compliance of stakeholders with the agreed strategy. Multi-annual assessments that incorporate biological and socio-economic considerations will help improve the decision-making process for medium- to long-term planning.

Overview:

COMMIT aims to improve the scientific basis for the long-term sustainable planning of fishery management, while identifying any short-term biological and socio-economic consequences. The project will:

• Evaluate management plans that reduce annual fluctuations in exploitation and encourage stakeholder commitment
• Base these strategies upon harvest rules and develop them explicitly to recognise various uncertainties
• Carry out a socio-economic analysis to identify mechanisms affecting the commitment of key stakeholders

Contribution to policy development:

• COMMIT will support the main elements of the Common Fisheries Policy, such as sustainable fisheries and an economically viable fishing industry
• COMMIT will identify robust management strategies that reduce the uncertainties currently besetting fishery management
• The project will involve greater stakeholder recognition of and compliance with the management framework
• Management decisions based on the COMMIT models will provide greater security to fishermen

Project deliverables

• Specification and implementation of robustness trial operating models – August 2005
• Specification and implementation of final trial operating models for each of the principal case studies – December 2006
• Completed harvesting and management strategy software with full documentation – March 2007
• Final report on specification of the final trials – April 2007

Dissemination

• Detailed report on the specifications of the robustness trials – October 2005
• Report on the current management procedures for each case study – April 2006
• A series of reports and draft papers on the various aspects of the project – April 2007

Technical information

Project acronym: COMMIT
Project’s official full title: Creation Of Multi-annual Management Plans for CommITment
Research priority: Modernisation and sustainability of fisheries, including aquaculture-based production systems
Specific webpage: Details not yet available
Proposal/contract no: 502289
Start date: 1/4/2004
Kick off meeting: April 2004
Completion date: 31/3/2007
European Commission scientific officer: Tore Jakobsen (Tore.Jakobsen@ec.europa.eu)

Coordinator:
Name: Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Abbreviated Name: CEFAS
Address: Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT
Country: UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1502 562244
Fax: +44 (0) 1502 513865
Website: www.cefas.co.uk

Partners

Name: Instituto Tecnológico Pesquero y Alimentario
Abbreviated Name: ATZI
Country: Spain

Name: Centre for the Economics and Management of Aquatic Resources
Abbreviated Name: CEMARE
Country: UK

Name: Danish Institute for Fisheries Research
Abbreviated Name: DIFRES
Country: Denmark

Name: Estonian Marine Institute
Abbreviated Name: EMI
Country: Estonia

Name: Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute
Abbreviated Name: FGFRI
Country: Finland

Name: Fisheries Research Services
Abbreviated Name: FRS
Country: UK

Name: Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine
Abbreviated Name: IMPERIAL
Country: UK

Name: Instituto de Investigação das Pescas e do Mar
Abbreviated Name: IPIMAR
Country: Portugal

Name: Agricultural Economics Research Institute
Abbreviated Name: LEI
Country: Netherlands

Name: Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research
Abbreviated Name: RIVO
Country: Netherlands

Name: National Centre for Marine Research
Abbreviated Name: NCMR
Country: Greece