The data collected on the ground by observers is the basis for the decisions of politicians in Brussels.
Las fishing rules that govern our waters may be developed in distant offices, but the knowledge on which they are based begins at sea, with scientific observers. These men and women are the backbone of the EU fisheries data collection.
But who are these scientists? How do they work? And how do they contribute to preserving our marine ecosystem?
It’s early morning in Malta, the small EU member state nestled in the Mediterranean Sea. On board a traditional fishing boat there are three special guests: Kelly, Luca and Frank, who work for Aquatic Resources Maltaoh POOR.
This research unit of the Maltese public department of fisheries and aquaculture has a crucial mission: provide policymakers with accurate data on the health of the ocean.
“I work with a fantastic team of biologists and field observers, and together we carry out all the data collection related to EU obligations. Today we are carrying out an observation on board, which is one of our routine observation activities in which we have the opportunity to go out on board with the fishermen and take note of what they catch, both the fish they intend to land and the incidental catches. and discards,” says Luca Pisani, ARM marine biologist.
For ARM’s scientific manager, Kelly Camilleri, “it’s the best part of the job,” because “you get to see and work with the fishermen themselves, and you get to see the entire fishing industry.” While the crew collects their catch, Scientists observe, analyze and record basic biological data.
“This information is very valuable for policy makers and decision makers, because we can quantify how much it costs from the ecological point of view capture species of commercial importance. Because for every commercial species that is caught, species that are not related and that, otherwise, would not have been the target of fishing are also caught,” explains Luca.
These data, collected at EU level within the framework of a multi-year collection of fisheries data, they will not only guide the work of policy makers in matters of stocks and fishing resources. They will also serve as a basis for reinforce the socioeconomic pillar of the fishing sectorAccording to Maltese Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Alicia Bugeja Said:
“I really believe in the need to balance the environmental, social and economic pillars when designing policies for the sector.”
Although The fishing sector only represents 1% of Malta’s GDP and employs around 1,000 fishermen, this former academic turned politician says fishing is deeply linked to the identity of the nation. And that science can play a crucial role in the preservation of this cultural heritage.
“There has been a fairly representative number of scientists embarked on different vessels, both trawlers, trawlers and longliners, which makes the data collection quite representative,” adds the minister.
Observations on board They are just one of the methods that scientists use to study the fishing sector. At 4am the bell rings to signal the start of the Maltese fish auction. Buyers compete for the best catches that will end up on plates all over the island. However, ARM official Frank Farrugia is present for another reason:
“As part of the multi-year plan of data Collect, we have a budget to buy the fish. So, the fish purchased from here, we are going to process them in our laboratories. They are biometric samples: mainly length, weight, sex and maturity.”
Swordfish and dolphins arrive at the Aquatic Resources Malta offices around the same time as Frank’s colleagues. The fish are meticulously dissected to study its biological parameterswhich is the first step in an exhaustive data collection process that will ultimately reach the European Comission.
“Our fish stocks are shared with our neighboring countries. Therefore, it is very important that we share our data sets between Member States and aggregate them in accordance with the data requests we receive from the European Commission and other forums working with the European Commission,” details a senior ARM executive, Jurgen Mifsud.
“This data is used to model the fish populations of the Maltese islands. It is then aggregated at a regional level. From the data collected, we can determine management measures at the political level.“
With a PhD in statistics and mathematics, Jurgen is well equipped to monitor data collection, as well as other projects carried out by ARM’s 35 workers. However, his interest in fishing is also due to a personal motivation.
“In the fishing sector, the artisanal fishermen, which means that they are still traditional fishermen and, obviously, they continue to provide us with food. For me, that is something crucial for a country, because if there is someone, a family, who provides food to the country, that is very important.”
As in many other places in the Mediterranean, Maltese fishermen face various problemsAs the climate changethe pollution, the depletion of populations and intense competition. The artisanal nature of their activity makes these challenges even more discouraging.
“I think we have not known how to attend to the diversity and heterogeneity of fishermen, especially the artisanal ones. Most of the time, these forums focus a lot on large commercial fishermen. And taking into account that In Malta more than 90% of our fishermen are artisanal, I think we need more European forums that really deal with artisanal fishing,” says Minister Bugeja Said.
This view is shared by scientists on board fishing vessels, who help build trust between fishermen and policy makers. For Luca, Maintaining a good working relationship with fishermen is essentialgiven that share the same interests:
“If the sea is not going well, we want to know about it. Because if we can find out and identify where things seem to be going wrong, we can raise it with politicians and decision-makers so that they are better prepared to take appropriate measures in order to try to protect the sea in the interest of fishermen.“
As long as the health of our oceans remains at risk, the scientific work of Frank, Luca and Kelly will be essential in addressing this issue and shaping a shared vision for the future of our ocean. marine ecosystem.
