Societal Applications in Fisheries and Aquaculture Using Remotely-Sensed Imagery - The SAFARI Project

Abstract

The principal objective of the SAFARI (Societal Applications in Fisheries and Aquaculture using Remotely-Sensed Imagery) initiative is to coordinate, at the international level, applications of remotely-sensed Earth Observation data to the societal benefit areas of fisheries and aquaculture. Applications of remote sensing to fisheries include its use in i) fish stock assessment, where earth observation data is instrumental in the understanding of the effect of seasonal and interannual variability of the phytoplankton community to stock growth and recruitment, ii) in fisheries harvesting by identification, for example, of potential fishing zones, and iii) more generally in fisheries management, where the concept of the ecosystem-based approach is now universally accepted and introduced in the regional management of fisheries. To achieve its main objective, the SAFARI initiative endeavours to reach all levels of participants engaged in global fisheries research and management, including policy makers, research scientists, government managers, and those involved in the fishing industries. SAFARI activities include organization of international workshops and symposia as a platform to discuss current research in Earth observation and fisheries management, information sessions aimed at the fisheries industry, government officials and resource managers, representation at policy meetings, and producing publications relevant to the activities. Researchers from more than 15 countries are part of the SAFARI network, have attended workshops organized by SAFARI and contributed to a monograph on the topic published by the IOCCG (International Ocean-Colour Coordinating Group). Moreover, collaboration with other international networks, such as ChloroGIN will facilitate the expansion of SAFARI worldwide. This community white paper, relevant to theme three of the conference, provides a portrait of the current and potential benefits of remotely-sensed data to society, and more specifically to management of fisheries and aquaculture at the global scale.