The Use and Abuse of Data in Fisheries Management

A new breed of high profile fisheries scientists is commanding increasing influence in the worldwide management of fish stocks.  Like the knights of old on horseback, they fly around the world, waving powerful computers like swords and dispensing mathematical models like magic potions.  They use complex scientific jargon to communicate amongst themselves and are dismissive of others who are unable to understand or participate in their complex rituals.  Uncontrolled fishers are their enemies and unsustainable utilisation is their war cry.  Many such scientists have never been exposed to the harsh and smelly realities of fishing or the challenges of running a competitive business.

Fishers’ conduct is also often questionable.  There are probably good reasons why, in many circles, fishing is synonymous with illegal activity.  The use of indiscriminative fishing gear which kills large numbers of non-commercial species is widespread.  Also there is a general disregard by many commercial fishers for the environment and for non-commercial marine species such as sea birds, seals, dolphins and valueless finfish species. Often catches are not honestly reported to compliance agencies and gear regulations are repeatedly ignored.

Fishers experiences, is not neatly tabulated in columns and rows, but rather in bags of memories, experiences, other fishers’ stories, legends and facts, all mixed together.  Scientists on the other hand, being scientists view real life fishing experiences and views with great scepticism.  Either they do not believe in them or alternatively they do not know what to do with them as such experiences are difficult to mould into analysable data. 

All of this underscores the urgent need for both fishing groups and scientists to find a common frame of reference to facilitate the removal of animosity between the two groups, and to allow fish stocks to be managed in a pragmatic manner in which biological and economic concerns are both addressed realistically. Fishers should have an appreciation of the technological gap that has opened up between their “perceptions” and the knowledgebase used by scientists. The only way to achieve this is for fishers to come to the fore with regard to the accurate, comprehensive and verifiable reporting of catches effort information.  Scientists on the other hand must make an effort to de-mystify their work so that it can be presented in the form of understandable and sensible management approaches.  Also, scientists must find a way to incorporate fishers’ experience and knowledge into their quantitative stock assessment models.