Collaborative Is the New Cooperative: An Example from Cod Spawning Research in the Gulf of Maine

Although often used interchangeably, there are important differences between ‘cooperative’ and ‘collaborative’ research conducted among scientists and fishermen. Collaborative research typically includes shared goals and incorporates fishermen in all phases of the research, from framing the questions to interpreting and disseminating results.  Here we describe the collaborative aspects of research on Atlantic cod spawning activity in the western Gulf of Maine, including both the successes and challenges.  Commercial fishermen concerned about the overharvest of spawning cod approached the Nature Conservancy to help find a way to both protect cod and maintain access to other species. The Conservancy collaborated with these fishermen, and government and academic researchers, using passive and active acoustic methods, monitored by an array of fixed stations and autonomous underwater gliders, to document the spatial and temporal extents of winter cod spawning over three years.  In addition to framing the question, fishermen conducted at-sea research, participated in research team meetings, and are spokesmen for the project.  The shared goal is to provide managers with the high-resolution information needed to refine seasonal closures to both protect cod spawning aggregations and enable fishermen to target other more abundant species—a positive outcome for fish and fishermen.