Software to boost or restore natural fisheries |
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| Fisheries Enhancement Decision Support Tools: EnhanceFish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Newly-released EnhanceFish software helps fisheries staff calculate the costs and benefits - both social and economic - of boosting wild fisheries by stocking them with hatchery-reared fish. The software can be used to determine whether it's worthwhile to improve a fishery and, if so, with what, when and how. Although enhancing natural fisheries can improve incomes and have other social benefits, fisheries staff need to have a good understanding of the overall system and of the likely biological and socio-economic impacts. The package guides them through analyses and helps them advise and work with stakeholders in specific fisheries. EnhanceFish is already being used in Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. Strong interest from China and other governments indicate that this software has major potential to raise productivity and restore fisheries. Project Ref: FMSP10:
Research Programmes: Fisheries Management Science Programme Relevant Research Projects:
EnhanceFish is a comprehensive framework and decision support tool for analysing and developing aquaculture-based fisheries enhancements (stocking of hatchery fish to improve fisheries). EnhanceFish was developed in 2005 to synthesize the outputs and lessons learned from six previous RNRRS projects (running from 1993 to 2004) and make them available worldwide. Aquaculture-based fisheries enhancements aim to increase production, economic and social benefits from fisheries through the release of hatchery reared fish into natural ecosystems. Enhancements allow fishers to gain socio-economic benefits from the use of aquaculture technology in natural, usually common-pool aquatic resources. Demonstrated benefits of enhancements include higher resource production and productivity, recovery of overexploited natural aquatic resources, increased income, increased social capital through use of enhancement products in social exchange networks, development of new skills, and transformation of resource management institutions (with benefits extending far beyond the enhancement initiative). Effective enhancement involves more than just stocking of hatchery fish: hatchery production, release and harvesting regimes must be adapted to local ecological and socio-economic conditions for benefits to be achieved. This requires a good understanding of the overall enhancement system, as well as quantitative analysis of the effects of management measures on biological and socio-economic outcomes of enhancement. EnhanceFish is designed to help fisheries professionals work effectively with stakeholders to develop and improve fisheries enhancements. The EnhanceFish toolkit has three components: (1) The EnhanceFish guide, which provides guidance on how to engage with stakeholders and conduct a broad-based, integrated analysis of enhancement systems and identify promising development options. (2) The EnhanceFish tool, a software package that supports quantitative biological and economic analysis of enhancements. (3) The EnhanceFish manual and tutorial, which explains the principles underlying the EnhanceFish tool and assessment methods, and provides guidance on the practical use of the tool, including worked examples. The EnhanceFish toolkit has been found to be highly effective in guiding fisheries professionals to engage constructively with stakeholders and bring the best quantitative methods to bear on the development and improvement of enhancement systems. The EnhanceFish toolkit can also be used strategically at national or regional level to identify fisheries likely to benefit from enhancements. The EnhanceFish toolkit complements and links with several other RNRRS outputs, in particular the adaptive learning approaches and stock assessment tools. EnhanceFish is the first tool for the analysis of fisheries enhancements and their role in fisheries management worldwide. Keywords: Fisheries Enhancement, Culture-based Fisheries, Restocking, Stock Enhancement, Searanching, Hatchery, Stocking, Population Dynamics, Model, Decision Analysis, Fisheries Systems
Freshwater and marine fish and shellfish. The complete set of outputs has been validated mostly in freshwater systems. The quantitative tools have also been applied to marine systems, and the other components of the toolkit are likely to be applicable though further validation would be desirable.
The EnhanceFish toolkit integrates with, and complements several other RNRRS outputs, in particular the adaptive learning approaches and stock assessment tools. The EnhanceFish toolkit provides a framework for the integrated and quantitative analysis of enhancement systems. Adaptive learning can be an effective way of engaging stakeholders, fostering collective action and resolving uncertainties while applying the toolkit. Using the EnhanceFish toolkit also requires knowledge and skills similar to that required for FMSP stock assessment tools such as ParFish, CEDA and LFDA. There are thus potential synergies in promoting EnhanceFish together with other stock assessment tools. However, it must also be realized that the target audience is often different, with enhancement approaches typically associated with aquaculture rather than capture fisheries personnel of the target institutions. Hence care must be taken to ensure that the output is promoted to the appropriate target audience, and/or that target institutions create appropriate cross-disciplinary linkages. How the outputs were validated: The outputs synthesized in EnhanceFish and the toolkit itself have been validated extensively over a 13 year period through peer review, policy formulation, direct application to the planning and management of enhancements, and evaluation of use and outcomes.Scientific peer review. Most of the research results synthesized and made available through the EnhanceFish toolkit have been published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. The papers have been cited over 100 times and one article that describes the scientific basis of EnhanceFish is widely seen as a landmark study in the field. EnhanceFish formed the basis of the opening keynote of the 3rd International Symposium on Stock Enhancement and Searanching (Seattle, September 2006, http://www.searanching.org/), demonstrating the output's standing in the scientific community. Policy formulation. The principles, approaches and methods synthesized in the EnhanceFish toolkit have influenced policy at international and national level including the FAO Bangkok Declaration and Strategy for Aquaculture Development, the FAO Technical Guidelines on Responsible Fish Stocking currently being drafted, and national strategies as discussed further below. Influencing policy at this level demonstrates the value and wide relevance of the outputs. Direct application to planning and management, and evaluation of use and outcomes. The outputs have been validated in a range of development, planning and management initiatives which are detailed below. This has involved validation in terms of applicability of the approaches and outcomes of their use, based on feedback from technical specialists as well as target beneficiaries. Where the Outputs were Validated: Bangladesh: Validation through analysis of Bangladesh floodplain lake (beel) enhancements by Professor Rezaul Hasan, Bangladesh Agricultural University, in 2001. Cambodia: Validation through analysis of Cambodian reservoir enhancements at the EnhanceFish workshop in 2005. China: Validation through a research project in collaboration with provincial fisheries officers 1994-1996. Strong interest from marine fisheries personnel with significant uptake expected in coming years. India: Validation through a research project 1994-1996, and recent use by government officers within ICAR as well as university staff. Laos: Extensive validation through long-term research and development projects in southern Laos (wetland rice-based farming system) from 1995 to 2004. This targeted whole communities dominated by diversified semi-subsistence livelihoods in which fishing played a significant part. Application of the approaches synthesized in EnhanceFish was found to be feasible by government officers and villagers, and resulted in substantially improved outcomes (see section 21). Thailand: Validation through a collaborative research project 1994-96, and extensive use of EnhanceFish within the Government Department of Fisheries since release and training course in 2005. Vietnam: Validation through analysis of Vietnamese reservoir enhancements at EnhanceFish workshop. Who are the Users? Outputs from the enhancement research synthesized in EnhanceFish are currently being used in several countries where research and development activities have been carried out in the past (Laos, Thailand, Cambodia). This use involves continued, participatory research by government officers and resource users aimed at understanding and improving enhancement systems. The EnhanceFish tool itself (which became available only 6 months ago) now has 70 registered users, and the technical documents that form part of the wider toolkit (the Guide and Manual) have been downloaded over 200 times. The policy brief, the main document promoting adoption at higher levels of government has been downloaded over 400 times. Of the 70 registered users, 32 are government officers, 11 university scientists, and the remainder are from a range of backgrounds including NGOs and consulting. Requests for specific assistance and feedback from registered users shows that use of EnhanceFish occurs at different levels, from understanding the dynamics of enhancements by working through the tutorial, through to analysis of specific fisheries with some stakeholder engagement. The outputs are also widely used in the scientific community, having been cited over a 100 times in published literature. Where the outputs have been used: The EnhanceFish tool now has 70 registered users in 32 countries. The largest group (32 users) is based in Asia, reflecting both the comparatively great importance of enhancements in Asia and the result of promotion through the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific (NACA). Various research outputs that have been synthesized in EnhanceFish are also being used globally and within the Asian region. More detailed information is provided on those countries in the PSA list. Bangladesh: The approaches and models underlying EnhanceFish have been used in pilot analyses of floodplain lake enhancements. The extent of continued use is not known. There is one registered user of EnhanceFish. Cambodia: Cambodian reservoir enhancements have been analysed during the EnhanceFish workshop, and one such analysis forms part of the tutorial. There are two registered users of EnhanceFish, and several others who use prototype tools as introduced in the workshop. China: Some analysis tools were used by the Zhejiang Provincial Fisheries institute in the 1990s, but the extent of current use is not known. At the recent 3rd International Symposium on Stock Enhancement and Searanching, strong interest in the tool was evident from government marine fisheries personnel, and significant uptake is expected in coming years. India: Outputs have influenced government enhancement research and operational programmes since the mid-1990s, but there has been limited direct promotion. At present there are six registered users in government (ICAR) institutions and universities. Laos: There is continued use of structures and processes established during long-term research leading up to EnhanceFish. The tool itself has three registered users, but use appears constrained by capacity problems. Thailand: There is significant use of the EnhanceFish tool within the Government Department of Fisheries, with 4 registered users who are known to actively apply the tool. Vietnam: There has been some use of earlier analysis tools in the course of Mekong River Commission and ACIAR projects on reservoir fisheries enhancement. The current level of use in not known, and there is one registered user of EnhanceFish. Scale of Current Use: The EnhanceFish toolbox became publicly available in April 2006. In the six months since release, 70 users have registered and downloaded the software. A far larger number of users (over 600) have visited the EnhanceFish pages on either the http://www.aquaticresources.org/ or NACA websites, and downloaded various items of documentation. Visits to the relevant pages and registrations continue steadily at a rate of about 100 visits and 10 registrations per month. Policy and Institutional Structures, and Key Components for Success: The EnhanceFish toolbox and its underlying methods and approaches facilitate the outcome-oriented development and management of enhancements. They are thus most successful, and in greatest demand, in situations where basic technical (capacity to produce seed organisms in aquaculture) and institutional (provision for active management of resources by or with fishers) conditions are in place, and development initiatives or government policy demand that enhancement activities are outcome-oriented and accountable. Public sector reforms and the proliferation of co-management arrangements have created conducive conditions in many Asian target countries. The EnhanceFish toolbox enters into such situations at several levels, outlining the policy requirements for successful enhancement (policy brief) as well as providing practical tools for the broad-based and quantitative analysis of enhancement systems. Support for uptake and successful implementation is often required in assisting existing institutions in making the cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral linkages that are necessary to analyse and manage enhancement systems in an integrated manner. For example, enhancements are often dealt with by the aquaculture divisions of fisheries departments, which have little capacity to appreciate the harvest management or overall economic aspects of the system. It is then necessary to highlight the need for, and promote institutional linkages that can support integrated analysis and management. The second area where support is often required is in specific technical skills for key technical, social, and economic analyses. This is best done through initial training workshops followed by long-term but low-intensity support for applications to specific fisheries enhancements in the form of electronic communications, follow-up workshops, and exchange of case study information between users. Lessons Learned and Uptake Pathways Promotion of Outputs: Promotion is currently being carried out at a regional level in Asia, through the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific and the associated STREAM initiative, and globally by the Aquatic Resource Ecology Group at Imperial College http://www.aquaticresources.org/ (the developers of EnhanceFish). Promotion is largely passive-responsive, i.e. the toolkit and related policy briefs are downloadable, and there are an online discussion group and a dedicated email helpline to deal with user questions and problems. Active promotion is being carried out at meetings and through publications. Potential Barriers Preventing Adoption of Outputs: In most Asian target countries there are substantial operational enhancement programmes as well as new initiatives that would benefit from the application of EnhanceFish. Institutional conditions are broadly conducive and there has been substantial demand for support for the development and management of enhancement. The greatest barriers are lack of active promotion of the toolkit to target users, and in particular of continuous support for application. A survey of some of the current registered users of EnhanceFish has shown that many have attempted to apply the tool to 'their' enhancements but have run into minor problems due to lack of knowledge or specific data. All of the issues voiced could have been easily resolved had the users contacted the discussion list or email help. In practice, users often do not do this and therefore active long-term promotion with regular personal contact is important. How to Overcome Barriers to Adoption of Outputs: Active promotion and support of the use of EnhanceFish through workshops, low-intensity but long-term collaboration with key organisations, and various forms of networking and dissemination. Lessons Learned: Most successful enhancement initiatives have involved a combination of collective action by fisher and technical and well as management support from governmental organisations. In promoting use of the outputs, its is therefore important to engage with both target end users (mostly government and NGO staff) and with target beneficiaries (fishers). In the absence of larger development projects or NGO activities engaging target beneficiaries directly, the target end users are the natural point of entry. Use of the EnhanceFish toolbox effectively forces and guides end users to engage with the beneficiaries constructively, and this is re-enforced through training and longer-term follow up with target users. Poverty Impact Studies:
How the Poor have Benefited (including gender and other poverty groups): Laos: The most comprehensive assessment of poverty impacts has been conducted in Laos. This has revealed: Economic impacts: Increase in communal cash income (average 200 US$/village/year), strong increase in fisheries productivity (catch per unit of effort) so that catches are obtained with lower effort. Impacts on approximately 40 villages within two years of project completion. (Project report, Garaway PhD, CRE Evaluation) Impacts on capacity: Villagers' capacity to manage culture-based enhancements actively has increased, and income has been used for village projects. This has also increased the villagers' capacity to lever support for other activities from government and development organisations. (Project report, Garaway PhD, CRE Evaluation) Impact on livelihoods assets: Natural: moderate increase in yield, but strong increase in abundance of both wild and released hatchery fish. Financial: dramatically increased village income, reduced contributions from households for village activities Physical: infrastructure improvements as a result of community income (electricity, road, temple) Human: Increased knowledge of fisheries management, some aquaculture knowledge, increased capacity to manage village funds and activities Social: increased community cohesion as a result of joint management of aquatic resources for community benefit. (Project report, Garaway PhD, CRE Evaluation) Thailand: Increases in production and income from enhanced village fisheries by 22-75 %, based on optimisation of stocking regimes alone. The costs of conducting the data collection and analysis activities to identify improved stocking regimes was estimated as 30% of the annual revenue from the enhanced fisheries, thus the benefits exceeded costs within one year. Direct and Indirect Environmental Benefits: Enhancements can have substantial environmental benefits, which are generated through the fish stocking activity as well as concomitant changes in fisheries exploitation and management. This was well illustrated in the Lao application described above where increases in resource productivity were combined with a dramatic recovery in wild fish stock abundance as a result of the enhancement. Adverse Environmental Impacts: Poorly designed and managed fisheries enhancement systems can have negative environmental impacts due to ecological and genetic interactions of enhanced and wild fish stocks, and/or over-harvesting of wild fish stocks. The outputs are designed explicitly to minimize such impacts. Coping with the Effects of Climate Change, or Risk from Natural Disasters: Yes - the outputs allow poor people to maintain and increase the productivity of fisheries that have been degraded by a variety of factors, including climate change. Impact studies have also shown that fisher communities that engage in fisheries enhancement tend to improve their capacity to undertake other collective endeavours and lever support from external organisations, thus improving their resilience. Relevant Research Projects,
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