Conserving Atlantic biodiversity by supporting innovative small scale fisheries co-management

CABFishMAN supports stakeholder cooperation within small-scale fisheries (SSF) to address shared transnational challenges that enhance (i) the protection of marine resources by improved spatial distribution of SFF activity knowledge towards an ecosystem-based approach to management (ii) the conservation of biodiversity by identifying and providing quantitative assessment of the ecosystem services attached to the SSF species and habitats (iii) the scarce knowledge of how SSF’s impact on biodiversity and define a common methodology, learning and management.
The project will also support innovation to adapt the SSF’s to the introduction of the landing obligation from 2019 onwards (Common Fisheries Policy) as (iv) cooperation amongst different stakeholders to propose solutions for the Atlantic based on previous new knowledge and increasing their capacity to develop joint proposals within the Atlantic Strategy Action Plan. (v) the coexistence of SSF activity with marine conservation.• Improvement on the SSF spatial distribution activity data collection methods in the Atlantic Area.
• Current understanding of the physical and biological effects of SSF fishing activity on the coastal and marine habitats.
• New knowledge in the Atlantic on impact assessment-based classification of SSF gears and impacted habitats.
• Improved knowledge on SSF and its ecosystem cultural and natural heritage.
• Innovative assessment of economic net value of fishing grounds for SSF and the carbon footprint.
• Recommendations to better advance management of SSF under an ecosystem approach.• Operational SFF platform with functional research-use flow.
• Mapping coastal biodiversity and SSF activity interactions in the Atlantic Area.
• Assessment of the ecological and physical impacts of SSF fishing gears on biodiversity.
• SSF and its cultural and heritage ecosystems impact on Atlantic coastal economies.
• Harmonisation of common operational methodologies for assessing the SSF economic growth.
• Mapping interactions between SSF, the ES and other users to balance conservation, protection and the economic growth in the Atlantic (Blue growth).
• Database and extraction tool.