Promoting an Optimal Networking of Fishing
Actors to Organize a Responsible, Optimal and
Sustainable Exploitation of Marine Resources: the
FAROS Initiative
Luis T. Anteloa,*, Tatiana Ordoñeza, Amaya Franco-Uríaa, J.L. Gómez-Gesteirab, M.L. Fernández-Cañamerob, Nélida Pérezc, José
Castroc, José María Bellidod, Francisco Landeirae, Antonio A. Alonsoa
a
Process Engineering Group, IIM-CSIC. Eduardo Cabello 6. 36208 Vigo, Spain.
Centro Tecnológico del Mar – Fundación CETMAR. Eduardo Cabello s/n. 36208 Vigo, Spain.
c
Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Cabo Estai s/n. 36200 Canido-Vigo, Spain
d
Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Varadero, 1. 30740 San Pedro del Pinatar-Murcia, Spain
e
Centro de Supercomputacion de Galicia – CESGA. Avenida de Vigo s/n. 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
* Corresponding author: ltaboada@iim.csic.es
b
Abstract- In the aim of promoting the responsible and sustainable management of the European fishing activity, the
European Commission took a number of actions oriented to the implementation of “no-discard” and “zero-waste” policies
to be followed by the European fishing fleets in the near future. In particular, actions were directed to the development of
policies to reduce unwanted by-catches and eliminate discards in European fisheries, as well as to make the best possible
use of the captured resources avoiding its waste. In this sustainability framework, the FAROS Projects (co-funded under
the LIFE+ Environmental Program of the European Union) aims at developing and implementing an efficient and
integral discards and by-catch management network based on a global and real-time information system both on board
and in land. This network implies all actors present in the fishing sector (fleets, ports, auctions, industries, etc.) and takes
advantage of the existing synergies between them in order to attain the minimization of discards/by-catch as well as their
optimal valorization to recover and to produce valuable chemicals of interest in the food and pharmaceutical industry.
I.
INTRODUCTION
Discards are described by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) as “that portion of the total
organic material of animal origin in the catch, which is thrown away, or dumped at sea for whatever reason. It does not include
plant materials and post harvest waste such as offal. The discards may be dead, or alive” [1] i.e., the portion of the total catch
taken during fishing activity that is dumped or thrown overboard at sea and that can consist of both by-catch as well as target
species. By-catch is generally dumped because it is undesirable (i.e. there is no market or other use for it) and therefore
uneconomic to keep on board, as it will be explained later in this paper. Target species may be discarded due to poor quality,
undersized specimens (below Minimum Landing Size), protected species or because the quota for that species has already been
taken. The last three reasons are sometimes referred to as regulatory discards.
Estimations of fish captures by the FAO Fisheries Resources Division [1] indicate an annual increase of 6% in the decades
between 1950 (around 20 million tons) and 1970 (around 60 million tons), to reach an average figure of about 85 million tons in
2005. The world total (marine and inland) capture production for the period 2006–09 was very steady at about 90 million tons [2].
This corresponds to 78% of total fish production, being the remaining 22% produced by aquaculture. Catches on-board any
fishing vessel almost always includes non-targeted species (by-catch and/or discards), being its percentage not homogeneously
distributed among the different fishing fleets. The latest published estimate of global discards from fishing is of about 7 million
tons. It is, however, recognized that quantifying fisheries discards on a global scale is difficult mainly due to incomplete
information for many fisheries and countries.
Within the EU, data on discards [3] has been collected regularly since 2002 under the Data Collection Regulation (DCR). The
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) made a study for the Commission in 2002 based on data up to the
year 2000. This study was used by the FAO for the European section of its 2005 study. The Scientific, Technical and Economic
Committee for Fisheries (STECF) has provided an overview of discard rates based on data from 2003-2005. Discard rates are in
the range of 20-60% of the catch weight for some fisheries exploiting demersal stocks. In the areas west of the British Isles,
bottom trawling gears discard between 20-40%. In the more southerly Atlantic Community waters, bottom trawling gears discard
in the range of 30 to 60%. However, STECF has not been in a position to estimate the overall absolute amount of discards in
European fisheries.
Dealing with the discards issue, the objectives of 2005 FAO Technical Report [4] were to develop an improved, more robust
and transparent method for estimating discards at global level, and to use it to re-estimate discards in the world’s marine capture
fisheries. The fishery-by-fishery approach offers the possibility of verification and periodic updating of the discard estimates at
country or regional level in consultation with national fisheries authorities and regional fisheries organizations.
It must be pointed out that by-catch occurs because most fishing gears and practices are not perfectly selective for the species
and sizes being targeted and because target species exist in habitats occupied by a wide range of other species. The percentage of
discards is not homogeneously distributed among the different fishing fleets. For instance, FAO considers that shrimp and
demersal finfish trawl fisheries account for over 50% of total estimated discards while representing approximately 22% of total
landings [4]. Most purse-seine, long line, jig, trap and pot fisheries have low discard rates according to this study. Small-scale
fisheries have lower discard rates than industrial fisheries (around 11% of global landings and 3.7% of the discards).
Nowadays it becomes evident that discard practices constitute a purposeless waste of valuable living resources which plays an
important role in the depletion of fish populations. Furthermore, discard practices may produce a number of adverse ecological
impacts due to ecosystem changes in the overall structure of trophic webs and habitats which could risk the sustainability of
fisheries [4]. These impacts are still poorly understood nowadays, what calls for a better knowledge and a more exhaustive
evaluation of the impact of discarding practices on marine ecosystems. Several authors have reported that this subsidiary input of
organic matter and energy increases the abundance of consumer species, in detriment of the ecosystem equilibrium owing to a
number of cascade effects throughout the trophic web [5]-[7]. The capture of juvenile individuals of target species results in
lower catch opportunities for those species in the future (growth overfishing) as well as a reduction in the spawning biomass since
the juveniles caught will not contribute in future spawning seasons. On the contrary, the discard of mature individuals of target
species represents a waste and immediately reduces the spawning biomass of that stock (recruitment overfishing) [8]. Apart from
the mortality discarding inflicts on the commercial fishery resources, there are also issues about the mortalities of rare,
endangered or vulnerable species and socio-economic considerations about the non-utilization of discarded by-catch [2]. The
capture and discard of fish, crustacean, sea bird or sea mammal species which are not targeted by fisheries, is an unnecessary
adverse impact on the marine ecosystem as it affects both its functioning as well as its biodiversity negatively without providing
any benefits to society. As a consequence, the fishing industry is also negatively affected in two main ways: firstly because fish
which are killed without contributing to the income of the sector will not contribute to the income in the future either. If the fish
were left to live and grow in the sea they would be available as an economic resource in the future; secondly, the fishing industry
will be affected because in the longer term it is dependent on a healthy marine ecosystem.
From an economic point of view, there are strong economic incentives in many fisheries to discard fish to maximize the value
of the landing, so called 'high-grading', in particular when different sizes or qualities of fish command different market prices or
when species with very different market value are caught together. Furthermore, the value of some organisms may be low or nonexistent because they do not have a market. But even if there is a market, to handle and to use space onboard to store all
marketable organisms caught is costly, and could result in considerable economic loss. In the case of management involving the
use of catch quotas, these practices commonly increase the incentive to discard. This is particularly true in mixed species fisheries,
where several of the species are subject to a quota. Three forms of discarding can be associated with quota management: i) the
discarding of catch taken in excess of the quota; ii) high grading and; iii) price dumping. The latter occurs when all or part of the
catch of a species is discarded if a low price is expected. This could occur on the return journey to port, for example, when
fishermen may decide to discard the day's catch in order to save the quota for a day when the price is higher.
As previously stated, and far from being an easy issue, discarding practices relate to the hardcore of fishing operations, from an
economic, legal, and biological point of view. However, despite all these difficulties, there is a common and positive agreement
(among citizens, NGOs, the fishing sector, policymakers, scientist, etc.) that perceives discards as very negative and that solutions
have to be implemented. In this framework of promoting the responsible and sustainable management of the European fishing
activity, the European Commission took a number of actions oriented to the implementation of “no-discard” and “zero-waste”
policies to be followed by the European fishing fleets in the near future. In particular, actions were directed to the development of
policies “to reduce unwanted by-catches and eliminate discards in European fisheries”, as well as to make “the best possible use
of the captured resources avoiding its waste” [9], [10], including the following set of measurements: a) the introduction of more
selective fishing gear; b) restrictions on fishing to protect juvenile fish, sensitive non-target species and habitats; c) minimum
landing sizes in line with the selectivity of the gear concerned; d) discard ban trials; e) economic incentives for the use of more
selective fishing practices; f) a voluntary code of conduct intended to reduce discarding and; g) scientific and technical
monitoring of fishing practices that result in discarding.
In 2009, the Commission launched a wide-ranging debate on the way that EU fisheries are managed. Many received
contributions (from EU citizens, organizations and EU-countries) insist on minimization or elimination of discards as an
important aim for ecological sustainability, although some contributions maintain that discards are inherent to mixed fisheries
[11]. The challenges facing Europe's fisheries are outlined in the text of the Green paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries
Policy [12]. Thus, it is crucial that any compromises made to cushion the immediate economic and social effects of reductions in
fishing opportunities remain compatible with long-term ecological sustainability, including a move to fishing within MSY
(Maximum Sustainable Yield), eliminating discards and ensuring a low ecological impact of fisheries. In the same line are the
latest proposals made by the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (Mrs. Damanaki) on this topic at the
beginning of 2011 (http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/136) of introducing a a discard ban in
the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) . The idea would be to consider a gradual approach, starting with the main pelagic
species and, after a short period, extending it to the main target species in demersal mixed fisheries, enlarging the species list year
by year. In order to achieve a sustainable management of fish stocks, two possible approaches have been pointed out as relevant
in the next CFP: effort management and catch quotas systems.
In the same line, the FAO has recently developed a technical consultation [13] to define a set of international guidelines on bycatch management and reduction of discards fisheries. These guidelines intended to assist States and Regional Fisheries
Management Organizations and Arrangements (RFMO/As) in the management of by-catch and reduction of discards in
conformity with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries [14]. The scope of these Guidelines is global, covering all
fishing activities in all seas, oceans and inland waters. In [13] and in relation with the by-catch Management Planning, it said than
States and RFMO/As should ensure that by-catch management planning includes best practices for by-catch management and
reduction of discards developed in cooperation with relevant stakeholders. To meet these objectives, proposed best practices
should include, among others, the development of measures where by-catch and discard problems need to be addressed. They
must be adapted to the characteristics of each fishery in order to: a) minimize potential by-catch through spatial and/or temporal
measures; b) minimize by-catch through the modifications of fishing gears and practices; c) maximize the live release of by-catch
while ensuring the safety of the fishing crew and, d) utilize the by-catch to the extent possible that continues to be taken under
these measures in a manner that is consistent with [14].
In this framework of defining strategies and solutions to
accomplish with the EU policy of “no discards” and new
FAO guidelines and to reach the final objective of a
sustainable management of fisheries, the Project FAROS
(the Spanish word for lighthouses) –co-funded under the
LIFE+ Environment Program of the European Union takes advantage of the background of experience, good
practices and technologies derived from both the human
experience, the literature as well as the results obtained in
recent studies to give the guidelines to define a global and
real-time information system both on board and in land.
This system will be the core of an efficient and optimal
discards management network of the actors involved in the
fishing activity (fishermen and fleets, ports, industries, etc.)
by exploiting of the existing synergies between them, as
the one depicted in Figure 1. In this network, on-board
real-time data is collected, processed and transmitted
through novel developed technologies to a set of data
servers that feed a virtual web environment, named
management geoportal network (MGN). This is the point
where in-land agents (DEMAND) can know in real time
the availability of raw material (discards) for a given
Figure 1. The FAROS concept
processing/valorizing process in a port near them. On the
other hand, fishing fleets (OFFER) will know the market demand for all the species captured during a campaign, allowing them to
optimal program their activity. The aims of this network are both the minimization of discards/by-catch and their ecological and
environmental impacts by helping fleets to comply with the sustainable exploitation of fishing resources integrating the so-called
“no-discard” policies (which promote a responsible and sustainable management of fisheries) as well as their optimal valorization
to recover and to produce valuable chemicals of interest in the food and pharmaceutical industry (fish meal, protein hydrolizates,
peptones, enzymatic mixtures or fish oil with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids). These valorization technologies were
already analyzed and stated in a previous LIFE Project called BE-FAIR [15].
In keeping with the main project objective, in this work both on-going and future milestones and objectives of FAROS are
presented. Section II presents a summary of the on-going work on the analysis and characterization of the actual discards situation
on the Spanish and Portuguese trawl fleets operating in ICES subarea VII and Divisions VIIIc and IXa. The possible reduction of
unwanted by-catch previously addressed is approached in Section III through a better understanding of fish behavior based on
developed GIS systems (which allow to both avoid the capture of non valorized species and to easily found spatial-temporal
conditions to maximize catching target species demanded by industry). This action is carried out by implementing new
technologies on selected fleets to make their activities more sustainable and efficient: a) an artificial vision based tool for onboard identification and estimation of discard fractions and their associated volumes (BEOS system), and b) hardware/software
tools (so called red boxes) to efficiently create, manage and transmit to land real-time dynamic databases generated on-board.
After this, the guidelines to define a supervisory network for an efficient and integral discards management based on information
flows exchanged between fleets and in land agents are described in Section IV. Finally, in Section V the fundamentals of a novel
decision making support system for assessing different reuse/valorization scenarios under risk assessment and environmental
impact criteria are set.
II. DISCARD ANALISYS ON TARGET FISHERIES
The first goal aimed in FAROS is to analyze the fishing activity of selected fleets in order to obtain a complete scheme of the
actual status of the discards problem derived from such present behavior. This global picture will allow to identify the main
problems related to the generated discards and to define, along the project, alternatives or solutions to overcome these drawbacks.
During the last decades, research on the field of marine stocks monitoring and management stated that multivariate techniques,
like partitioning around medoids (PAM) and multivariate regression tree (MRT), are shown to be appropriate tools to find
homogeneous groups either taken only catch-profile information or also using explanatory variables, respectively [16], [17].
The Spanish catch dataset analyzed in FAROS was compiled from the “Spanish Discard Sampling Programme” (SDSP)
monitored by the Spanish Oceanographic Institute (IEO) for the period 2004-2008. Spanish landing and effort data were derived
from the official logbooks for the period 2004-2006, facilitated by the Spanish Fishery Department (SGMAR). For the
Portuguese case, the 2009 catch dataset compiled from the “Portuguese Discard Sampling Programme (PNAB/National Program)
was used for the analysis.
As a reminder, the PAM algorithm is a non-hierarchical method separating the dataset into a pre-defined number of clusters.
The MRT method permits to explain the variation in a multivariate numeric response by using explanatory variables that can be
numerical and/or categorical. The clusters obtained by both methods can be contrasted with the knowledge of fisheries, in order to
achieve an appropriate segmentation that reflects coherent and manageable grouping on terms of catch, discard practices,
seasonality and area of operation, i.e., métiers. From the whole set of métiers obtained, six of them were considered in FAROS to
be analyzed since they present high discard levels that must be reduced. These units include: a) Galician bottom otter trawl fleet
vessels authorized to fish in Community waters targeting flat fish, and basically operating in Gran Sol; b) Galician coastal bottom
otter trawl fleet vessels targeting a variety of demersal species. and; c) Portuguese coastal bottom trawl vessels for demersal fish
that operate along the year, with hauls directed to a variety of species. Main species discarded by each of them include:
a) Horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus), sea potato (Actinauger richardi), boarfish (Capros aper), Echinoderms, haddock
(Melanogrammus aeglefinus), small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula), blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), megrim
(Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis), Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus), red gurnard (Aspitrigla cuculus), hake (Merluccius
merluccius) and greater silver smelt (Argentina silus).
b) Henslow’s swimming crab (Polybius henslowii), small-spotted catshark, blue whiting, and Atlantic mackerel, black-mouth
dogfish (Galeus melastomus), squat lobster (Munida spp.), hake, grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus) and four spot megrim
(Lepidorhombus boscii)
c) Chub mackerel (Scomber colias), hake, blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), boarfish, Atlantic mackerel, bogue
(Boops boops), gurnards (Triglidae), pouting (Trisopterus luscus) and Henslow´s swimming crab.
In order to reduce discards associated to these target fleets, both several techniques employed to increase the selectivity of
trawls (variation of the mesh size; square mesh codends; escape windows; sorting grids; separator panels; electric devices; etc.) as
well as to improve the utility value of by-catch/discards have been analyzed, being this last one considered to be the most
effective solution in many cases [18].
As stated during decades, one of the main reasons for discarding is due to the fact that fishing gears are not selective enough
and mesh size regulations do not work well in mixed fisheries. If the unwanted catches are very different from the target species,
some problems regarding selectivity could be solved by using a sorting grid. Technologists have been developing for years more
selective fishing gears which sometimes are not as effective as desired. As a consequence, technological efforts would be mainly
focused on creating escape opportunities for non-target species based on stated differences on the behavior between species. The
aim is to guide them to different parts of the gear, to insert square-mesh escape panels (SQMP’s) or other devices at strategic
points in the gear, etc.) [19]. Since 1990’s, gear-based technical measures have been introduced in the North Sea intending to
improve fishing selectivity and to reduce discards. From data collected by towed gears in this area, it can be checked that the
measures established have been effective, reducing capture of small fish by means of SQMP’s and decreasing discard rates when
larger codend mesh seizes are used [20]. For instance, selectivity has been improved in the North Sea shrimp (Crangon crangon)
fishery by employing sieve nets. As a result, discarded amounts for 24 of the most commonly caught species in this fishery
(including plaice, dab, whiting, cod, etc.) have been reduced between 30% and 70% [21]. In any case, employed techniques
should avoid the “unaccounted mortality”, that occurs when fish are damaged or stressed whilst escaping, becoming more
vulnerable to infection or predation. Finally, some authors noted that the employment of gear-based measures by fishing fleets
can be low if suitable incentives are not adopted [22]. Thus, the reduction in fishing opportunities together with short-term
economic losses will damage fishers’ compliance regarding actual regulations. It is also recognized that initiatives to introduce
more selective gears, building on existing research, are best undertaken by fishers themselves, approach that is reinforced by FAO
[13].
Despite all these technical improvements, by-catch and discards are still at a higher level than that desirable or acceptable in
many fisheries. Results obtained in the project show a high level of small fish discarded by trawlers operating in Gran Sol,. Total
catch fish length distributions showed that probably changing the mesh size,, combined with MLS’s (Minimum Legal Size),
especially for megrim, could highly reduced the catch percentage of small fish species and of small-sized specimens of other
species, subsequently discarded. Several selectivity studies have been carried on in Divisions VIIIc and IXa [23], [24]. In this
fishery, the volume of small‐sized discarded fish gradually decreases northwards and eastwards. Thus, reducing the discards of
small‐sized fish should focus on the ICES Division IXa, rather than in the VIIIc.
Nevertheless, more than 20% of the total discarded weight by this fleet corresponds to the anemone sea potato, and
echinoderms, while around a 20% corresponds to pelagic fishes as horse mackerel and mackerel. As stated during last years,
effective valorization of discarded fish could significantly contribute to reducing the pressure on marine resources, both by
efficient management of discards and by making value –added products unavoidable from by-catch/discarded species [18].
Among benthic animals, soft-bodies and sessile animals (such as sponges and ascidians) have concentrated most of the interest in
pharmaceutical studies [25]. Based on sea anemones studies [26], [27], presence and isolation of compounds as actinoporins or
xenicane diterpnoids could be studied from sea potato. In the case of holothurians (Echinoderms), it contains a variety of
bioactive substances, including chondroiton, glucosamine or glycosphingolipids [29], with anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor
activity properties. Finally, the most valuable component of the crustacean shell is the polymer chitin, due to the widespread
potential applications for both chitin and its main derivate: chitosan. Regarding the obtaining of chitin/quitosan, Henslow’s
swimming crab discarded by the Galician and Portugese coastal trawl fleets can be considered as a source of this compound.
For the Portuguese case, the a collaboration between scientists (Fisheries and Sea Research Institute, IPIMAR), the National
Fisheries Administration (DGPA) and stakeholders is undertaken, looking at the roots of the by-catch and discard problem and
taking into account the results from the several technological studies carried out by IPIMAR [e.g., 28]. An improved
understanding of the underlying mechanisms linked to presence/absence of market demands for some of the main species could
promote a more integral planning of product demands and hence reduce discarding. Other species usually discarded by this fleet,
like boarfish, could be used for several applications. For instance, boarfish landings from Irish and Danish vessels provide raw
material for Danish fishmeal plants, replacing sandeel (Ammodytidae) as the primary input species [30]. Both organoleptic and
nutritional properties as well as the feasibility study of future conservation and processing for boarfish are being studied on the
framework of a research project leaded by the Fishing Ship-Owners Association of Vigo (ARVI), which analyzes the
technological capabilities for using and trading discarded species caught by Galician fleets.
III. GIS MODELS AND NEW ON-BOARD DATA ACQUISITION AND TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGIES
There are obvious relationships between fishing effort, habitat properties, catch ability and fishing mortality, and all these
features have to be considered in order to enhance fisheries management in the frame of the ecosystem approach. As
aforementioned, it is hoped that work developed in FAROS could facilitate and support an industry shift towards reduced
discarding and more environmentally-responsible fishing. A key point to achieve this goal is to minimize fishing operations in
inappropriate areas. With that aim, sensitive areas for particular species or life-early stages can be identified, as well as the
derivation of areas of special protection for mobile gears and the classification of more suitable fishing areas for “mobile” and
“non mobile” fishing gears according its habitat and fish community characteristics.
These results allow a better understanding of spatial and temporal distribution and abundance of discards due to the online
handling and updating of information. It could also assess the health of the ecosystem on a spatial basis, and quantify how this
state of ecosystem can be improved by mitigating discards.
Over the past decades, a branch of IT (Information Technologies) has gradually evolved, being specifically dedicated to
mapping and spatial analysis. This emerging technology is usually referred to as “Geographical Information Systems” (GIS),
though it has also been called “geo-data systems”, “spatial information systems”, “digital mapping systems” and “land
information systems”. A GIS comprises a collection of integrated computer hardware and software which together is used for
inputting, storing, manipulating, analyzing and presenting a variety of geographical data. Applications of GIS to marine fishery
resources, or indeed to any marine applications, have been very limited, being mostly confined to peripheral areas such as coastal
zone management, pollution modeling and controls, mariculture and shoreline mapping [31].
In the Project FAROS framework, the development of these Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a key issue in order to
obtain accurate model-based characterization and estimation of possible by-catches/discards volumes as a function of a set of
factors, like area and period of the year of the activity, type of fishery, etc. If it is known where the vessels are and which the
main species in the area are, it will be easier to estimate the composition of the catches, and as a consequence, the kind of
discards/wastes to be obtained. Special importance will be given to the human factor of the GIS systems, since is a tool that can
be used to combine scientific and cultural data to assess and manage marine habitats.
These GIS will be fed both from data available from several discard programs/projects (as the ones described in Section II) and
the “European Data Collection Framework (DCF)” – which give the
models with proper spatial-temporal background and validity; as well as
from new data obtained from developed data based technologies on board.
The aim of these designs is vessels automate the catch composition
determination of the different species collected in each haul and to
efficiently manage and transmit well-structured data to the central system,
core of the management network (Figure 1). In FAROS, the proposed onboard data structure is as depicted on Figure 3. In this data model,
developed by the Galician Supercomputing Center (CESGA), and in
addition to usual GPS-based information provided by most of fishing
vessels, new data categories have been defined to make the GIS as
complete and precise as possible for the selected fisheries. These
categories include a complete description of the ship, the harbors in which
it operates, the fishing trips and the hauls made during each of them,
including spatial-temporal information and a complete report on
characterization of species (making a distinction between targets and
discards) and their associated catch volumes.
It must be pointed out that Spatial data produced will comply with the
Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14
March 2007, establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Data Information
Figure 3. Defined data classes
(SDI) in the European Community (INSPIRE).
As a result, fishing vessels will act as “on-line sensors” that continuously feed both GIS models as well as the defined
management network with real data from the daily activity of fleets, making models more accurate and precise to predict the
results (in terms of target specie/discard) of fleet work on a given area while reducing costs since, nowadays, this task is made
trough specialized observers on oceanographic and research
campaigns.
In FAROS, and aiming real-time on board data collection
based on the model described in Figure 2, a vision-based system
called BEOS (Biomass Estimator Optical System) has been
developed and implemented to identify volume and
types/fractions of species with higher levels of discards for each
considered métier. This BEOS system is based on capturing
stereoscopic images which are analyzed on real time, classifying
and quantifying the amount of captures per throw made in a given
métier. The use of species detection and identification algorithms
allows to obtain complete advanced data regarding the geometry
and to make highly precise estimations about the amount of
capture of species collected in each throw. This device is fully
described in [32].
Once the data is completely acquired, this information is preFigure 3. Mapping of the target areas to be analyzed
processed and sent to land by making use of the so called RED
BOX. This device, connected to the data sources present in the vessel (both BEOS, GPS, other possible devices present in the
vessel –like a tensometer on the net collection system; as well as data manually introduced by the skipper) consists of a personal
computer with designed data management and control software applications and a data transmitting device. In order to properly
send the collected data to the Management Geoportal Network (MGN) defined in-land, suitable real-time transmission protocols
have been stated. In general, GSM/GPRS is selected for coastal fishing activity (where available) while satellite communication
is considered for deep-sea fisheries. The cost associated to data transmission via GSM or satellite are becoming lower and lower
during the last years due to an increase on the demand of these services among fishing fleets. The actual rate for transmission of
data from vessels to the central servers in-land is around 0.5€/connection.
The main expected result from this real-time data acquisition/transmission aiming GIS modeling is a global mapping of the
fishing activity in the European Atlantic coast, which is being developed. In the current point of development of the project, and
as shown in Figure 3, the general mapping of the work area has been obtained (Georeferenced ICES areas: VIIc1, VIIc2, VIIk1,
VIIk2, VIIj1, VIIj2, VIIg, VIIh, VIIf and e for the area of Gran Sol, and VIIIc and IXa for the Atlantic coast Spain and Portugal).
The coastline and ports were obtained from EUSTAT and data from the Spanish Oceanographic Institute (IEO). It must be noted
that this information comes from the corrected GEBCO.
The application of proposed models and technologies can be easily implemented in other fisheries and fleets from different EU
countries to create a complete map that could actively contribute to define general guidelines for a sustainable fishing activity at a
European level. More precisely, the developed GIS models during FAROS allow the fishing sector: a) to assess which areas are
more suitable to host a particular fishing gear or fishing operation. The modeling is done by querying several GIS layers to
identify the best areas to carry out a specific operation, or even areas where any fishing is not allowed at all due to bans; b) to
perform a spatial rating of the fishing areas based on the proportion target/by-catch at cell-based scale; c) to use spatial statistics
to estimate areas with higher proportion target-by-catch on a spatial-temporal scale and; d) to quantify the spatial and temporal
distribution and abundance of discards, which allow to apply statistical methods in order to derive density maps. With this
information, fishing fleets will have complete information to plan in advance (in port) their future daily activity, minimizing the
amount of discards, fishing pressure or other negative environmental impacts (like fuel consumption, that can be also minimized)
or legal restrictions (bans, quotas, etc.) over stocks while maximizing their profit (through shorter more selective hauls, which
implies lower classification times on-board, maximization of on-board storage capacity with target species, less fuel consumption,
etc.).
Derived from these real-time data generation and management tools, it will be also possible to know more precisely the
expected amount of discards, which will allow valorizing industries and plan their activity as a function of the future available
raw material (in terms of quantity and location). This would facilitate establishing proper offer-demand trade links between
fishing fleets and these in-land agents, aiming to add value to the still unavoidable discards fraction generated.
IV. THE DISCARDS MANAGEMENT GEOPORTAL NETWORK
One of the main objectives of FAROS project is to establish a fully-operative global operation network including all the
different agents of the fishing sector (fleets, ports, auctions, transforming and valorization industries and final buyer) in order to
carry out an efficient management of discards/by-catch. The aim is to create a real time connection environment between the
extractive and processing/valorizing industries where they will meet to add value to unavoidable generated discards. The idea is
that the fishing fleets, acting as OFFER, will know the market DEMAND (from processing/valorizing industries) for all the
species captured during a campaign (Figure 4). These catches volume and
characterization can be determined, as previously described, both from current on-line
measurements supplied by BEOS and red boxes as well as from in-land optimal
activity programming based on GIS models performed before leaving port. On the
other side, processing/valorizing industries (DEMAND) will know in real time the
availability of raw material (by-catch/discards) for a given processing/valorizing
process in a port near them, that will allow to schedule their production based on
continuously updated information fed to the network. In addition, the network will
supply the needed information to obtain the desired supply from other geographic
areas, allowing the schedule of transport logistics in advance (before the vessels arrive
to land).
This supervisory network for an efficient and integral discards management based on
information flows exchanged between fleets and in land agents will be based on a
virtual web environment so called Management Geoportal Network (MGN). This
virtual meet place for fishing sector actors will be created and continuously updated
Figure 4. Integral discards management network from the data collected, processed and transmitted through selected protocols from onboard defined technologies (BEOS and RED BOXES). To that end, the protocols
defined for on board data transmission have to be adapted and implemented on in-land agents (ports, auctions, industries) to
properly and completely define global information flows in both directions (from sea to land actors and vice versa) in order to
avoid possible information lacks in the defined data model that could lead to communication failures among network participants
and, therefore, non-commercial species will probably be discarded.
The Management Geoportal Network (MGN) is being implemented on a server of the Galician Supercomputing Center (CESGA)
based on open-source software Postgrade SQL (including PostGIS adds support for geographic objects to the PostgreSQL object-
relational database) and the spatial server Geoserver (including reference implementation of Open Geospatial Consortium - OGC,
WFS, WCS and WMS standards). In this server, information is centralized and processed, being accessible to all actors involved,
allowing to establish activity schedules and trades based on the dynamic data exchange generated among actors (offer/demand).
An Access Management Protocol has been also defined in order to establish the different levels of granted access for each agent
of the network. The objective is that information displayed on the screen will only be the one requested and needed by the partner,
making the operation of the platform easier, more understandable and accessible while preserving confidentiality of supplied
historical discards or activity data (that could be only available for the members of a given fleet or ship-owner) that feeds the
system. At present time, four access levels have been preliminary identified for the virtual environment (ordered from full to
restricted access): a) Administration; b) Privilege access; c) Data introduction and; d) Limited access. These levels will evolve
during the second half of FAROS in order to fully satisfy the requirements of participants of the MGN.
In order to test the proper performance of this tool, a pilot action focused on target fisheries (see Section II) in FAROS framework
will be performed during the second-half of 2012. The aim is to optimally manage the discards generated on these fisheries by
integrating interested fishing actors (fleets, producers, elaborators, waste managers, etc.) located in the Vigo area, checking the
effect over the generated discards volumes while paying attention on new connections and synergies established among
participants aimed to add value to this biomass.
V. DECISION MAKING TOOL FOR VALORISATION PROCESSES
As a final step on the defined optimal management network for discards, FAROS project is intended to help the different agents
of the network to improve the sustainability of their processes and to implement basic principles of industrial ecology. This goal
will be achieved by developing a decision making support system, in order to assess different reuse/valorization scenarios under
risk assessment and environmental impact criteria. Therefore, it will be necessary to integrate different environmental indicators,
namely Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Ecological Footprint (EF) and Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA). These indicators
provide complementary information about different process impacts [33]-[35], like consumer safety, energy and raw materials
consumption, resources depletion or pollutant emissions. Although these indicators have been individually applied to different
fields of the fishing sector [36]-[38], an integrative approach is needed to perform a reliable and complete environmental
evaluation. This evaluation must be sequentially applied at different process levels (product, unit operation and global process). In
addition, process model calibration will be performed, as well as uncertainty analysis, to account for the natural variability of raw
material/discards supplied to the valorization processes.
Once the initial operating conditions of valorization processes are established, impacts associated with the different process steps
can be determined by LCA [39], [40] at the unit operation level. An inventory of input and output high-quality data related with
the process (raw materials and energy consumption, atmospheric emissions, generated waste…) will be compiled as rigorously as
possible, considering that the reliability of the results depend mainly on this step. These results comprise several impact
categories [39] for each operation unit of the process which describes an adverse effect on the environment.
For assessing the reduction of the global impact that the proposed strategy in management and valorization of fish discards will
have in the sustainability of the fisheries sector (in the demonstration area considered in the project), the aggregate indicator
Ecological Footprint [41] will be used. This tool considers the energy and raw materials fluxes to and from any defined
system/economy, transforming them into areas of land or water required by nature for generating and/or absorbing these fluxes.
Most of data collected to perform LCA can be also employed for determining EF, although other generic data would be needed
for completing the process at this level.
At first, it is thought that sustainable valorization of discards will have a very positive effect on the reduction of environmental
impacts, since the quantity of species that are discarded both on board and on shore will be significantly decreased. Furthermore,
in terms of Environmental Risk Assessment, the removal of dead fishes from the marine environment will not only benefit the
preservation of marine ecosystems, but it can also pose a reduction of contaminant mass if fishes contain persistent contaminants,
which can biomagnify through the food web [42]. That is, concentrations found in highest trophic levels can be several orders of
magnitude higher than those found in lower levels or in other marine compartments. Consequently, these contaminants can be
finally transferred to human receptors through direct or indirect (by-products) fish consumption. On the other hand, if vessels
transport a heavier load, fuel consumption will be higher, this generating a negative impact. All these cases and contingencies will
be evaluated by the three environmental indicators ERA, LCA and EF.
The methodology to determine the different environmental impacts associated with the valorization process will be integrated in a
virtual modelling and simulation platform which will include analysis and estimation tools adapted to the required environmental
criteria. This integration may be performed by different Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) methods to identify a compromise
solution. This methodology has successfully been applied in the environmental field to residues management [43], [44]. Besides,
Multicriteria Optimum process parameters obtained by estimation techniques will be integrated in a generic data base, together
with other data or characteristic parameters found in literature. The decision support system aimed to establish optimum design,
redesign (elimination or introduction of stages) and/or operating conditions, based on integrated criteria which include both
technical and environmental aspects of valorization processes of fish discards. The integrated support system will therefore lead
to minimize environmental impact and to the introduction of Best Available Techniques (BAT’s).
VI. CONCLUSIONS
As it was discussed, discards are one of the most important topics in fisheries, both from an economic and environmental point of
view. As practically all fishing gears catch a certain amount of unwanted or non-targeted species and specimens, discards and bycatch issues are highly topical subjects nowadays permanently under a social focus. Two main approaches have been presented to
address the discard problem: reducing by-catch and increasing by-catch utilization. As these two harvesting strategies may be
complementary, an appropriate balance between by-catch reduction and utilization is desirable for any fishery.
In order to reduce discards, several solutions have been considered, such as improving the selectivity of the fishing gear or
avoiding the non-targeted species’ zones or seasons. On the other hand, increased by-catch utilization may come from a greater
demand for fish products; the development of new markets for previously discarded species; the use of low-value by-catch
specimens for aquaculture and animal feed or the creation of value-added fish products from by-catch or discarded fish for food,
pharmaceutical or cosmetic industries. From an economic point of view, fishermen decide which part of the non-targeted species’
catch they discard by dumping or throwing back to the sea. Target species, length, and/or proportion of fish discarded/retained
may change according to fishing regulations, market prices, weather, occasional presence/absence of the main targeted species,
on board storage space, refrigeration or other conservation techniques, fish degradation, etc. In this framework, discarding
decisions can therefore be due to the existence of different factors. Among others; little or no market for some species and/or
sizes, the need to maximise the quantity of other marketable and more valuable species, the preference for larger specimens of the
same species (high grading), exceeding quotas for a particular species in mixed fisheries, the existence of minimum landing sizes
(MLS) (as captured undersized specimens are unmarketable, they must be discarded) as well as the presence of protected and
therefore unmarketable species (i.e. coral, some species of shark and ray, etc.)
From all the exposed, it is stated that discarding is a serious problem in European (and worldwide) fisheries and one which, in the
view of the Commission, must be addressed as a high priority. A new discard policy will try to reduce unwanted by-catches by
encouraging behavior and technologies which avoid them. In this aim of reducing discards and add value to unavoidable by-catch,
FAROS project is revealed as an integral approach based on an efficient and integral discards and by-catch management network,
implying all actors present in the fishing sector (fleets, ports, auctions, industries, etc.). It combines historical data analysis for
the selected fisheries and métiers (which allow FAROS partners to identify where discards problem is higher) together with new
on-line vision based data acquisition/processing and transmission technologies (BEOS and RED BOX, respectively) in order:
a) To develop GIS models, which will allow fishing fleets to plan in advance (in port) their future daily activity, minimizing the
amount of discards, fishing pressure or other negative environmental impacts (like fuel consumption, that can be also
minimized) or legal restrictions (bans, quotas, etc.) over stocks while maximizing their profit. These models, representing the
health of the marine resources, could be continuously improved if these technologies would be available in all vessels.
Thereby, ships could act as “on-line sensors”, getting real fishing activity information of thousand of fleets worldwide, which
updates the data core of models.
b) To create a virtual, efficient and dynamic web environment (named Management Geoportal Network), accessible for all
actors. It will allow them to coordinate their activities and satisfy their needs focused on giving an economic alternative to
discards (fleets) while supplying raw material to defined processing/valorization industries in a fast and easy way.
c) To develop a decision making support system for assessing different reuse/valorization scenarios under risk assessment and
environmental impact criteria. This environment will help the different agents of the network to improve the sustainability of
their processes and to implement basic principles of industrial ecology.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors acknowledge the financial support received from the LIFE+ Program of the European Union (FAROS Project –
LIFE08 ENV/E/000119). The authors want also to acknowledge the intense work carried out by the different research groups
belonging to FAROS partners.
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