Newsletter n. 6 July, 2015 ECOSEA Project Code 2°ord./0236/0 Geographic Information System FISH.GIS Introduction The GIS (Geographic Information Systems) are technical information tools developed to manage data and information with spatial references. The GIS combines the administrative functions of a database with analytical tools by adding technologies for geographic analysis and production of computerized cartography. The data organized in information layers (layers and tables) are stored in digital form, often within territorial databases (or geodatabases - GeoDB), and can be managed and presented through Desktop Applications or WEB services. The potentials of GIS systems express themselves at their best in highlighting spatial relationships among data, or in performing statistical calculations linked to the territory, or in allowing a clear and intuitive display of archived data. The combination of these features makes the GIS tools especially suited to provide support in decision-making processes of planning and programming. The creation of WebGis applications offers the chance to provide, with extreme simplicity to a potentially infinite audience, representations of spatial data. The WebGis makes it possible for anyone in possession of an internet connection to quickly consult maps and data, presented in an optimized form for a clear and comprehensible viewing. Ultimately these systems are a flexible and powerful platform, that can help reduce the distance between citizens and government, providing data available to technical and non-technical staff - interested in particular issues concerning the territory. Conditions for the application of GIS to fisheries The management of marine environments requires a precise definition of perimeters and areas, described in detail by specific physical and biological distinguishing features , as well as the specific use of these areas in order to make it possible to use them to cope with the required needs (fishing, aquaculture, navigation, conservation, etc.). This complex information needs more and more sufficient technological support to make it possible to better manage the interdependence of economic and environmental processes permitting an adequate policy and governance. This need to manage complexity is of particular importance for the Adriatic Sea, where various activities share a limited amount of space due to the limited size of the basin which is, among other things, conditioned by various countries that overlook it. The fisheries and mariculture activities therefore, constantly interact with other interests: protected areas and safeguard zones, regulated areas, shipping lanes, the presence of mining facilities or pipelines, hazardous areas, military areas and everything else. These are complex interactions that can be summarized, however, through specific thematic displays on a map and can also effectively combine biological data of fish species and trade-economic -2information collected from the Adriatic fleets. A Gis about fishery aims at encompassing all this information in a single container which also offers the advantage of being "navigable" in graphic format and makes it possible to have, in return, cartography that can be personalized according to the needs of the moment. The characteristics of FISH.GIS For the development of the GIS system of the project Ecosea, ARPA Friuli Venezia Giulia has chosen to rely solely on open source software (PostGIS-Qgis-LizMap), i.e. under a free license, without the cost of purchasing licenses that are often expensive. The savings in license costs have been partially devolved to training, by some code developers , on the products used by the staff involved in the implementation of the webgis portal. The project will become an opportunity to show that, at the current state, the products adopted are now so mature as to be able to compete on equal terms with proprietary systems. Most data come directly from the project partners, each of whom has been involved in gathering information of their own maritime spaces, who have contacted several institutions and research facilities and who have provided the details of previous projects and studies or scientific publications about fishing. Almost all the layers of information were made specifically for Ecosea. This mosaic of information has gone through a process of harmonization to yield data on the scale of the Adriatic basin. At the end of the development process the geodatabase FishGis will contain: Geomorphological and administrative data base: • Coastlines • Administrative boundaries • Sea bottom sedimentology • Bathymetry of the seabed/sea bottom Data on fishing activities and regulations along with data on availability and on the conservation of the resource: • Ports and associated fishing fleet • Protected areas • • • • • • • • Restrictions on fishing Restrictions of various kinds Military or unloading explosives areas; Mariculture zone Water classification Biocoenosis Artificial reefs for restocking Distribution of seagrasses/marine pharenogams -3• • • • • Sediment discharge sites Subsea pipelines Wrecks Areas covered by specific studies related to fishing Distribution of commercial fish stocks (Sepia officinalis, Illex coindetii, Loligo vulgaris, Squilla mantis, Nephrops norvegicus, Sardina pilchardus, Engranulis encrasicolus, Merlangius merlangus, Merluctus merlucius, Pagelius erythrinus, Mullus barbatus. Eledone moschata, Trachurus trachurus, Sprattus sprattus). Achievements of FISH.GIS The data was collected by each single partner who was given guidelines to allow him to produce the information in a format that was standardized as much as possible. All partners have worked in parallel, providing the data in “packets” according to a schedule that had been agreed on. ARPA Friuli Venezia Giulia was responsible for the design of the flow of data and their insertion in a geodatabase, it worked through the stages of training and co-ordination of partners and worked for the cataloguing of information within the database. Usually almost all the data provided by the partners have undergone a partial reorganization necessary aimed at optimizing their use within the preset IT structure. We are currently preparing a test version , distributed through the web, which allows the display of information directly on common browsers (Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer). The final result will be similar to Google maps but focused on the issues of fishing and centered on the geographic region of the Adriatic basin. Surfing the map will be associated to data query through "pop-ups" (windows or frames) that will appear by selecting the item for which you want to obtain information. In addition to viewing the maps online, printing services of the territorial extensions displayed will be made available, these will be exportable in accordance with models designed for different needs. The distribution of the data is also going to be possible through OGC services such as WMS (images) and WFS (in vector format) depending on the specific needs of the users. At the end of the project, a considerable/significant amount of USB sticks, loaded with the geographic data of the project, is going to be distributed thus allowing anybody suitably equipped with a PC and a GPS to navigate on the thematic maps. -4Concluding observations The WebGIS for the management of fishery resources of the Adriatic has been developed with the aim of allowing an overview of environmental and administrative information and protection of the territory which outline fishing activities developing along -coastline of the coastal countries and regions of the Northern Adriatic. With the intention of pursuing this objective ARPA Friuli Venezia Giulia, on behalf of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia, has structured a specific geographic information system which makes it possible to compare the information gathered, information originally produced for purposes that can also be different from those of fishing management and which provides a reference tool, that is very easy to use, for information on the environment in which fishing operates . This tool is essential for the presentation of the state of fish stocks and the regulation applied to fishing, and can generate a remarkable return in terms of overall awareness of the operators in this field and of information that can be readily usable in the drafting of management plans on the scale of the Adriatic basin. -5- -6-