PIXEL

Context

In order to ensure that scientific advice aimed at achieving the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources is as accurate as possible, it is essential that the procedures used are subject to continuous improvement, and that new knowledge on the stock and the fleet, new data sources, and methodological/technological advances are progressively but steadily incorporated.

Within scientific advice, there are two distinct aspects. On the one hand, improving stock assessment and management advice methods, which seek to answer questions such as how many fish are there in the sea? how many fish can be caught to achieve maximum sustainable yield? On the other hand, improving the prediction of fishing areas according to environmental conditions, that is, where should fishing take place to optimise fishing efficiency and thus reduce environmental impact? is it possible to characterise the environmental conditions of the water column where a given species is found? The PIXEL project aims to advance the resolution of these two aspects.

Objectives

The main objective of the project is to promote the development and application of innovative methods and technologies that will enable progress towards the sustainable exploitation of the main pelagic species of interest to the Basque fleet. To this end, the following specific objectives will be addressed:

• Improve the current stock assessment and management advice system for mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus).
• Increase the amount of data in order to investigate the temporal evolution of the biological parameters of horse mackerel.
• Update and improve the models that characterise the spatiotemporal environmental conditions of mackerel catches based on new data sources.
• Optimise the use of an autonomous underwater glider vehicle for monitoring mackerel and characterising the environmental conditions of the water column during the fishing season.

Expected impact

In terms of expected impact, this project will have a direct effect on the Basque fishing sector, as it will, on the one hand, improve the management advice for the main pelagic species of commercial interest to the Basque inshore fleet, and, on the other hand, develop a real-time operational tool indicating the most suitable fishing areas according to environmental conditions. In addition, in recent years the Basque inshore fleet has expressed concern about possible changes in mackerel fishing efficiency. Better knowledge of the environmental conditions in which mackerel catches take place will enable the fleet to make better decisions in the face of possible future changes.

Funding