Belgian National Data Gathering Programme

General introduction

How does the fish stock evolve from year to year for a number of commercial fish species for which Belgian fisheries hold quotas? What is the biological, economic and technical state of the fishery, aquaculture and fish processing sectors? The aim is to use up-to-date data collection (biological, economic, social and of the ecosystem) to make a good assessment of fish populations (stocks), of the dynamics of the marine ecosystem and the possible impact of fisheries management on fish stocks in se. This study from the ILVO fisheries biology team is integral to the European fisheries policy. Scientific information is required to underpin the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Europe regulates fisheries research with the new legislation EC 2017/1004 that defines the framework of adapted data collection. 

Research approach

Through a combined sample of fishing at specific sea locations with a research vessel, on the one hand, and detailed observations on commercial vessels on the other, the scientists collect quantitative and qualitative data that map the biological status and evolution. They then add economic and technical data for fisheries.  The data is collected in both a fishery-dependent and a fishery-independent manner. One of the pillars of biological research is age determination, which is done in an ISO 170025 accredited laboratory. Every year, the scientists transfer the collected and processed data to the Agriculture and Fisheries Minstry and to the fisheries sector itself. on request, they present the results to NGOs or other third parties. In the context of the emerging new Fisheries Policy and the ecosystem approach, they present the research that enables the transition from a "single-species approach" over a "multi-species approach" to a "ecosystem based approac". Additionally, they make descriptive studies of Belgian aquaculture and the fish processing sector. During the whole process, there is also a continous search for new and innovative tools for data collection.

Relevance/Valorisation

The advice of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is done for all Member States and fisheries through different bodies, the two main ones being ICES (biological advice) and STECF (advisory body to the European Commission on fisheries). The experts from ILVO Fisheries Biology give input and produce ICES reports based on their collected and processed data. Also, they offer support to the management of the Belgian fisheries sector. A remarkable evolution, and a spin-off from the data collection, is that well-functioning partnerships have emerged between the fishing industry and science. As a result, mutual involvement with regard to the problem of the fishing sector has grown. This improved coorporation is crucial to realize an innovatie approach in data colelction e.g. remote electronic monitoring (REM) and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).