Fisheries Advisory Service

Sampling of organisms, analysis and management of data related to fishing activities. This scientific and technical service stems from the regular activities of the ICATMAR Fisheries Advisory Service. The main objective of this unit is to provide fisheries management advice to public administrations at the regional, national and European levels. This advice is based on the collection of scientific data through both field sampling and historical fisheries data.

This service makes the infrastructure developed for providing advice to public administrations available to other research projects and public or private organizations within the framework of this scientific and technical service. The four main services offered are:

• Field sample collection on board fishing vessels: Sampling of organisms and commercial species obtained through the monitoring of fishing activities carried out within the service. This includes the collection and transport of specimens or samples to the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) as part of ICATMAR's routine activities.
   
• Integration and dissemination of fisheries data: This service supports the integration of fisheries scientific data into the ICATMAR/ICM-CSIC fisheries monitoring database for subsequent extraction and dissemination. The data currently included comprise samples from commercial fisheries (bottom trawl, purse seine and small-scale fisheries) and recreational fisheries.
   
• Data analysis advisory services: This service also includes fish stock assessment (stock assessment models), spatial fisheries data (VMS, AIS, GeoBlau), fish auction sales records (first-sale notes), marine recreational fisheries and commercial fisheries.
   
• Fisheries management advisory services: This service covers various aspects of fisheries management advice, including fieldwork to collect data and information on fishing activities and their effects on the marine environment and exploited resources; laboratory analysis of biological samples; and assessment of the exploitation status of fishery resources and the impacts of fishing on the ecosystem. These tasks are carried out by specialists in the biology of species affected by fishing activities, taxonomy, marine ecosystems, population dynamics, data analysis and fish stock assessment.