The document discusses the role of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in developing virtual research environments (VREs) under the BlueASSESSMENT pillar of the BlueBRIDGE project. ICES provides scientific advice on sustainable fishing and protects the marine environment, including stock assessments for over 225 fish stocks. Developing VREs can help address scientific challenges around ecosystem-based management and high performance computing needs. Specific VREs being developed include ones for horse mackerel management strategy evaluation and a North Sea multi-fleet, mixed fishery model. The VREs aim to facilitate stock assessments, improve management tools, and serve as training platforms.

1. BlueBRIDGE receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 675680 www.bluebridge-vres.eu
Assessing the state of stocks:
challenges and opportunities
Scott Large, International Council
for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
scott.large@ices.dk
@nucellagrande
“Towards innovative data services
for Blue Growth” workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
European Maritime Day 2016
#EMD2016

2. The International Council for
the Exploration of the Sea
• Role in BlueBRIDGE –
develop VREs under
BlueASSESSMENT Pillar
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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3. Background Experience
• ICES provides advice on the
sustainable use of living marine
resources and protection of the
marine environment.
• Fishing opportunities – for >225 fish
stocks across the northeast Atlantic
• Ecosystem Overviews
• Fishery Overviews
• Technical Services
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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4. Scientific and Technical
Challenges
• Ecosystem approach to
management
• Increasing need for high
powered computing:
• Ecosystem models
• Mixed-fisheries models
• Single-stock forecasts
• Management strategy
evaluations
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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5. Scientific and Technical
Challenges
• Ecosystem understanding required for marine
management
• Universal tools to support management action
are being developed, but broad
implementation is challenging
• Within the EU
• FAO, ICCAT, National Governments, and etc.
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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6. Use cases
• Horse makerel (Trachurus
trachurus) Management
Strategy Evaluation
(MSE)
• José de Oliviera - CEFAS
• North Sea Multi-fleet,
mixed-fishery model
(MS-model)
• Robert Thorpe - CEFAS
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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FAO
Thorpe et al 2015

7. MSE
• Identify robust harvest control rules
• Maximize economic and sustainable yield
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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FAO

8. MS-model
• Identify trade-offs
among fished species
and between yield and
ecosystem
characteristics
• Ensemble approach
provides uncertainty
intervals for
management
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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Thorpe et al 2015
Thorpe et al 2016

9. Outcomes
• Facilitate ICES advisory process
• Improve the tools managers use to make
decisions
• «Sand box» for model development and
exploration of parameter settings
• State of the art models for training, education,
and dissemination to other interested users
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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10. Future Steps
• VRE production will begin in June 2016 and
first version will be available by autumn
• Expand MSE and MS-model for additional
stocks and regions
• Additonal VREs for mixed-fisherys, data
limited stock assessment, single-species
forecasting are also in development.
5/19/2016
"Towards innovative data services for Blue Growth" workshop
18 May 2016, Turku, Finland
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11. Thank you
BlueBRIDGE receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 675680
www.bluebridge-vres.eu
@BlueBridgeVREs
info@bluebridge-vres.eu