The Fisheries Resources Information System and Tools (FiRST): An overview of the database system for storing and analyzing trawl survey data

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The Fisheries Resources Information System and
Tools (FiRST) An overview of the database system
for storing and analyzing trawl survey data
Presentation Outline Background The Project The
Database Key Findings Next Steps

• Len R. Garces
• Geronimo T. Silvestre

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Background -The WorldFish Center

• Our commitmentWorldFish is committed to food
  security and poverty eradication in developing
  countries.

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We specialize in living aquatic resources, aiming
to
Background -The WorldFish Center

• Improve productivity
• Protect the environment
• Save the biodiversity
• Improve the policies and
• Strengthen national programs

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8 core technical competencies
Background -The WorldFish Center

• Socio-economic analysis of the fisheries sector
• Institutional analysis for governance of aquatic
  resources
• Global databases for management of aquatic
  resources
• Methods for developing improved fish strains
• Development and evaluation of small holder
  focused aquaculture technologies
• Culture and restocking of coral reef
  invertebrates
• Stock assessment of coastal fisheries
• Watershed approach to aquatic resources management

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Background - FishBase
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Background - ReefBase
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Background - 1996 Workshop

• Recognized substantial amount of underutilized
  trawl survey data.
• Consensus on the usefulness of compiling and
  analyzing past trawl surveys to establish
  benchmark and supplement existing statistical
  baselines.
• A prototype database and analytic tools for this
  purpose was presented and evaluated.

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TrawlBase Project Objectives (Phase 1)

• Develop a fisheries resource information system
  (incorporating environmental and socioeconomic
  data) relevant to resource management needs of
  participating countries
• Elaborate strategies and actions to assist
  participating countries in managing and
  rehabilitating their coastal fish stocks and
• Strengthen the capabilities of national
  institutions in coastal fisheries assessment and
  management.

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The TrawlBase Project (Phase 1)Eight
Participating Countries
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
University of the Philippines in the Visayas
(UPV)
Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Ministry of Fisheries Aquatic Resources
Development (MFARD)
Directorate of Fishery Resources Management (DFRM)
Southern Marine Fisheries Development Center
(SMFDC) Department of Fisheries (DOF)
Central Research Institute for Fisheries (CRIFI)
Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) Department of
Fisheries (DOF)
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The TrawlBase Project (Phase 1)Multidisciplinary
Design
Fisheries Resource System Tools
Socioeconomic/ Bioeconomic Modeling
Fisheries Resource Assessment
CRM/ Policy/ Planning
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The Database System - Fisheries Information
System Tools (FiRST)

• Designed as data container for extant trawl
  surveys.
• Provides access to analytic modules for proper
  data analysis.
• Also include generic socioeconomic, as well as
  catch and effort, data.

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The Database System - Organization

• 9 main tables their interrelationships

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The Database System -
Facilities Menu Bar Tool Bar List Bar
Trawl Survey Modules Data Management Validate
Data Reports Backup Close Form Exit Program
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The Database System - Key Information Contents

• A general description of the survey (e.g.,
  details of boat, gear, etc.)
• Fishing stations (location, depth oceanographic
  parameters)
• A list of species caught
• Catch taken by species/taxa.

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The Database System - Catch Details
Dropdown List easy access to an option
Indicators easy recognition of the presence of
data
Advance Search Input easy input of data
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The Database System- Gear Details
Facility Allows the storage of scanned images of
the technical specifications of the gear used
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The Database System- Station Details
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The Database System -Key Highlights

• FiRST database with information for 21,000 hauls
  from South and Southeast Asia
• Bangladesh 1,450
• India 613
• Indonesia 1,376
• Malaysia 4,418
• Philippines 838
• Sri Lanka 618
• Thailand 5,890
• VietNam 4,021
• Others 1,396

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The Database System - Data Access Protocol

• Data Classification
• Restricted
• Conditionally accessible
• Fully accessible
• The data is released by the country
• The FiRST software distributed by the WorldFish
  Center

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The Database System - Other Features

• Socioeconomic module
• Mapping routine
• Biomass routine
• Print routine
• Raw data
• Catch and Catch per Effort
• Biomass estimates
• Validate Data
• Other Features
• Global key modification
• Import/Export of data

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Key Research Findings...

• stocks are down to 5 to 30 percent of original
  unfished levels in most countries.
• this quantifies the extent of fishing capacity to
  be removed to restore the economic value of
  fisheries in the region.

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Key Research Findings...

• undesirable changes in species composition - the
  abundance of more valuable fishes (groupers,
  snappers, sharks and rays) has decreased sharply
  while those of smaller, less valuable species has
  increased (e.g., cardinal and trigger fishes).

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Next Steps -TrawlBase Project (Phase 2)

• National/Sub-national Consultative Management
  Planning
• Enhancement of FiRST, expanded (geographical
  temporal) data inputting analysis
• Enhancement and operational programming of draft
  strategies action plans
• Regional Consultative Management Planning
• Examine stock delineation utility of MPAs
• Establishment of a Coastal Fisheries Research
  Management Network
• Regional project portfolio to support national
  programs
• Capacity Building
• Joint analyses training programs
• Staff attachment schemes

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Thank you

visit our home page at http//www.worldfishcenter
.org/trawl