Advancing basic knowledge and developing tools for sustainable management of key migratory fish species

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• improved knowledge on life history parameters of key migratory fish species, through basic and applied research on key aspects of biology, ecology, connectivity, conservation, management and exploitation;
• better knowledge of the extent of anthropogenic impacts on key migratory fish species through their entire life cycle within a context of a changing climate regime;
• enhanced capacity of national and regional authorities (and other stakeholders) to develop and implement effective and efficient tools for the protection, restoration and resource management of key migratory fish species and/or their habitats, and for the appropriate assessment of the effectiveness of measures put in place to allow necessary feedback and adaptive management.

Scope:

The world’s migratory species are in decline, and their global extinction risk is increasing, with a growing part of this acceleration linked to climate change and a deterioration of their migration routes. Migratory marine fish stocks - ranging across a wide size spectrum - are vital for ecosystem functioning and food security, as their long-term persistence depends on management approaches that balance sustainability with ecological resilience in a system of global change. Furthermore, diadromous fish species play a critical role in land-sea interactions across their ranges, providing unique financial and non-financial societal goods and benefits to society and nature, such as marine-derived nutrient flows to rivers and lands, and exceptional cultural values. Ability of these species to connect and utilise a variety of habitats over long distances, makes them 'umbrella' species, meaning conservation measures for these species benefit broader ecosystems. Protecting these species and sustainably managing the bio-resources they provide across national and international waters, and often multi-national catchments require a holistic and coordinated approach, integrating local attitudes, uses, knowledge, policies and conservation measures, and adapted to local circumstances where necessary.

Proposals should:

• develop methods and methodologies, where relevant at regional scale or global scale, to assess the effectiveness of conservation and management measures that will allow for adaptive management;
• develop tools and practices to reduce anthropogenic mortality factors for these species and in all key lifetime aquatic habitats and to avoid fragmented non-coordinated management across sectors and countries;
• generate new knowledge on the interplay between climatic and non-climatic pressures, particularly related to fisheries of marine species, or in relation to infrastructure impeding connectivity (e.g. hydropower, pumping stations, flood control) and pollution for the diadromous species;
• assess the impact of emerging pressures on the migratory species of interest;
• assess the ecosystem services and the resulting societal goods and benefits provided by long-ranging migrating and/or transboundary land-sea-connecting species;
• strengthen data collection systems covering all life-history stages and successive key habitats of these migratory fish, to improve monitoring coordination across regions and countries;
• incorporate relevant stakeholders and end-users from the design phase through development and implementation, ensuring that outputs can be readily applied by them.

The scope includes migratory marine and diadromous species of commercial interest, with particular emphasis on endangered species and endangered local populations. Where applicable, considerations related to farming of migratory species should be addressed.

Proposals should involve the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities disciplines. Citizen science is encouraged at all stages of the research activities for this topic.

Projects are expected to contribute to the EU Common Fisheries Policy, the European Ocean Pact, the Vision for Fisheries and Aquaculture with a 2040 perspective, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Habitats Directives, the Water Framework Directive, the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 and the Food 2030 policy framework, the Nature Restoration Regulation.