The Recopesca project: a new example of participative approach to collect in-situ environmental and fisheries data using fisheries vessels of opportunity

Face to the lack of data to assess precisely the spatial distribution of catches and fishing effort and for the environmental characterization of the fishing area, Ifremer has been implemented since 2005 a new project, Recopesca. It consists in fitting out a sample of voluntary fishing vessels with sensors recording data on fishing effort (and at mid-terms catches) and physical parameters such as temperature or salinity. Recopesca aims at setting up a network of sensors, for scientific purposes, to collect data allowing improving resources assessment and diagnostics on fisheries, and environmental data required for ecosystem-based management initiatives. The challenge was to develop sensors with no trouble for the fishermen, tough enough to be fixed up on fishing gears, self powered and autonomous. Insofar as the sample of targeted vessels intends to be representative of all the metiers and fleets, the sensors are modular and scalable to collect new data.