INDEX
1. Event Summary
On the evening of September 15th, 2021, US time--the morning of September 16th, 2021, Japan time-- Environmental Defense Fund hosted a workshop designed to share information on emerging technologies and other creative solutions for fishery dependent data collection. Titled Creative Approaches and Emerging Tools for Stock Assessments, the event brought together experts from the United States and Japan to discuss the rationale and status of the pathbreaking Fishery Reform Act, as well as data poor assessment methodologies and new technologies like AI-assisted cameras to facilitate collection of data for stock assessment purposes. The event was attended by nearly 60 scientists from national and prefectural research institutions, technology and fishery data industry members, and leaders from the United States and Japan, including representatives from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Fisheries Research and Education Agency of Japan (FRA).
2. Background
The 2018 Fisheries Reform Act, which went into force in December 2020, calls for 80% of Japan’s catch to be managed with TACs by 2024 when the Act will be fully implemented. It also requires a significant increase in the number of scientifically assessed species from roughly 100 currently to 200 over that same time period. Partly in response to this new legislation, Japanese scientists at the Fisheries Research and Education Agency of Japan (FRA) hope to employ cutting-edge tools like AI to increase the efficiency and reduce the manpower required in collection of fishery dependent data. At the same time, the fishing industry, including processing companies, would like to introduce automatic sorting machines, to help meet a drastic reduction in available manpower. FRA hopes to collect detailed biological data on landed fish by supporting the introduction of automatic sorting machines equipped with AI technology. Deployment of such technologies could also be an important component of Japan’s drive to develop smart fisheries where technology enhances efficiency, value, and production through integrated collection and synthesis of a wide variety of data streams including oceanographic, market, catch, and other information.
3. Goals
- Share knowledge of tools/ideas that will allow the FRA to enhance data collection for stock assessments
- Create lasting connections between Japanese and US/international fisheries scientists and tech experts
- Identify potential opportunities for collaboration
- Identify points for further clarification and/or future workshops
4. Agenda
Welcome
- Dr. Shems Jud, Director, Japan Fisheries & Oceans, Environmental Defense Fund
Presentations
- Dr. Yoshioki Oozeki, Senior Adviser, Japan Fisheries and Education Research Agency
"Needs of innovative image analyses in Fisheries Research —in relation to the recent fisheries measures —" [PDF, 2.6MB] - Dr. Jason M. Cope, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries
"Stock assessments options to support fisheries management, with examples from the United States" [PDF, 830KB] - Dr. Jenq-Neng Hwang, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Washington
"Electronic Visual Monitoring of Fisheries for Smart Ocean" [PDF, 3.4MB] - Dr. Todd Gedamke, MER Consultants; Dr. Bill Harford, Nature Analytics
"Developing smart scales and data solutions for small scale fisheries" [PDF, 2.8MB] - Ben Woodward, CVision AI
"Automated Fish Analysis in the Northeast Groundfish Fishery: Building a Library for Image Processing and Machine Learning to Support Electronic Monitoring Programs" [PDF, 2.6MB] - Dr. Craig Rose, FishNext Research
"The Alaska Fisheries Electronic Monitoring Innovation (EMI) Project: Developing Automated Methods to Monitor Fisheries—Validating bycatch reports from processing plants" [PDF, 1.1MB]
Closing remarks
- Dr. Shems Jud, Director, Japan Fisheries & Oceans, Environmental Defense Fund
