Working Group on Technology Integration for Fishery-Dependent Data (WGTIFD)

The Working Group on Technology Integration for Fishery-Dependent Data (WGTIFD) examines electronic technologies and applications developed to support fisheries-dependent data collec-tion, both onshore and at sea, including electronic reporting (ER), electronic monitoring (EM), positional data systems, and observer data collection. WGTIFD has diverse membership includ-ing technology service providers, academic and governmental marine institutions, and non-profit environmental organizations, across a wide range of EU, US, and additional fisheries from the world.

The primary objective of this report is to summarize the discussions held over the 2022-2024 ToR resolution period of the WGTIFD which met in Lisbon, Portugal (2022) Galway, Ireland (2022), Aberdeen, UK (2023), and Vigo, Spain (2024) respectively. The work undertaken in the two meet-ings in 2022 were published in 2023 (reference). Among other issues discussed, the report pub-lished in 2023 includes best practices for developing and managing vessel monitoring plans (VMPs) and guidance on EM program-design regarding data transmission and data storage.

This final report integrates some of the initial work in 2022 with the proceedings from 2023 and 2024. WGTIFD identified new terms for a glossary and made updates to previously-defined terms from 2019. The same evolution occurred for ToR B; the group improved and expanded the inventory of EM programmes with the near-future intention of publishing an initial repository, to cover the scope of ICES programmes now (primarily the US and Europe) and it is to be hoped globally over the long term. A shift from WGTIFD initial work in 2019-2021 was to identify unique characteristics of different types of fisheries and provide specific guidance on how to develop and implement EM. This report covers guidance for pelagic longline and pelagic trawl fisheries. Additionally, with respect to pelagic longline fisheries, WGTIFD identified a number of recommendations specific to monitoring bycatch of Endangered, Threatened and Protected (ETP) species.

To facilitate the uptake of EM programmes, WGTIFD also developed guidance and best practices for institutions to publish a well-crafted solicitation from EM service providers (e.g. Request for Proposals (RFPs), Statements of Work (SOWs), Call for Tenders (CFT)). In addition, a significant limitation on the ability to scale EM to more countries and regions is the lack of standards. Standards can provide stability for EM service providers and other contributors to a monitoring program, in order to develop and implement software, hardware, and associated data systems. To tackle this, WGTIFD developed a standardized data model and format for data collected and analysed from EM systems, with the objective of creating efficiency in integrating EM data into data systems generally and specifically to deliver science advice. Both data standards and acqui-sition guidance will be published as ICES handbooks and updated over time via WGTIFD, as it continues for another three-year ToRs.

An additional hurdle for scaling EM globally is the lack of industry-wide adoption of global standards for raw EM data, EM systems, and other technologies. WGTIFD worked with EM ser-vice providers for the last three years to identify opportunities to create standards, while ac-knowledging the need to leave certain components to be determined by the marketplace. While a final output on a raw EM data standards has not yet been achieved, significant progress has been made towards EM service providers having reached a tentative agreement to: 1) adopt the ISO 2231 standard for raw video data from EM systems; 2) determine a suitable standard in addition to ISO 2231 to cover sensor data; and 3) to define standardized naming conventions for cameras / files etc. This work will continue over the next 3 years.