KNOWFISH

The objective of the project is to improve our understanding of the information needs and appropriate institutional structures for fisheries management in developing countries by making a comparative analysis of three cases in South East Asia (one in Laos and two in Vietnam) and four cases in Southern Africa (Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa). The project will produce: A) Analyses of candidates for indicators of aquatic resource system health and exploitation status that are robust, less costly than traditional stock assessment parameters, and compatible with the management institutions in developing countries. B) Analyses of how these candidate indicators relate to existing institutions and social contexts that influence the quality, content and use of scientific information, including both research-based information and information generated in cooperation with stakeholder groups. The 18 partners include national research institutes in the countries where case studies are conducted and a group of European social science and fisheries biology research institutes. The project is coordinated by Institute of Fisheries Management, Hirtshals Denmark. CMI is involved in research components in Malawi and in Mozambique.