About

Aim of the Project

The aim of the SAF21 project is to understand how to manage socio-ecological complex systems better. This knowledge will inform the development of innovative management strategies, particularly to address a shift to new regulatory regimes, which is necessary for the success of future complex pan-European initiatives.re complex pan-European initiatives.

Behaviour and processes

The behaviour of fishers is complex. Processes, such as trust building and norms acceptance, influence compliance with changing fishing regulations in unpredictable ways. The desired behaviour of fishers is often very different from subsequent behaviour. They tend to adapt to, and find ways around, new regulatory regimes, often with catastrophic consequences on the fish population. Under these circumstances, an integrated understanding of the fine mechanisms governing fishers’ behaviour in relation to the regulative processes is needed, to the benefit of decision makers, fishing industry and the environment alike.

Achieving the aim

What is unique about SAF21 is the way the research and training programme is structured. SAF21 purposefully departs from conventional PhD training programmes. The project provides research, training and networking opportunities for early stage researchers (ESR) who will use latest research tools, such as simulation and participatory approaches, with an aim to inject social intelligence into EU fisheries management systems.

SAF21 is different because the programme includes multi and interdisciplinary scientific training, secondments in both academic and non-academic organisations, as well as courses in core transferable skills with an emphasis on public engagement, science communication, education and outreach.

More about the programme

Typically during a PhD programme, the training of transferable skills and exposure to commercial secondments depends on the initiative and goodwill of the supervisor. We realise these are vital components of research and learning to support career development and future research. Early stage researchers should be equipped with core competencies and commercial experience relevant for a broad job market to improve employability.

The SAF21 project has been structured so international commercial secondments and transferable skills training are mandatory and a key part of the programme. The programme will combine both formal and informal training across a portfolio of skills such as inter-cultural communication training. We anticipate the result will be researchers who are more successful due to their readiness for international mobility.

Ten early stage researchers have the opportunity to participate in this innovative new approach to research and learning.

Project objectives

• Analyse fishers’ behaviour in relation with shifting management regimes and changing market demands in order to identify patterns of socio-economic resilience behaviour that could help formulating better fisheries management decision.
• Analyse fishers’ behaviour in relation with trust building, risk perception and norms compliance in the context of stakeholder interaction in order to identify behavioural mechanisms based on which to build a multi-aspect simulation of the socio-ecological complex system of fisheries that would help developing better fisheries management strategies.
• Develop a framework for the continuous socio-economic evaluation of fisheries that could be used for better management decisions.Provide guidelines for increasing public understanding of fisheries management related issues in order to circumscribe future activities aimed at increasing awareness and legal compliance.
• Combine awareness, understanding and action in outreach activities to build on collective action and societal challenges, aiming at behavioural change of fishers regarding rules compliance.

The opportunity

The wide-ranging training envisaged will offer ten young researchers a structured doctoral programme in both academic and transferable skills in addition to highly intersectoral, non-academic mobility opportunities. At the end of the programme, the early stage researchers will have the necessary skills and experience to bridge the divide between sectors and disciplines. SAF21 will provide doctoral candidates the opportunity to fulfil their scientific social responsibility at a higher level than conventional doctoral programmes, by ensuring significant time and training for outreach activities.

Why does SAF21 need a consortium?

Such a complex research and training environment providing outreach opportunities could not be provided in a traditional context. None of the SAF21 project participants alone has all the necessary expertise to fulfil its individual research project, provide complex training and put it in such a wide outreach perspective. The exposure of the early stage researchers to the commercial sector during the programme is possible only due to the non-academic members of the SAF21 consortium.

External Advisory Panel

Alison Mitchell
Vitae, UK

Eva Hnátková
Eurodoc

Grimur Valdimarsson
Ministry of Industries and Innovation, Iceland

Mogens Schou
Aquamind, Denmark

Nanda Wijermans
Stockholm Resilience Centre, Sweden

SAF21 Management Team

Melania Borit
Project Coordinator

Michaela Aschan
Scientific Adviser

Hanne Risan Johnsen
Administrative Manager