On behalf of The Nature Conservancy, we continue to build and maintain Fisheries Toolkit, or FishKit. The toolkit allows users to input information about their fishery and is used to evaluate the decision-making tradeoffs in real time. Complex fisheries concepts are made accessible to users so that they can engage in fisheries science. The toolkit addresses:
This toolkit arose from community engagement in Hawai’i, where the community’s desire to be more involved in the science and management process prompted our team to adapt. Rather than deliver a technical report, our team decided to use the power of R Shiny to bring the community into the process of conducting an analysis. We continue to develop FishKit, enabling stakeholders and decision-makers in most types of fisheries to directly engage in development of fishery management measures.
Launching the Toolkit
In addition to creating the toolkit, we also spearheaded the toolkit launch, alongside The Nature Conservancy. FishKit has been deployed across multiple Pacific regions, including Hawaii, Guam, and French Polynesia.
Nature Analytics and The Nature Conservancy are working to improve its accessibility and usage. Coastal communities have expressed interest in training for FishKit use, participation in data collection programs, and acquiring long-term fishery management tools. The toolkit’s scaling has increased its visibility and broader application.
Our Role
Nature Analytics continues to play several key roles in the development of FishKit. We provide science advisory, application coding and development to create a user-friendly platform for data analysis, management option analysis, and fishery management planning.
Our team also supports capacity building and training, including educational workshops on using FishKit and the scientific principles behind it. We actively support scaling initiatives for FishKit to improve its visibility and wider application, including on-the-ground guidance to ensure effective utilization and to complement investment in technical development.
Authors
WJ Harford, PA Moore, A Adao, E Ristig, K Millage, B Snouffer