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This article is reprinted with permission of Commercial Fisheries News, the Northeast's fishing newspaper for over 28 years, ©2002 Compass Publications Inc. Commercial Fisheries News is published monthly; annual subscriptions are $21.95. To subscribe or request a sample issue: call (800) 989-5253; fax (207) 367-2490; e-mail (cfoster@fish-news.com); or click on the hot link.

With the recent hype around collaborative research, many on-lookers may be wondering "Why should I get involved with collaborative research?" or even "What are the benefits for me?" For a fisherman, the most important benefit may be taking an active role in improving fisheries data, which may impact future management decisions that could affect you. Along with participation in a research project comes decision-making and data interpretation. These projects offer a chance to share your knowledge and add your perspective. There are a few things to consider before diving into a collaborative research project.

The following list of "tips" is a summary of some of the issues brought up during a discussion last year with fishermen and scientists working on research projects. The Oct. 3 talk in Portsmouth, NH was titled "Real World Impediments to Cooperative Research" and was facilitated by Rollie Barnaby of New Hampshire Sea Grant/University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension.

Tips

Have a plan - First and foremost, have a plan. This means clearly articulating the project goals and experimental design in your proposal. Why is this work important? How will it get accomplished? Who is involved? What are the obstacles, and what is your strategy to get around them?

Focus on communications - No matter what stage of the process you're in, you should keep the lines of communication open. This entails discussing a timeline early in the process, which should address different interpretations of terms like "Days-at-Sea." A day-at-sea may mean 24 hours for a fisherman but may mean eight hours for a scientist.

Discuss insurance - Vessel owners and all other project participants should discuss insurance issues during the proposal development stages. Remember to factor additional insurance charges when non-fishermen, such as students or scientists, will be coming aboard during sea-trials.

Build trust - Trust is a crucial component to a successful research project. Listen to input and advice from your other partners; you may learn about something you had not anticipated.

Plan for gear-up - Do not forget about "gear-up" time. Researchers that require a large amount of set-up time for equipment before heading out to sea should make this known to the fishermen. This additional time should be incorporated into the budget under vessel costs.

Decide on the day's activities - In general, do not try to fish and do research on the same day. Make sure the entire cost of a day's trip is factored into the budget if research is going to be conducted.

Be upfront about costs - If you encounter unforeseen expenses during the project, let the program manager know. Sometimes additional funding for unforeseen expenses can be made available.

Involve crewmen - Be sure to involve all participating crewmembers early in the process to give them an understanding of the work. Fishermen need to have some feeling of ownership and a genuine interest in the nature of the research.

Plan for foul weather days - Factor weather into the sampling schedule. Don't rely on a handful of specific dates; always schedule back-up days.

-Rebecca Clauss, Project Coordinator, Northeast Consortium