Identify useful variables and assemble metadata

Subtask Description:
Document the simulation model.

Action points of the implementation:

Area:
Søndeled fjord, Norway.

Policy Issue:
Sustainable development of fishing based tourism.

Human Activities:
Tourism, boating, urban activity.

General Information:
Touristic activities in the area encompass general recreation and tourism, development of cottages with access to the sea, fishing tourism, environmental tourism and development of the local aquarium. This is translated into development of new beaches and harbors, examples of activities that can harm habitats, biodiversity, recruitment of marine organisms and annual yield in local fisheries. The characteristics of the recreational use of the coastal zone area make the pressure highly seasonal. The main stakeholder concerns are connected to the impacts of the recreational fishing and of the touristic development in the state of the system.

Example of Implementation:
The baseline model for the local cod population runs with a starting population ofcod that is affected by predation (natural mortality) and fishing (fishing mortality) and is driven by different components (predators and users) in the study area. The baseline model will apply the 2008 policy and regulations, and the number in each category of users will be based on 2008 figures. The assessment of ESE components will be based on model outputs under different policy scenarios. Reduction or increase in any of the user categories, and in the number of predators by category, will affect the local cod population, as well as socio-economic components of the fjord system. Policy actions will regulate the:

(1) development of 2nd homes, which will affect available habitat for 0-group cod;

(2) factors that influence the number of tourists in the different categories;

(3) fishing by different tourist categories, and the commercial fishers, thus affecting the fishing mortality;

(4) number of predators in the fjord system by category, which will affect natural mortality of cod, and

(5) stock enhancement, which will affect the recruitment (age 0) and abundance of age 1 cod each year.

In the present version of the model, the effect on the cod populations of other predators (such as other fish species in the ecosystem feeding on 0-group cod), food availability or habitat availability for age groups 1-10 of cod, are not included. Model outputs for the ecological model component under each policy scenario will include tables with summary statistics (mean, standard deviation, lower and upper 90% confidence limits) for number and biomass of cod by year class for all years (20). We will also present figures of 20-year trajectories of abundance and biomass of age 2+ cod for each policy scenario. Socioeconomic assessments will be based on the associated economic value of the goods and services, and conflict levels related to tourism.

Contact: Erlend Moksness, moksness@imr.no.