Hands-on With Future Fisheries

Tidings | Sep 26, 2023

We hosted a unique workshop on management strategy evaluation (MSE) this June, designed for fishermen and fisheries stakeholders.

A woman engages a group of people around an interactive touch table in a dark-lit room.

In late June, a team of researchers and fisheries engagement staff hosted a unique workshop for fishermen and fisheries stakeholders to dive into the concept of management strategy evaluation (MSE) — a fisheries management approach that uses predictive modeling to simulate future climate and regulatory conditions.

The workshop combined a facilitated conversation with an interactive digital learning experience in our Cohen Center for Interactive Learning, the same space that hosts 10,000 Maine middle schoolers each year for our LabVenture education program.

With product management and stakeholder engagement support from GMRI colleagues, University of Maine Scientist Dr. Lisa Kerr — one of the region’s foremost experts on fisheries management — developed this experience to demonstrate how MSE can be applied in New England. The goal of the workshop was to help stakeholders understand what management strategy evaluation is, understand how they can participate, and how they can effectively engage with the process and communicate their ideas about their vision for their fishery.

Together participants used digital touch tables to test and model various fishery management scenarios and roleplay decision-making.

"Whether we're hosting fishermen, scientists, or middle school students, it's exciting to create a space that brings people together to learn about something that really matters to them," said Senior Product Manager Jeff Bate, who led the development of the tech-enabled experience.

Jeff Bate Senior Product Manager
Learn more about MSE, and new interactive, hands-on workshops we are running for fisheries stakeholders.

"I saw a fisherman there, I saw NGOs there, I saw a whole gamut of people in there. It's allowing them to understand the MSE process — and I think it's a great experience.

MSE Workshop Participant

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