Irish Fishers' Knowledge Project

This project is funded by the Marine Institute and is part of the Irish Fisheries Science Research Partnership (IFSRP).

What is the project about?

The aim of this project is to develop methodologies for accessing the tacit knowledge of fisher communities, and the rendering of their insights into a rigorous scientific mode, that can be useful for the policy process and marine science community more widely. In part it involves filling the gap between social science methodologies which can uncover tacit knowledge and the needs of natural scientists who require detailed, precise, and verifiable information from fishers. Much of this information will concern practical environmental, social and economic issues: stock health, status of fishing grounds, environmental effects of fishing gear, the influence of markets on fishing practice, etc. However, the project will also be vital in developing a set of methodologies for how to engage with fishers as stakeholders in the policy process. What sorts of data do they esteem, what types of evidence do they offer and consider important? How (un)scientific are fishers' discourses? Can their folk and tacit knowledge generate valuable insights which are meaningful for marine science? The answer is likely to be not so much a categorical 'yes', but rather methodologically speaking, how can such knowledge be translated into a valid scientific frame. We see this as the core question this research will focus upon.

How will the project operate?

The project will involve interviewing and listening to fishers, to discover their 'tacit knowledge' on critical questions facing the industry (bycatch, enforcement procedures, fish stock levels, etc.). The project will begin in September 2008 and last 36 months. The co-operation of the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) and Board Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) will be vital to make the consultation part of the project work. Funding will be available to the FIF for consultation meetings.

People Involved:

Brendan Flynn

Edward Hind

Emma Martin