IIASA • IMR • Ifremer • DIFRES • KUL • UW • FRS • UT • IMARES • UO • CSIC • IPIMAR • BFAF • UI • SBF • MI • FGFRI • DFO

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is a non-governmental, non-profit research organization conducting interdisciplinary scientific studies on environmental, economic, technological, and social issues in the context of human dimensions of global change. The institute has about 200 employees and research associates. Sponsored by 17 National Member Organizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, IIASA researchers have a long tradition of generating methods and tools useful to both decision makers and the scientific community. Their work is based on original state-of-the-art methodology and analytical approaches, linking a variety of natural and social science disciplines. IIASA’s independent non-governmental status allows it to provide non-political and unbiased scientific insight, resulting in a degree of neutrality and impartiality that is particularly valued by those who utilize the institute’s research findings. Since its inception in 1972, IIASA has been a hub of successful international scientific collaboration, and has built a distinguished track record of research on the sustainable management of natural resources. The institute is offering a terrific infrastructure for networking and research, including excellent computing facilities, library services, secretarial support, experienced assistance in matters of external funding, guest accommodation, a publications department, language assistance, graphics editing services, as well as qualified staff for organizing conferences and workshops. The institute’s special premises, situated in the former summer palace of the Habsburg royal family in Laxenburg, in close proximity to Austria’s capital of Vienna, make IIASA a natural and widely appreciated meeting place.

The Evolution and Ecology Program (EEP) at IIASA is driving the development of adaptive dynamics theory, perhaps the most versatile tool currently available for linking the ecological and evolutionary consequences of environmental change. Over the past ten years, IIASA has become the European hub for modern research into fisheries-induced evolution. In addition, EEP has achieved distinction in other target areas of modelling complex adaptive systems – including the theory of cooperation, speciation research, and simplifying spatial complexity. In the wake of initiating and hosting an international workshop on fisheries-induced evolution, funded by the European Science Foundation, EEP is preparing, in close collaboration with IMR, the first textbook covering this burgeoning field, to be published by Cambridge University Press.

The Institute of Marine Research (IMR) is a national research centre affiliated with the Norwegian Ministry of Coast and Fisheries. IMR has more than 500 employees, located at the main office in Bergen, in addition to a division in Tromsø and at three research stations. The institute conducts research in the fields of marine environment, resources, and aquaculture. It is responsible for providing scientific advice to government agencies, industry, and other civic institutions. Research at IMR is directed towards encouraging the sustainable development of the natural resources of oceanic and coastal areas in terms of food sources, as well as for industrial and recreational activities. The objectives of the institute are (1) studying and monitoring life cycles and interactions of different organisms in oceanic and coastal marine environments, (2) continuously updating and presenting knowledge of marine resources of importance to the fishing and aquaculture industries, (3) developing a biological basis and a technology for future-oriented fishing and aquaculture industries, (4) giving fisheries authorities and industry advice on the management of our marine environment and resources, and (5) informing about research results in a manner that promotes the interests of the fishing and aquaculture industries and of society in general.

The fisheries evolution group at IMR, lead by Professor Mikko Heino, has played a key role in bringing fisheries-induced genetic changes into focus, by developing methods to detect fisheries-induced adaptive changes and by applying these methods to routinely collected fisheries data. Currently, the core group includes, in addition to Mikko Heino, one postdoc and one PhD student funded through the FP6 Research Training Network FishACE (Fisheries-induced Adaptive Changes in Exploited Stocks), a setup that enables these young researchers to dedicate all their research efforts to this topic. In addition, the Modelling Group at the Department of Biology at the University of Bergen, particularly Associate Professor Øyvind Fiksen and Dr. Christian Jørgensen, will contribute to the critical mass for research on fisheries-induced evolution in Bergen. Close links with the University of Bergen are made possible by its physical proximity to IMR as well as through Mikko Heino’s holding a professorship at the university (see below). IMR is leading a new project on the Sustainable Harvesting of Marine Resources funded by the Norwegian Research Council, which will result in another postdoc and PhD student joining the institute. This new project also enables establishing an experimental system based on zebra fish to support field and model-based approaches through controlled experiments.

The French Research Institute for the Sustainable Exploitation of the Sea (Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer, Ifremer) is an industrial and commercial public body responsible, among others, for the management of marine living resources. Founded in 1984, it is the only French organisation exclusively devoted to maritime interests. It operates under the joint auspices of the Ministry of Research, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries; the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, and the Ministry of Amenities and Transport. Ifremer has an annual budget of approximately 150 M€ and about 1700 employees distributed over 72 laboratories or research departments, located in 24 stations along the entire coastline of France and in the French Overseas Territories. Ifremer is operating seven ocean-going research vessels, two manned submersibles, one remotely-operated vehicle for deep sea explorations, and a suite of experimental facilities. Being involved in all marine sciences and technology fields, Ifremer has a broad range of expertise and facilities giving it the capability of solving different problems through an integrated approach. The Institute’s scope of actions can be divided into six main scientific and technological areas: Development and Management of Major Equipments for Oceanography; Monitoring, Use, and Enhancement of Coastal Seas; Monitoring and Optimisation of Aquaculture Resources; Fishery Resources, Sustainable Use, and Valorisation; Exploration and Knowledge of Seafloors and their Biodiversity; and Oceanic Circulation and Bio-geochemistry - Mechanisms, Trends, and Forecast.

The Fisheries Unit (Laboratoire Ressources Halieutiques) in Port-en-Bessin is part of the English Channel and North Sea Fisheries Department of Ifremer. The team combines expertise in fish stock assessment and management with knowledge in quantitative genetics, population genetics, ecology, life-history evolution, and eco-evolutionary modelling. The Fisheries Unit contributes to the scientific assessment of fisheries within the Eastern English Channel (ICES Area VIId) through the evaluation of stocks subject to EU regulation (sole and plaice) as well as the assessment of stocks managed locally (wild molluscs, large crustaceans, cephalopods etc.). It also conducts research on the ecology and evolution of exploited fish species, including scientific areas such as fish habitat, marine food webs, and fisheries-induced adaptive changes. In addition, the Fisheries Unit in Port-en-Bessin has a number of responsibilities at the national and international level: the national coordination of the collection of fisheries data in support of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, the national coordination of the collection of data for discards assessment, the national coordination of the STRADA project on the ecology and evolution of exploited fish stocks, and the Chair of the ICES Workshop on Sampling Design for Fisheries Data (WKSDFD).

The Danish Institute for Fisheries Research (DIFRES) is a research institution under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries. DIFRES employs approximately 285 people and has a total budget of approximately 24 M€. DIFRES conducts research and provides advice concerning the sustainable utilization of living marine and freshwater resources. This includes interactions between the aquatic environment, human activities and fish populations, as well as the assessment of fish population productivity and abundance. DIFRES provides advisory services to the Danish ministry, other public authorities, international organizations, the industry, and other stakeholders such as recreational anglers. In addition, DIFRES contributes to teaching at Danish universities.

The population genetics group of the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research was established in 1994. At present, it includes three scientists, three technicians, and a variable number of MSc and PhD students. The group’s research interests focus on questions in the areas of population genetics, evolutionary biology, and conservation biology/fisheries management; with particular emphasis on the identification and maintenance of locally adapted populations. For almost a decade, the group has worked on the population structure of marine, freshwater, and anadromous fishes using state-of-the-art molecular genetic and statistical methods. The group is particularly renowned for their experience in the genetic analysis of historical tissue collections (scales and otoliths) for the retrospective analysis of population structure and of genetically effective population sizes. For that reason, a high number of guest scientists are visiting the lab. The group is involved in a number of EU-funded research projects (see below). Members of the group are experienced in providing advice for genetically sustainable management of fish populations, both nationally and internationally (e.g., in the ICES Working Group on the Application of Genetics in Fisheries and Mariculture, WGAGFM).

Situated at the heart of Western Europe and founded in 1425, the Catholic University of Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KUL) bears the honor of being the oldest university in the Low Countries. The University, a non-profit non-governmental educational and research institution, is located in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern part of Belgium. With regard to teaching and research, several quality surveys demonstrate that KUL stands on par with internationally respected institutions in a large number of fields. Its academic reputation attracts students from all over the world (300+ contracts under the ERASMUS exchange programme). The university has set up a number of international academic programmes aimed both at Belgian and at international students. The KUL hosts about 29,000 students, more than 10% of whom are international students. In terms of its personnel, there are 4,663 members on its academic staff, 2,492 on its administrative and technical staff, and 7,030 on its teaching hospital staff. Its income amounted in 2004 to 508 M€ and research expenditures to 196.4 M€. On the academic side, the university comprises 14 faculties, 50 departments, and about 240 sub-departments.

The Fish Genetics Team at the Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, led by Prof. dr. Filip Volckaert, studies the ecological genetics and spatiotemporal evolutionary dynamics of fishes and their parasites inhabiting freshwater and marine habitats. Research is carried out in close collaboration with aquatic ecologists and evolutionary biologists at the Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, led by Prof. dr. Luc De Meester, as well as with (inter)national colleagues. The team has strong expertise in the design and development of molecular markers (allozymes, AFLP, microsatellites, and SNPs); medium-throughput genotyping; data banking; and the analysis of genetic, genomic, and phenotypic data with up-to-date statistical approaches. The team uses models for heuristic and operational analyses, operates a molecular laboratory for genotyping, and sports extensive experience with field sampling. Model organisms include freshwater fishes (bullhead, burbot, pike, and three-spined stickleback) and marine fishes (common sole, European eel, European sea bass, and Pomatoschistus gobies). The team studies coevolution of the Monogenean parasites of the genus Gyrodactylus and their fish hosts. The Fish Genetics Team published 45 SCI papers since 2001 and comprises 5 graduate students, 3 postdocs, 2 technicians, and one team leader. The team has been involved in 9 EU projects: most lately, it has coordinated the FP5 project BASSMAP and is a core partner in the FP6 STREP AQUAFIRST, and in the Network of Excellence Marine Genomics Europe.

The University of Wales (UW) at Bangor includes one of the largest concentrations of natural and environmental scientists within any UK university. Currently organized within three large schools, environmental science initiatives involving multi-disciplinary and cross-school projects, including the Schools of Ocean Science (SOS) and Biological Sciences (SBS), are coordinated through the Institute for Environmental Sciences (IES). IES also facilitates close cooperation with the Bangor site of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH Bangor) that is embedded within the UW Bangor campus. Acknowledgement of the prioritization of environmental sciences within the University is the forthcoming establishment of the multidisciplinary Environment Centre for Wales (ECW) in 2007, funded jointly by the Natural Environment Research Council (UK), the Welsh Assembly, and UWB. The Centre, a purpose-built structure proximate to the existing SBS, and operating within the University, will serve as a multi-disciplinary hub for environmental sciences, facilitating links between academics and environmental bodies. The Centre will function with a strong emphasis on training and innovative science within the context of sustainability and conservation of natural resources, an important strategic priority of UWB. UWB (SBS) has recently been designated as a national centre for conservation and management of fisheries resources by the UK Environment Agency (EA), with secondment of its current UK Head of Fisheries Science (Dr N. Milner) within SBS, with active links to MEFGL.

The MEFGL represents one of Europe’s largest centres focusing on population and species diversity of aquatic animals (model and exploited species), including work on the determinants of population differentiation, phylogeography and phylogenetics, molecular evolution of genes, the evolution of adaptive traits, and fisheries genetics. Fisheries research themes include stock structure analysis of exploited fishes, estimating effective population size, assessing long-term changes in exploited species, and conservation of genetic resources. The MEFGL complements molecular genetic data with detailed ecological, behavioural, and physiological information to facilitate examination of the underlying causes of individual, population, or species diversity in time and space. Pioneering contributions to fisheries genetics have included the first retrieval of genetic material from archived otoliths to explore long-term changes in fisheries and the empirical demonstration of fisheries-related declines in genetic diversity. Fisheries activities have escalated recently through the appointment (2005) of the first 5-year Research Council UK Research Fellowship in Fisheries Genetics and Conservation (Dr M. Taylor), the hosting of a Marie-Curie Fellow in DNA barcoding in fish and fisheries (2006-2008; Dr F. Costa), and the projected relocation, in 2007, of MEGFL to a purpose-built research suite embedded within the Environment Centre for Wales (ECW). A relevant recent staff appointment to SBS focusing on the experimental analysis of wild guppies (Dr D Croft, http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/people/staff/021866), the FinE proposed model species, will further facilitate contributions from the MEFGL. Recent EU projects have included fisheries genetics of cod (MACOM) and herring (HERGEN), and understanding the mechanisms of stock recovery (UNCOVER).

Fisheries Research Services (FRS) is Scotland’s national centre for research on fisheries, aquaculture, and the aquatic environment. FRS is an agency of the Scottish Executive (SE), is based at the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen and the Freshwater Laboratory, Pitlochry, and runs a number of field stations in support of its work. It is part of the Environment and Rural Affairs Department (ERAD) of the Scottish Executive, whose mandate is to support and enhance rural life, rural communities, and the rural economy. The institute provides expert scientific and technical advice on the sustainable management of marine and freshwater fisheries, founded on a programme of research, monitoring, and assessment of the resources in Scotland. This is to ensure, as far as possible, that the policies and regulatory activities of Government are supported by full and up-to-date knowledge. FRS employs approximately 350 persons and has an annual budget of around 35 M€.

The FRS Freshwater Programme is based at the Freshwater Laboratory (FL), Faskally, Pitlochry (Perthshire) and at ancillary facilities in Montrose (Angus), Deeside (Aberdeenshire), Almondbank (Perthshire), and Shieldaig (Wester Ross). FL is responsible for monitoring the status of freshwater (and migratory) fish populations in Scotland. It conducts wild fish population monitoring (going back more than 40 years) and research in support of scientific advice provided to the Scottish Executive to help protect fish and promote the development of sustainable fisheries. Laboratory staff also contribute to the salmon management activities of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO). Work on salmon and sea trout continues to form the majority of the research programme because of their high economic value and consequent heavy demand for stock management advice.

Within the University of Tromsø (UT), NCFS is devoted to training and research in aquatic biology and resource management, with its four departments covering biotechnological, environmental, and socio-economic studies. NCFS has a permanent staff of 150 teachers, researchers, administrative, and support personnel, and a total of about 750 students. Research in basic and applied aquatic science at NCFS has an integrative, high-profile outlook promoted by the many members of the staff and their international collaborators rated among the leaders in the field. The breadth of expertise found at NCFS provides unique opportunities for conducting basic and applied research in natural and social sciences. Basic research in aquatic biology includes molecular biology, ecophysiology, population biology, community ecology, and evolutionary ecology. Applied research covers global change issues including biological invasions, climate change, habitat loss, and the impact of overfishing. In Norway, NCFS has been given special responsibilities in the development of all facets of fisheries and aquaculture research, and the education of candidates for employment within the fishing industry, fisheries management, and related sectors. Through its international training program and collaborations, NCFS endorses and fosters a modern, interdisciplinary approach to sustainable resource management and conservation.

The Freshwater Ecology Group at NCFS’s Department of Aquatic BioSciences studies the ecology and evolution of high-latitude freshwater communities, with a primary focus on landlocked and anadromous salmonids. The group integrates theoretical models, field work, and experiments to analyze the structure and dynamic outcome of ecological interactions, and their implications for life-history and behavioural adaptations. Early emphasis on long-term studies of salmonids ecology has permitted the collection of over 25 years of data from Arctic charr and whitefish populations, the two main targets of exploitation and conservation among Northern Europe’s freshwater fish. These are the longest time series available for the north of Scandinavia. The research group is engaged in international collaborations with some of the leading experts on salmonids ecology and evolution, including Prof. Louis Bernatchez (University of Laval, Canada) on speciation, Prof. Pierre Magnan (University of Trois Rivieres, Canada) on life-history adaptation and management, and Prof. Lennart Persson (University of Umeå, Sweden) on structured populations dynamics. Research findings are integrated in management recommendations, a high priority for the research group, which, within NCFS, is responsible for research and training in management and conservation of freshwater fish.

Wageningen IMARES (Institute for Marine Resources and Ecological studies) is part of Wageningen University and research centre. Wageningen IMARES is a merger of the formerly separate institutes RIVO (Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research), ALTERRA (Texel), and TNO-MEP (Den Helder) and has about 170 employees (40% scientific) working on applied marine research projects comprising the research areas of fisheries, nature conservation, environment, and food safety. Research projects are generally carried out in international and multi-disciplinary teams. Wageningen IMARES is active in several international networks such as the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and has close links to academic research groups within Wageningen University and at other universities.

The fisheries research group at IMARES focuses on the dynamics of exploited fish stocks and their fisheries through intensive sampling programs of the commercial landings, research vessel surveys, and dedicated research projects. Long-term studies have been conducted to elucidate changes in growth and reproduction in relation to population dynamics and environmental variability, as well as ecosystem changes in relation to fishing. As flatfishes have been important targets for Dutch fisheries, biological research of plaice and sole has been conducted since the Second World War, and standardized sampling programs are ongoing since 1957. A wealth of knowledge on developments in the population biology of flatfish stocks in the twentieth century and beyond has been accumulated at IMARES. The laboratory has an extended archive of otolith samples collected monthly since 1958, which is available for the back-calculation of individual growth trajectories and for genetic studies, supported by a state-of-the-art otolith laboratory run by experienced laboratory personnel. A modern computer system and a central database enable the efficient analysis of available data. IMARES collaborates on population biological research with the Centre of Ecological and Evolutionary Studies at the University of Groningen and with the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ).

The Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) at the University of Oslo (UO), chaired by Prof. Nils Christian Stenseth, represents an interdisciplinary research unit with strong experience in statistical modelling, particularly within the field of populations. Much of the activity within CEES focuses on the statistical modelling of long-term population data, and on the deduction of process models on the basis of such analyses. The centre has profound experience in interdisciplinary work and international collaboration. CEES heads a Nordic centre, EcoClim (http://www.cees.no/ecoclim/) and serves as a Marie Curie Early Training Site (http://www.cees.no/mc/).

The CEES members to be involved in the proposed FinE research all have profound experience in the statistical modelling of large-scale data (e.g., Stenseth et al. 1998), particularly under climate forcing (e.g., Stenseth et al. 2002). The group has also been involved in carrying out work on Barents Sea ecology (e.g., Ottersen and Stenseth 2001; Hjermann 2004a, 2004b, 2004c), including the ecological effects of oil spills in the Barents Sea (e.g., resulting in a 2004 report for the Ministry of Norwegian Oil and Energy). The marine group within CEES closely interacts with other groups such as those working on terrestrial and freshwater systems and includes scientists working on both ecological and evolutionary issues. The marine group works on the integration of ecological and economic considerations, both with reference to terrestrial and marine systems (e.g., Naevdal et al. 2006; Stenseth et al. 2003).

The Spanish National Research Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, CSIC) is the major research organization in Spain, consisting of more than 110 institutes and more than 2400 staff researchers. The Institute of Marine Research (Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, IIM) is one of those institutes and was founded in 1951. IIM is a multidisciplinary research institution with widely recognized experience in several research lines within marine science. The members of the different research groups possess strong scientific and technical expertise on oceanography, fisheries ecology, stock assessment, aquaculture, larval nutrition, and fish health. Facilities available include research vessels, culture experimental rooms, and laboratories for histology and image analysis, among others. Considering the scientific production of 2.9 SCI papers per researcher and year, as well as the number of 3.9 competitive research projects per researcher and year, IIM is one of the top marine research institutes in Spain. In fisheries research, IIM has focused on studying fisheries in the North Atlantic, covering the population dynamics of exploited fish populations, as well as biological processes such as growth and reproduction. Research within IIM is carried out with the aim of improving knowledge about marine population ecology in general and about mechanisms of abundance fluctuation in particular. 

Research conducted by IIM’s fisheries unit studies the population dynamics of exploited fish populations, including cod, American plaice, redfish, and Greenland halibut, focusing on growth and reproduction in these species, as well as in hake, megrim, and pouting. Since 1988, the group has led the EU annual ground fish survey on Flemish Cap, where it has determined the population status of fishes and crustaceans. The information gathered in these surveys is the main source for the Flemish Cap population assessments carried out within NAFO. Researchers of the unit have participated extensively in the advice on fish stocks in NAFO and ICES waters, participating in annual NAFO meetings and ICES working groups. Accordingly, IIM scientists have been involved in numerous research projects and studies on the stock assessment of, and biological processes in, exploited populations. Research in recent years has focused on reproductive studies, involving the participation in several national and international projects on this subject. Salient research has addressed issues such as shifts in sexual maturation, growth, and maturation interactions, as well as individual-level and stock-level reproductive potential in several species in the North Atlantic.

The Portuguese Research Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries (INIAP/IPIMAR) is the state institute for fisheries and marine research in Portugal. The institute employs approximately 400 staff, 90 of whom are scientists, within 6 Departments and 3 Regional Centres. INIAP/IPIMAR represents Portugal in international organizations related to marine science, including ICES and NAFO, and is responsible for providing scientific advice on commercial marine stocks to the European Union since the late 1970s. INIAP/IPIMAR has been a partner in many national and international projects related to fisheries biology and small pelagics (PECOSUD, PELASSES, MARINEGGS, HOMSIR, SEAMAR, SURVIVAL, PO-SPACC, BASBLACK, SARDYN) and has a long history of studies on the biology and population dynamics of sardine. 

The Small Pelagics Group (part of the Marine Resources Department) comprises researchers from the fields of oceanography, marine biology, and statistics, and is currently involved in several national and international projects related to the study of sardine stock structure and dynamics. Within the ongoing project SARDYN (Q5RS-2002-000818, coordinated by Alexandra Silva), the team has made important contributions to the study of sardine biology and its relationships with environmental conditions. The team has set up a large database of historical information on sardine biology.

The Federal Research Centre for Fisheries (Bundesforschungsanstalt für Fischerei, BFAF) is active all fields of fisheries research that are of direct relevance to political objectives of the German Federal Ministry in terms of national and international fisheries management, marine resources conventions, and fishery products. Research subjects range from the monitoring of commercially harvested stocks over the monitoring of environmental impacts to fish processing and gear technology. The biological monitoring of commercially exploited and dependant stocks and their dynamics in relation to harvesting and environmental conditions is one of the major objectives of the Centre, in order to provide the basis for a sound and sustainable management of these stocks. Investigations on the effects of xenobionts and of the spatial and temporal trends in the occurrence of diseases of marine organisms assist in preserving the marine environment. Main objectives in the field of gear technology are the minimization of by-catches, the protection of the marine environment, and energy saving in fishing techniques. The maintenance of high quality in fish products, the continuous improvement of quality standards for fish products, and advice on requirements and advances in food legislation are core activities of the fish technology and processing branch of the Centre. The Centre advises the German Federal Ministry on all matters regarding the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and conventions regulating the conservation of marine mammals, such as the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. 

The Institute for Fishery Ecology (Institut für Fischereiökologie, IFO) investigates and monitors the condition of aquatic ecosystems with special regard to anthropogenic influences on fish, on fauna consumed by fish and on invertebrates and aquatic plants, which are important for the ecosystem. The main tasks of the Institute are to survey radioactive, inorganic, and organic contaminants in marine organisms; to survey the incidence and the proximate causes of fish diseases; to use and develop theoretical models for the description of relations between the load and the effects of contaminants in fish; and to assess the ecological impact of aquaculture. IFO’s genetic research concentrates on the impacts of fishing, aquaculture, and pollution on the genetics of wild fish stocks. Marine species such as redfish and dab have been investigated. Current work focuses on the impact of certain genes on growth and age at maturation in cod, on species identification in eel, and on reproduction in European eel.

The University of Iceland (UI) is the largest teaching and research institution in Iceland. It was founded in 1911 and, during its first year of operation, 45 students were enrolled. Today, the University of Iceland serves a nation of approximately 283,000 people and provides instruction for some 8,000 students studying in eleven faculties. In addition to the major faculties, there are numerous research institutes attached to the University. With its 423 tenured teachers, some 1,800 non-tenured teachers, and about 281 researchers and administrators, the University of Iceland is the largest single workplace in the country. A modern, diversified, and rapidly developing institution, the University of Iceland offers opportunities for study and research in more than 60 degree programmes in the humanities, science and social sciences, and in professional fields such as theology, law, business, medicine, odontology, and engineering. 

The Institute of Biology at the University of Iceland is the principal research and teaching organization in biological sciences in Iceland. The Institute has 22 faculty members specializing in most fields within the biological sciences, including molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, zoology, ecology, environmental resources, freshwater, and marine and fishery sciences. The research within the field of marine and fishery sciences is focused on the dynamics of exploited fish stocks, biodiversity and benthic community structures, sustainable management of marine resources including studies on population structures, life-history variation and behaviour of targeted fish and prey species. Research within the field of marine and fishery sciences is conducted in collaboration with national and international institutes in Europe, the USA, Canada, and Australia. Research is carried out in brand-new facilities housing the Institute of Biology in Reykjavik and the Sandgerdi Marine centre, in a EU large-scale research facility on the south coast of Iceland, onboard research vessels, and in experimental facilities managed by the Marine Research Institute of Iceland.

The Swedish Board of Fisheries (SBF) is the central governmental authority for fisheries conservation and fisheries in Sweden. As such, it promotes the responsible use of fish resources and is charged with furthering the biological diversity and sustainable use of fish resources, through management as well as research. The Department for Research and Development at the Swedish Board of Fisheries carries out applied and fundamental research on the ecology of aquatic resources and fisheries management, conducts routine annual monitoring, and provides scientific advice concerning the management of fish stocks in the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and national freshwater systems. The department consists of three collaborating research institutes (Institute of Coastal Research, Institute of Marine Research, and Institute of Freshwater Research), ten local research stations, and two large research vessels, with in total of about 200 employees. 

The Institute of Coastal Research (ICR) carries out research and monitoring on, and provides scientific advice for, the management of coastal resources in the North Sea and in the Baltic Sea. The expertise of ICR thus includes such diverse subjects as environmental and ecological interactions between fisheries and the marine environment, stock assessments and recruitment dynamics, biodiversity and community dynamics, genetic determination of population structure, geostatistical habitat modelling, ecological and evolutionary modelling, fisheries technology development, spatial fisheries management tools, stakeholder-based cooperative fisheries management, as well as fisheries-induced evolution. Through this broad expertise, ICR can supply knowledge on large-scale aquatic ecosystems, has extensive experience with ecological data and model analysis, and can bridge between current stock assessment practices and innovations from evolutionary ecology. ICR participates in many international research networks and monitoring programs; among others it is the coordinating team leading the Baltic Sea Community task within the Marie Curie Research Training Network on Fisheries-induced Adaptive Changes in Exploited Stocks (FishACE).

The Marine Institute (MI) is Ireland’s national agency with the following general functions: to undertake, to coordinate, to promote, and to assist in marine research and development, and to provide such services related to marine research and development that in the opinion of the institute will promote economic development, create employment, and protect the environment. The Marine Institute, established under statute in 1992 has grown rapidly in the intervening period. In 2006, the Institute has a staff of 147 people, located in 11 facilities around the country. 

The Aquaculture and Catchment Management Service Group (ACMS) is responsible for delivering scientific services in relation to salmon, aquaculture, sea trout, eels, and on some aspects of experimental inshore fisheries. In addition, ACMS provides management advice in relation to aquaculture, wild salmon, catchment management, and integrated inshore fisheries management. ACMS has recently upgraded its research facilities at Newport. Experimental work has been ongoing in Newport since 1955 to investigate all aspects of salmonid biology, both in artificially reared and in wild populations. Since that time, the Newport lab has attained a high international reputation for elucidating salmonid life-history strategies, environmental and ecological field studies, in addition to the development of ocean ranching and husbandry methodologies. Staff expertise complements successes in these fields.

The Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute (FGFRI) is a governmental research organization and the principal research centre on fisheries research in Finland. The institute has a long tradition in performing interdisciplinary research projects in many fields of fisheries science. FGFRI produces high-quality scientific information for the sustainable use of exploitable resources and helps to maintain their biodiversity. FGFRI’s Fisheries Research Unit assesses major fish and crayfish stocks, studies the impact of fishing and of environmental changes, and develops fisheries management methods and harvesting technology. The Unit has scientific expertise in all major fields of fisheries research and fish biology. A large body of data is available on catches, stocks, distribution, growth, spawning and nursery grounds, migration patterns, selectivity, and discarding. Extensive research projects are under way in the areas of stock assessment and fisheries management. There is also considerable experience on the assessment of biological and socio-economic impacts of various management measures. Cooperation with other research institutes and industry has greatly expanded and the partnership funding of research activities is rapidly growing. 

The genetic group in FGFRI has been working on several topics related to Atlantic salmon genetics, phylogeography, genetic effects of hatchery-rearing on quantitative traits and on genetic diversity, historical changes in genetic structure and effective population sizes. Most recently, the group’s main interest has been in catch analyses and genetic mixed-stock analyses. The data collected since 2000 on both DNA variation and phenotypic traits of the captured fish offer an opportunity to analyse potential changes in quantitative traits like age at maturity and growth rate, which are both suspected to have decreased over time.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is the leading federal government department responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Canada’s economic, ecological, and scientific interests in oceans and inland waters. This mandate includes responsibility for the conservation and sustainable use of Canada’s fisheries resources, while continuing to provide safe, effective, and environmentally sound marine services that are responsive to the needs of Canadians in a global economy. Including those who serve in our fleet, at each of the six regional offices and at headquarters in Ottawa, Fisheries and Oceans Canada employs approximately 10,000 people across the country. 

The Science Branch of DFO is responsible for conducting a wide range of scientific research on monitoring, advice, products and services, and data management in support of healthy and productive aquatic ecosystems, safe and accessible waterways, and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. These functions are provided through a network of research facilities, in collaboration with other government departments, the private sector, academia, and international organizations. Research includes improving stock assessments, studies into the biology and ecology of organisms, oceanography, and ecosystem research. A broad range of species from plankton to marine mammals are studied. Much of the research on fish species focuses on population dynamics including aspects of productivity such as growth, determinants of spawning success, and changes in life-history characteristics.

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Last updated: 30 Jul 2009