1. Stock Assessment & Fisheries Statistics
Marine fisheries management is a complex process incorporating fisheries biology and stock status information, food web and predator/prey relationships, habitat needs, socioeconomic needs of recreational and commercial fishermen, and law enforcement issues. Understanding how all of these factors interact is a challenging task, even for experts in fisheries science and management.
2. Fish Biology
Biologists have long depended on a concept of species, whether clearly expressed or not. We could not deal with the divers ity of life and conduct comparative studies in biology unless we had some concept of the species; it is basic to all biology. The species is to the biologist as the chemical element is to the chemist. However, our unit is difficult to understand. It can differ over space and time. Seemingly, we can never hope to make the sort of predictions the chemist makes with elements. Nevertheless, although we have a slippery unit, we are dealing with an entity that in principle we assume behaves in a way that is subject to scientific study and explanation.
3. Hydrobiology & Water pollution
One of the significant areas of current research is eutrophication. Special attention is paid to biotic interactions in plankton assemblage including the microbial loop, the mechanism of influencing water blooms, phosphorus load and lake turnover. Another subject of research is the acidification of mountain lakes. Long-term studies are carried out on changes in the ionic composition of the water of rivers, lakes and reservoirs in connection with acid rain and fertilisation. One goal of current research is elucidation of the basic environmental functions of the ecosystem in reservoirs, which are important for water quality management.
4. Gear Technology
Traditional fishing arts have been developed over the years to adapt local conditions (such as the type of coast and near shore areas), the species of fish desired, and the size targeted. The most successful fishing methods of a given region are those that have stood the test of time. The introduction of any new fishing technology always demands good national management and regulation. Vessels must also be matched with new methods or gear. As gear becomes more complex, it may require upgrading of vessels in size, power, and design. The site specificity of fishing arts should always be considered.
5. Aquatic ecosystems & Biodiversity
Human activities (such as illegal fishing methods/gears, poor agricultural practices, mining, deforestation, biomass burning) and natural processes have an impact on sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, research is needed to understand their current status, and how human activities and natural processes may affect ecosystem components, structure and functioning in the future in order to devise mitigation measures.
6. Climate change & environment
Climate change has significant impacts on aquatic ecosystems. It modifies biological, chemical and physical conditions in the marine and freshwater, which affects the sustainability of human uses of aquatic resource. Consequently, research is needed for better understanding, detecting, and forecasting changes and providing scientific information for developing mitigation strategies.
7. Capture fishery
Capture fisheries resource are highly diverse and their sustainability depend on responsible management decisions based on the best scientific information available. To arrive to the best scientific advice, a number of researches in the EEZ, territorial waters, rivers, large and small water bodies (including satellite lakes) are required. This encompasses the status of fish stocks which include their biology and ecology, exploitation patterns, gears and methods used.
8. Aquaculture
With increasing fishing pressure and declining fish catches in the wild stocks, attention is now turned into developing aquaculture systems capable of meeting demand of growing human population. Therefore, there is a need to carry out research on the development of high efficiency and environmental friendly culture technology and identify new species that can be efficiently cultured..
9. Socio-economics & Marketing
Fisheries management encompasses a number of socio-economic factors which impact the validity and effectiveness of the best scientific advises. Consequently, understanding the socio-economic aspects of the fishery and how are linked to the overall policies and fisheries management measures is very essential. Also the contribution of fisheries in the national economy and food security is under reported due to inadequate socio-economic information and research. Sustainability of fisheries resource is influenced by socio-economic as well as politics.