Work performed and the main results achieved during the first year of the BONUS GOHERR project have been summarized.

Could Baltic salmon, endangered due to damming and pollution of rivers during the 20^th century, benefit from the shift towards the post-industrial economy? In her latest blog entry, doctoral student Suvi Ignatius discusses this topic by using the River Kymijoki as an example.

Dr. Päivi Haapasaari, co-coordinator of the BONUS GOHERR project was interviewed for the latest issue of Pan European Networks: Science & Technology under a headline “Answering the dioxin question“. In the article she explains the need for a governance structure that no longer considers fisheries management and dioxin risk management as separate sectors.

Why and how are socio-cultural values relevant for fisheries management in general and for Baltic herring management in particular? Doctoral student Suvi Ignatius discussed these BONUS GOHERR themes in two science events held at the University of Helsinki: 25th Spring Symposium organized by and for the doctoral students of ecology, evolution, conservation and systematics (7th-9th of March), as well as the first annual meeting of the DENVI doctoral programme in interdisciplinary environmental sciences (11th of March). In the latter, she was awarded for the second best student talk.

The presentations were based on the ongoing GOHERR research focusing on the socio-cultural values that guide the use and management of Baltic herring and salmon in different Baltic Sea countries. Ignatius argues that research on stakeholders’ value perspectives is essential for the development of ecosystem-based fisheries management. The ecosystem approach to management requires holistic understanding of the ecosystem, including interactions between society and environment. Additionally, the current emphasis of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy for the regionalization of the fisheries management structures implies taking stakeholders’ values into account in management decisions.

In her latest blog entry, doctoral student Mia Pihlajamäki shares views on stakeholder engagement in environmental research projects, based on experiences from the workshop organized by BONUS GOHERR in February 2016. In addition, she presents a summary of the feedback received from the workshop participants.

Summary of the first international stakeholder workshop addressing the dioxin problem of Baltic herring is available in the workspace including list of participants, detailed agenda and working methods.

BONUS GOHERR held a workshop (16 – 17 February 2016) with 11 invited experts from four Baltic Sea countries to discuss the dioxin problem of Baltic herring. Active discussions among GOHERR researchers and stakeholders resulted in an improved understanding of the possibilities to increase human consumption of Baltic herring. “This improved my view – especially on the prospects of herring market and things affecting it“, said one of the participants after the workshop. One key outcome of the workshop was the identification of three desirable future states for increasing herring consumption and the actions to reach them.

The dioxin problem of Baltic herring will be explored in a workshop on the 16th and 17th of February 2016 in Copenhagen. Approximately 15 stakeholders representing the fishing industry, environmental non-governmental organizations, consumers, administration, herring fisheries and dioxin experts, and other relevant interest groups from Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Denmark have been personally invited to participate.

The purpose of the workshop is first to discuss implications of dioxins to the herring fishing industry, the consumption of herring, and public health, and to elaborate future prospects for the herring fishing sector.

Second, alternative objectives, or desirable future states, for the herring fishing sector are defined, and actions to reach them are determined. Special interest is paid to potential changes in the uses of herring that might come up if dioxins in the fish are reduced.

The detailed agenda of the workshop can be found here

On 1-2 December 2015, Päivi Haapasaari presented the GOHERR project in the Kick off conference of the eight BONUS sustainable ecosystem services projects, and in a BONUS Information event for the European community, in the Madou Plaza Tower, Brussels.  The Kick off conference brought together BONUS project coordinators and other project team members from a total of 26 BONUS projects, and members of the BONUS Steering Committee and the Advisory Board. The Information event showcased the impact, value and relevance of the whole BONUS programme for approximately 100 participants, including representatives from the Commission Services, the European Parliament, country offices and other. The GOHERR Kick off presentation can be found here and the Information event presentation here.

Doctoral students Mia Pihlajamäki and Suvi Ignatius reflect the dioxin problem of Baltic Sea fish in BONUS GOHERR Blog. Mia analyzes the implications of EU dioxin regulation to Baltic herring industry. Suvi explores how different Baltic Sea countries deal with the uncertainty related to the dioxin content of Baltic fish and its implications to public health.