The Sea Around Us, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia built (since 1999) and maintains a global information system of reconstructed capture fisheries time series (1950-2016) for all maritime countries of the world. This is based on the FAO fisheries statistics landings (reported), that the Sea Around Us separates into catch data for industrial (mostly reported), artisanal (mostly unreported), subsistence (unreported) and recreational (unreported) fishing sectors. Unreported data obtained from scientific, historical and other sources provide added value to the reconstructed catch data, which are then allocated to half degree water cells of all the world’s oceans based on access agreements and geographic distribution of exploited species.

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University of British Columbia

WP1 will create the necessary governance structure for effective, efficient and timely implementation and management of the EcoScope project by establishing the necessary procedures, facilitating the communication flow among partners and ensuring timely reporting to the European Commission (EC). The general aim is reached through specific objectives:
1. Ensuring that the project objectives and challenges are achieved, and deliverables/milestones are completed on time and within the proposed budget.
2. Facilitating communication among the Coordinator, the partners and the EC.
3. Ensuring that all necessary measures are taken to avoid or mitigate potential risks.
4. Identifying and resolving any potential conflicts among the partners and with external bodies.



Objectives

WP1 will create the necessary governance structure for effective, efficient and timely implementation and management of the EcoScope project by establishing the necessary procedures, facilitating the communication flow among partners and ensuring timely reporting to the European Commission (EC). The general aim is reached through specific objectives:
1. Ensuring that the project objectives and challenges are achieved, and deliverables/milestones are completed on time and within the proposed budget.
2. Facilitating communication among the Coordinator, the partners and the EC.
3. Ensuring that all necessary measures are taken to avoid or mitigate potential risks.
4. Identifying and resolving any potential conflicts among the partners and with external bodies.

All tasks in WP1 will be carried out during the entire EcoScope project 
Management Structure and procedures. The management of the project is structured in a way that scientific and technical issues are managed separately from finance and administration. Qualified personnel are assigned to the management tasks so that researchers can focus on the RTD and innovative activities. 

Task 1.1. Overall Co-ordination for achieving project objectives and deliverables on time

The administration team is composed of individuals with experience in project management. The Coordinator will be responsible for the ongoing management of the scientific and technical activities, including maintaining communication with WP Leaders and project partners and ensuring the delivery of high-quality work in accordance with the work plan. For this purpose, the Coordinator will be supported by a Research Manager, a Technical Manager, an Innovation Manager, and an Administrative Manager. Together they will form the Project Executive Board (PEB), which will be responsible for: the strategic and scientific leadership of the EcoScope project. WP and Task leaders will be responsible for the coordination of their WP and tasks respectively. The Coordinator will chair the General Assembly (GA) and the Project Executive Board. The Administrative Manager will be responsible for the daily financial and administrative management of the project. The Coordinator and Administrative Manager are also responsible for monitoring the progress of WPs, tasks, milestones and deliverables and providing this information to the PEB and the GA. 

Task 1.2. Governance structure, organisation and decision rules

The project will commence with a three-day kick-off meeting to discuss the foundations throughout its implementation, to provide a common language and terminology among the participants, to discuss the methodologies for analysing legislation, operation and human resources, time scheduling and requirements for the implementation of WPs. All the partners and members of the International Advisory Board (IAB) will participate in this meeting held within a month of the official start date of the project. The governance structure will be confirmed as explained in the structure, as well as the roles, responsibilities and activities of the different committees and boards and other decision rules. The Coordinator will formulate a Consortium Agreement with the assistance of the legal office of the Research Committee of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. This Consortium Agreement will describe in detail the rights and obligations of all partners of the EcoScope project and will consider handling of intellectual property rights and managing of innovation issues. The Consortium Agreement will be signed by all partners before the start of the project. Different groups, committees and boards will operate with specific scope and will submit their ideas to the management team and the General Assembly. These include: An Innovation Board to discuss and push forward new ideas and innovative actions, a technical team for the implementation of the project, a communication team for the dissemination, communication and visibility, and an academy board for the online course material and webinars. 

Task 1.3. Establishment of communication flow and methods

Communication will flow from the bottom-up and from the top-down through typical communication methods such as: in person and remote meetings, e-mail, phone, etc. In particular, a cooperative working method using the EcoScope website will be established. The system will be structured in a way that all participants can upload and download information to and from the WPs and tasks according to their role and responsibilities. Passwords will be distributed to all partners as well as to the EC officials. The Coordinator will act as the sole communication point between the EcoScope Project and the EC; the Project Officer will be invited to attend annual meetings and activities. The Coordinator assisted by the Administrative Manager will provide periodic and final reporting to the EC in accordance with the work plan and the Grant Agreement. 

Task 1.4. Data management plan

A data management plan will be developed for the entire project and specifically for the WPs that are dealing with data. This will require the participants of these WPs to document: (i) the precise nature of the data to be gathered, (ii) the ethical issues associated with these data and their storage, i.e. compliant to GDPR Directive 95/46/EC and taking into consideration issues related to the transfer of data from and to the EU, and (iii) the procedures that will be adopted to ensure that the data are recorded in a systematic and safe manner. Discussions on these issues will not only take place within each WP but will also involve the Research Manager who will ensure that the deposition of data to the website archive complies with best practices in data management. These materials will then be uploaded to a secure website (WP10) where each WP will maintain its own page. Access to the EcoScope website will be strictly limited and controlled for confidentiality purposes. 

Task 1.5. Addressing conflicts and project risk management

The Coordinator will address all potential conflicts related to contractual obligations of the partners and delivery of scientific output. Conflicts will be addressed by the Coordinator immediately on a bilateral basis and if any conflict persist, it will be dealt with by the Project Executive Board (PEB). The PEB will be responsible for continuous risk management (i.e. technical, financial and administrative risk) and for an effective implementation of the contingency plan, which will be periodically reviewed. After each major stage of the project, the PEB will conduct a risk assessment of the achieved results and determine in advance if a correction action should be carried out in the next stages. This includes:
(i) Reporting any minor deviations from the project plan to the General Assembly (GA).
(ii) Implementing the GA recommendations in the contingency plan associated with the specific work package in question.
(iii) Drafting additional or alternative contingency plans, if needed, together with other relevant persons (e.g. the WP Leader in question).
(iv) Communicating the conclusions from the GA, regarding the revised strategies, to all project members, and include them in the project plan.
 (v) In the event of more serious problems, convene with the GA the best route forward; the Coordinator will then advise the Project Officer of the problem and seek the EC’s approval for the proposed solution.

Project management

The overall objective of WP7 is to present the most#up#to#date knowledge on the societal expectations and preferences of citizens and stakeholders, and to assess the economic and governance implications of current management and ecosystem-based fisheries management in Europe. Specifically, the WP7 will:

1. Assess the societal expectations and preferences of current management and ecosystem-based fisheries management
2. Develop fisheries economics indicators by analysing fishers income, human consumption and governmental subsidies
3. Develop an integrated framework (bioeconomic modelling) to assess effects of future changes in the marine ecosystem including biological interactions, habitats, climate change and fisheries
4. Evaluate the management and governance implications of using indicators that link economy to ecology in ecosystem- based fisheries management.

The overall objective of **WP7** is to present the most up to date knowledge on the societal expectations and preferences of citizens and stakeholders, and to assess the economic and governance implications of current management and ecocentric fisheries management in Europe. Specifically, the **WP7** will:

1. Assess the societal expectations and preferences of current management and ecosystem-based fisheries management
2. Develop fisheries economics indicators by analysing fishers income, human consumption and governmental subsidies
3. Develop an integrated framework (bioeconomic modelling) to assess effects of future changes in the marine ecosystem
4. Evaluate the management and governance implications of using indicators that link economy to ecology in ecocentric fisheries management.

**WP7** will assess the needs and expectations of ecocentric fisheries management among the public in selected European countries and will provide some quantitative estimates of trade-offs for ecocentric fisheries management of selected important fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. The assessment of needs and expectations for ecocentric fisheries management will examine the social and economic factors that may affect ecosystem management and explore the implications for policies. The quantitative estimation of trade-offs will build on a bioeconomic modelling framework based on the results of stock assessments (**WP5**). It will examine how management decisions affect human well-being, societies and economies through bioeconomic models integrating fisheries and ecosystems services, taking into account the effects of climate change (link to **WP3** and **WP4**).

**Task 7.1.** Assessment of societal expectations and value of ecosystem-based fisheries management

This task will conduct large-scale socio-economic surveys in Europe comprising detailed socio-economic questions on perceptions, preferences and expectations of the public for current and ecocentric fisheries management in Europe (Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea). The survey will take place online and will generate panel data in at least one context aiming to assess causal effects. The surveys will include food security, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), life satisfaction questions, and state-of-the-art stated preference modules to gauge the effects of ecosystem services on wellbeing and to estimate values of ecocentric fisheries management among the public.
 
**Task 7.2.** Fisheries economics indicators

*Sub-Task 7.2.1. Index of fisheries profitability*

With known fishing effort, profitability and status of current fisheries, a simple comparison between the profitability of any fisheries management scenario can be obtained from the equilibrium curve of yield over effort. The mean net profit margin, which is net profit as a percentage of fishing income, will be estimated for all case studies and ecoregion based on official economic fisheries data and for all fisheries management scenarios that will be examined with the ecosystem models. Given the status of the stocks and fisheries exploitation pattern in each area, the future profit of the fleets in any stock rebuilding or management scenario will then be estimated and included in the EcoScope Toolbox.

*Sub-Task 7.2.2. Human consumption and government subsidies*

Based on the Sea Around Us catch and effort data, we will calculate the average value of catch that goes into human consumption, as well as the fate of the remaining catch per case study area and ecoregion. We will examine whether the legislation may work differently among European countries and if the harvest control rules may apply horizontally in European Seas. Within this framework, we will evaluate the quality of the official reporting data per case study and ecoregion in terms of species aggregation. Finally, we will calculate the landed value by flag state, fishing sector and catch type for European fisheries and we will contrast these data with the historical subsidies per country and fleet.

**Task 7.3.** An integrated framework of future economic changes in marine ecosystems

The aim of task 7.2 is to provide quantitative estimates of future changes in marine ecosystems. The task will develop a theoretical bioeconomic model to assess implications of selected future changes (including fishing pressure and climate change) to be predicted in WP4 and WP6 based on the IPCC scenarios and datasets assembled in WP3. The theoretical model will use dynamic optimisation to identify optimal ecocentric management requirements. The model will also be customised for selected fisheries from the case study areas to provide quantitative estimations of economic and ecological consequences and the implications of future changes in marine ecosystems from various driving forces including fisheries and climate change. 

**Task 7.4.** An assessment of challenges of implementing ecology to economy indicators

The main objective of Task 7.4 is to assess the challenges of implementing EcoScope indicators that link economy to ecology and suggest measures to address these challenges. Specifically, we will compile all indicators related to economy and ecology to be used in the EcoScope Toolbox. Task 7.4 will team up with WP8 to discuss the challenges of implementing these indicators with stakeholder in a stakeholder workshop. Finally, we will adopt the framework and application in task 7.3 to estimate economic trade-offs in an ecosystem-based fisheries management context.





Assessing societal expectations and economic values

WP4 aims to collect, align, and standardize global-scale climatic parameters in time (link to WP3) and re-use them in ecological models. In this WP, statistical models and machine-learning models (both supervised and unsupervised) will be used for Big Data analysis operations. The WP includes the development of an inference system for vessel-transmitted information that estimates fishing effort and other features related to patterns and processes of fishing activities per fleet and area. All data and models will feed an overarching model that will assess the impact of climate change and fisheries on the ecosystem, and will produce a vulnerability and a risk assessment index. With the completion of WP4, a global- scale index on the impact of climate and human activities on biodiversity, ecosystems and fisheries will be delivered that will be incorporated in the EcoScope Toolbox (WP5).

**WP4** aims to collect, align, and standardise global-scale climatic parameters in time and re-use them in ecological models. In this WP, statistical models and machine-learning models will be used for Big Data analysis. The WP includes the development of an inference system for vessel-transmitted information that estimates fishing effort and other features related to patterns and processes of fishing activities per fleet and area. All data and models will feed an overarching model that will assess the impact of climate change and fisheries on the ecosystem, and will produce a vulnerability and a risk assessment index. With the completion of **WP4**, a global-scale index on the impact of climate and human activities on biodiversity, ecosystems and fisheries will be delivered that will be incorporated in the <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-toolbox" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Toolbox</a>.

**WP4** will evaluate the effect of climate change and variability on species distributions and abundance using high-resolution maps, ecological niche models and machine learning techniques for (common and rare) commercial and non-commercial species and will perform a vulnerability and risk assessment of the effects of climate change and fisheries on ecosystem components. **WP4** is structured to standardise global-scale climatic parameters and use them in ecosystem models, using data from open repositories of climatic, oceanographic and geophysical parameters. 

**Task 4.1.** Climatic parameters

We will use climatic and geophysical parameters from open repositories and align them in time and space. Further, we will make them available as standardised and open-access data under the NetCDF-CF format and multiple resolutions. These Big Data include forecasts for several global-scale environmental parameters between 1950 and 2100, at different spatial and temporal resolutions and under different socio-economic and greenhouse gases emission scenarios (IPCC SRES A2, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5). This collection will be the basis of qualitative and quantitative models, and will be used to evaluate the effects of climate change on human activities and species distributions under different emission scenarios. Several parameters will be examined including sea surface temperature, primary production, bottom temperature, sea surface salinity, bottom salinity, ice cover, air temperature and precipitation. 

**Task 4.2.** Monitoring fishing activity from vessel transmitted Information

In this Task we will use vessel transmitted information (VTI) in real time to detect fishing and exploitation patterns, illegal activities, and gear types in strategic study regions (e.g. the northern Mediterranean Sea coastline) at 0.1° to 0.5° resolution. Specifically, we will use vessel trajectories to determine the distribution of fishing hours across the area per vessel type, identify highest fishing-pressure areas, specify the involved stocks, and track incidental catch species. To this aim, we will use Big Data of historical trajectories from public and private repositories. We will intersect these data with species observation records, stock status information and catch and effort data through statistical and Artificial Intelligence-based inference systems. These inference systems will also estimate how fishing patterns have changed in time, by using time series forecasting techniques, which study the deviation of the patterns detected at a certain time with respect to the current status. The estimated fishing effort in each case study will inform stock assessment models, including multi-species models and fisheries management models (**WP5**) as well as ecosystem models and simulators (**WP6**) for improving the engagement with users.

**Task 4.3.** Ecological Niche modelling

Ecological niche modelling refers to a set of computer-based approaches that predict the actual or potential distribution of a species across a geographic area and time based on environmental and geophysical data. We will use several Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based ecological niche models to determine the native areas of rare and commercial fish and invertebrate species, marine mammals and reptiles included in AquaMaps. We will produce the maps according to the different environmental scenarios and times of the data collected in Task 4.1. Ecological Niche models will include Maximum Entropy, AquaMaps, Artificial Neural Networks, and Support Vector Machines. These models will be combined to best use their complementary features and to increase niche-prediction accuracy. 

**Task 4.4.** Vulnerability and risk assessment of the effects of climate change and fisheries on biodiversity 

In this Task, we will use the Task 4.1 forecasts, the fishing effort and patterns of Task 4.2, and the ecological niche models of Task 4.3 as input to a pattern recognition model that will detect trends of potential ecological change due to climate change. In particular, the forecasted parameters will be used to analyse the different responses of ecosystems to climate change and fishing effort. These will be used within an automatic categorisation process of a large number of niche models, which will produce global patterns of habitat shift and biodiversity change. Fishing activity patterns will be categorised to detect the regions exposed to highest changes in fishing activity. All these categorisations will be combined, to produce a global-scale *impact index* of climate change and fisheries effects, on biodiversity and ecosystems. This index will be used to produce a vulnerability assessment and an overall risk assessment of the effects of climate change and fisheries on biodiversity and ecosystems.

Climate forcing and the human impact

WP3 will develop, demonstrate and maintain the EcoScope Platform, one of the main components of EcoScopium public portal and products of the EcoScope project, which will host meteorological, oceanographic, biogeochemical, environmental, biological, fishery, socio-economic datasets and homogenise them into common standard type and format following international protocols. Data will cover all study areas and will be assembled, compiled and integrated in the system from a multitude of external sources, allowing for an integrated and holistic fisheries management approach within the ecosystem context. The EcoScope Platform will be the modular tool linking data (collected by modern observational multi-platforms, hydrodynamic and biogeochemical model outputs, biological data, etc.) with environmental- and human drivers and with complex spatio-temporal ecosystem models. The EcoScope Platform will couple predictions of changes in marine biogeochemistry, food webs and productivity of ecosystems within the framework of climate change and increased anthropogenic forcing. After data harmonization and injection, the EcoScope Platform will provide data to end-users and stakeholders, in standardised types and formats.

**WP3** will develop, demonstrate and maintain the <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a>, one of the main components of **EcoScopium** public portal, which will host meteorological, oceanographic, biogeochemical, environmental, biological, fishery, socio-economic datasets and homogenise them into common standard type and format following international protocols. The <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a> will be the modular tool linking data with environmental- and human drivers and with complex spatio-temporal ecosystem models. The <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a> will couple predictions of changes in marine biogeochemistry, food webs and productivity of ecosystems within the framework of climate change and increased anthropogenic forcing. 

In **WP3** all collected data from diverse data sources will be compiled, assembled, homogenised and integrated into the <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a>. The final product will be a unique interface, capable of integrating multi-disciplinary data such as meteorological, climate, oceanographic, water quality, substrate type, seabed habitats, human impacts, river outflows, nutrient fluxes, fisheries catch, landings, fishing effort data, species distribution maps, benthic biodiversity, marine mammals, and more. Data will be stored in the cloud and will be compatible to the future EU-DIAS cloud system. 

**Task 3.1.** Harmonised database compilation 

This task includes the mapping and scanning of existing databases and data sources (e.g., Earth Observation systems, online models, satellite data, *in-situ* systems, citizen scientist networks) containing meteorological, climate, oceanographic (physical, chemical, biological, biodiversity), human-impact and socio-economic parameters and indicators for all study areas. Databases and platforms will provide data (historic and forecasts) for the above parameters. These data will be combined and merged with data from biological and fisheries databases providing data on biomass, catches and discards, marine mammal distribution, biodiversity, fish and invertebrate species distributions and fishing effort. All data will be homogenised and geo-referenced into a common back-end database, ready to be injected to the <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a> and used by other WPs 

**Task 3.2.** Data quality control and consistency 

Management and handling of data collected/produced and indicators derived within the frame of **EcoScope** will be carefully managed in order to ensure the consistency and the quality of the data entering the <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a>. Considering the large 4D datasets being processed, the different data formats and different data platforms and providers, the data management plan is essential to deal with the data thoughtfully from the beginning. This design phase will consider the following aspects of data management and handling.

**Task 3.3.** Platform development – Phase 1 (Met-ocean data import)

The <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a> will follow architectural guidelines, components and interfaces as developed in ODYSSEA H2020 Project (GDPR, cataloguing, data standardisation, protocols, user interfaces, data storage components, etc). In Phase 1, data from Met-Ocean and climatic data platforms and data providers will be integrated into the system, for all areas covered by the **EcoScope** project. These are dynamic datasets, in the sense that change in time and space at various resolutions and special handling of these data is needed. The front-end of the platform will provide the necessary tools to visualise, process and analyse these data in a user-friendly manner. 

**Task 3.4.** Platform development – Phase 2 (Biological and fishery data import)

In Phase 2, data from biological, biodiversity, fishery data platforms and providers will be integrated into the system, for all areas covered by the **EcoScope** project. These are mostly static data, time-series of catches, effort, landings and biomass per species (Sea Around Us project), previously surveyed data, stock status indices, overfishing indicators, biodiversity, sensitivity indicators, socio-economic data and ecological models output and more. All these data will be derived from **WPs 2, 4, 5, 6** and **7** and will be provided ready to be imported in the platform. 

**Task 3.5.** Data pre- and post-processing and fusion 

In this task, pre-processing will check the integrity, consistency and format of data and transform the data in formats ready for import into the <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a>. Data will be stored effectively following Big Data Storage and Analytics approach to allow faster access by the processing component. Post-processing will involve data aggregation, especially between abiotic and biotic variables, even at different resolutions, indicators derivation, alarming and the generation of reports. High- and multiple-level data fusion will be carried out on the entire database, utilising machine and deep learning algorithms, neuro-fuzzy inference systems and various intelligent processing and data assimilation methods. Dedicated algorithms will be developed in this task to provide the above services. 

**Task 3.6.** Platform operation and maintenance 

The objective is to deliver a first set of services in M40 to demonstrate the usefulness of the <a href= "https://ecoscopium.eu/ecoscope-platform" target=“_blank”>EcoScope Platform</a> and to be able to iterate with users for the requirements consolidation in M48. The maintenance will be realised all along the iterative process of deliveries.

Linking fisheries to the ocean

WP8 on stakeholder engagement and capacity building aims to ensure that the interoperable EcoScope Platform and decision-making EcoScope Toolbox developed within the EcoScope project will be co-designed with the users and stakeholders, and to ensure that these tools are taken up through capacity development. The objectives of the task are to: 

1. Create the EcoScope Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange Forum by identifying and mapping the stakeholders and managing the interaction with them
2. Hold stakeholder co-design meetings to identify their needs, understand their requirements, and feed back the results of the project
3.  Undertake stakeholder surveys
4. Build capacity through the creation of online courses and seminars, i.e. the EcoScope Academy


**WP8** on stakeholder engagement and capacity building aims to ensure that the interoperable EcoScope Platform and decision-making EcoScope Toolbox developed within the EcoScope project will be co-designed with the users and stakeholders, and to ensure that these tools are taken up through capacity development. The objectives of the task are to:
1. Create the EcoScope Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange Forum and manage the interaction with them;
2. Hold stakeholder co-design meetings to identify their needs and requirements, and feed back the results of the project;
3. Undertake stakeholder surveys; and
4. Build capacity through the creation of online courses and seminars (EcoScope Academy)

Building on the EMB Future Science Brief on ecosystem modelling and an understanding of what is needed worldwide, **WP8** will assess the current needs and requirements of policy makers from the tools proposed in EcoScope through the EcoScope Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange Forum (Task 8.1). It will conduct foresight exercises on thematic areas to explore emerging opportunities, capabilities and potential for the future EcoScope Toolbox (Task 8.2), test the impact of the toolbox, workshops and capacity building, and establish a baseline for comparison of economic preferences with those of the wider European population (Task 8.3). A survey of stakeholders and policy makers on what would be needed in a fully comprehensive toolbox will complement the workshops. The knowledge created in the platform (WP3), toolbox (WP5) and ecosystem models (WP6) will also be shared through stakeholder workshops during yearly consortium and Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange Forum regular meetings and through capacity building in the EcoScope Academy (Task 8.4): the educational pillar of the project, that will promote cross community education and knowledge sharing.

**Task 8.1.** Assessment of societal expectations and value of ecosystem-based fisheries management

A Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange Forum will enable the EcoScope team to co-design their tools with stakeholders and receive feedback on their implementation and effectiveness. At the end of the project, the performance of the forum and stakeholder involvement will be evaluated.

*Sub-task 8.1.1. Stakeholder management planning*

The Task leaders will develop a stakeholder management plan linked to the Communications Plan developed in WP10.
The stakeholder management plan will include:
• Identification of communication methods (for different stakeholders),
• Schedule and responsibility of actions,
• Success criteria,
• Post project planning (what happens to the forum at the end? What will be the legacy?),
• Connection with WP10 Communication and Outreach, and
• Planning of events, social media, stakeholder recruitment and management

*Sub-task 8.1.2. Stakeholder mapping*

In this task the stakeholders of the project will be identified and mapped following the identification and review of existing stakeholder mapping initiatives from the project and external community. The stakeholders will be categorised by type, and contact details and they will form the Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange Forum. 

**Task 8.2.** Stakeholder co-design meetings 

*Sub-task 8.2.1. Identifying the needs of policy makers and stakeholders*

This task will map/scope the policy needs and emerging tools, strategies and/or roadmaps for ecosystem modelling. These include, but are not limited to the Oceans and Human Health strategic research agenda developed by H2020 SOPHIE, the Planning documents for the UN Decade for Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, new EU policy document such as the European Green Deal and the Digital Twin Ocean, and EMB foresight publications on Ecosystem Modelling, Navigating the Future V, and Valuing Marine Ecosystem Services. This task will also include the design and analysis of a survey of policy makers in Europe, on their requirements for the EcoScope Toolbox. 

*Sub-task 8.2.2. Foresight workshop 1: Policy Maker and Stakeholder requirements workshop*

During this workshop the team will bring together the policy makers and stakeholders that will use the EcoScope Toolbox as well as experts in the field of toolbox development from the consortium, to co-design a toolbox that can deliver what is required by policy makers and other stakeholders. In addition, the workshop will include the ocean observation and ocean database community, to ensure that all possible data are used to enhance the EcoScope Toolbox and be included in the EcoScope Platform that will cover all European Seas. 

*Sub-task 8.2.3. EcoScope indicator implementation workshop*

The vulnerability and risk assessments undertaken of WP4, the ecosystem assessments of WP5 and MSP Challenge games of WP6 will be presented to relevant stakeholders such as the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMO), ICES and FAO in a workshop, which will aim to stimulate debate on the necessity of including climate change in fisheries management and the importance of ecosystem based fisheries management. The MSP Challenge simulation platform -EM fishing edition that will be created in WP6 will be tested and validated based on time-line analysis and user/expert participation in the Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange Forum meeting during the last year of the project where the MSP Challenge-EM Fishing Edition will be assessed. This interactive simulation platform will then be incorporated into the EcoScope Academy (Task 8.4). This stakeholder workshop will build on the outcomes of WPs 4, 5, 6 and 7 and will discuss the challenges of implementing and linking economic and ecological indicators. 

*Sub-task 8.2.4. Foresight workshop 2: Future requirements for ecosystem based sustainable management*

Toward the latter stages of the project, when the EcoScope toolbox is delivered, we will consider the future needs. We therefore propose a foresight workshop toward the end of the project, to highlight the achievements of the project, to launch the EcoScope Toolbox, and to address these unknown challenges. For sustainable ecocentric management we will need to bring together the ocean observation and modelling communities, as well as users and National and International Funders. This will need the help of funders such as JPI-Oceans in terms of links with funders at National level but also the European Commission, UNESCO and the World Bank and these stakeholders will also be invited to this workshop. 

**Task 8.3.** Stakeholder surveys to co-design management tools

This task will involve data collection and analysis of surveys conducted among diverse stakeholders with the intent of answering questions, such as: What do stakeholders want from the EcoScope Τoolbox? How appropriate is the EcoScope survey (Task 8.3.2)? and What constitutes EcoScope’s stakeholders’ socio-economic preferences?

*Sub-task 8.3.1. Ecoscope toolbox survey*

This survey will be conducted among European Commission policy makers (DG MARE, DG RTD, DG Grow, and others) in M4 to gauge their specific requirements for the EcoScope Toolbox. The data will therefore yield insights early on in the project to assist in the design of the toolbox useful for Task 8.2

*Sub-task 8.3.2. Ecoscope survey pilot & ongoing stakeholder responses*

Early piloting of the survey will be conducted among 20-30 key stakeholders participating in the workshops, at the same time yielding baseline data for comparison with the results of the main surveys. Once designed (as part of WP7), the survey will be available online to collect data throughout the project lifetime (and beyond) among stakeholders, workshop attendees and participants in capacity building exercises. These data will allow us to gauge the profile of our stakeholders and sub-samples thereof, in contrast with the specific populations we target in WP8 

**Task 8.4.** Capacity building 

The aim of this task is to share the knowledge and methodologies created in EcoScope in the form of an online academy that will become the educational pillar of the project and will promote cross community education and knowledge sharing. The EcoScope Academy will offer a website explaining the scope, the processes and the products of the EcoScope project and will offer a variety of online courses, webinars, digital games and other digital material that will serve different learning audiences (scientists, fishers, policy makers, students, public) and goals.




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