WP10 Dissemination and visibility

A Communication and Dissemination Plan will be developed outlining the various methods for communicating the project activities and outputs. The target audiences will be identified in collaboration with WP8. The Plan will include a schedule of activities to complete during the first 12 months of the project, whilst also including an outline of the expected actions throughout the duration of the project. The plan will be reviewed annually to evaluate the activities and their impact. The plan and schedule will then be updated to reflect the activities of the next period.

A toolbox will be created early in the project to include the design of the EcoScope project brand, logo, website, social media profile and initial publicity materials. Throughout the project, design assets will be created as required to support conferences, capacity building actions etc. All design assets will be available via the project website for partners (internal and external) and media organisations to use.

A project website will be created to showcase the activities of the EcoScope project and also form the hub of the Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange Forum and Stakeholder Surveys (WP8). The initial website components will include general project information, partner information, news, events, communications materials and will be live by month 6. The website theme will be carried through the social media accounts and other related services. The website will be continually maintained throughout the project and form the central hub for activities. The website will provide seamless access to the projects products and services, including the EcoScopium public portal that will host the EcoScope Platform (WP3), the EcoScope Toolbox (WP5), the EcoScope Academy (WP8) and the EcoScope App (WP10).

An important part of any communications strategy is content production. A variety of content will be needed for dissemination. This will include scientific output published in scientific journals and conference proceedings, press releases, news, a short documentary film, social media content, images and presentations etc. All content will be available through the project website and disseminated via social media, email and other communications methods identified in the Communication and Dissemination plan to ensure maximum impact. As many scientists from the Consortium serve as senior editorial board members (chief and associate editors) in many leading international journals (e.g. Frontiers in Marine Science, PLoS ONE, Water and others) and given the demand for thematic volumes and special issues in many journals, the results of EcoScope project will be published as a special issue or volume in a leading journal.

To support the maximum uptake of the EcoScopium portal, a separate communications strategy is needed to that of the project Communication and Dissemination Plan. A review of the target audiences and products and services to be offered will be carried out and then an appropriate marketing strategy developed and executed. Dissemination and user support of the EcoScope Platform (WP3), EcoScope Toolbox (WP5) and MSP Challenge simulation platform EM edition (WP6) will make them available, through community wiki with installers, support, manuals, tutorials making them available for stakeholder integration workshops and to users outside the project (seminars, workshops, education and training) (WP8).

The establishment of ecosystem-based fisheries management is vital for the recovery of ecosystems and fish stocks and can benefit from public awareness and active participation of citizens. This task will develop a mobile application (EcoScope App), which will enable citizens to report on marine hazards, illegal fishing practices and removal or stranding of protected species. The report will be transferred online to the EcoScopium portal but also to local management authorities or the port police, with GPS location, pictures, and details, and will potentially improve compliance. This community-based tool will enhance community involvement and will provide important information for the EcoScope project. We will collaborate with three local NGO's or fisheries management organizations/authorities in three different countries and create the capacity to use and operate the EcoScope App with local communities and authorities, to deliver outcomes for a more efficient data collection and enforcement. We will develop the application to be suited for the partner's specific needs and unique local language, regulations and culture, based on an interactive workshop with local authorities and further support in the capacity building and marketing to increase the use of the application. The output from this will be a report of the use cases for the application in each of the countries adopting the application.