A physical-statistical model of hydrography for fishery and ecology studies (AHOI)

AHOI (Adjusted Hydrography Optimal Interpolation) is a simple physical-statistical model developed in the working group 'Operational Observation Systems' of the Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries to produce monthly gridded in situ hydrography through various decades. Special care is given to a high vertical resolution, in order to yield a good representation of the near-seabed hydrography due to its importance for marine ecosystems. As a case study we produced monthly maps of temperature and salinity in the North Sea from 1948 to 2013. This study has been published in Journal of Marine ...

Achieving Good Environmental Status by Assessing Impacts of Cumulative Pressures

Das GES4SEAS Projekt hat zum Ziel Meerespolitik zu informieren und anzuleiten, um menschliche Belastungen und ihre Auswirkungen auf die biologische Vielfalt und Ökosystemfunktionen der Meere zu minimieren und gleichzeitig die nachhaltige Bereitstellung von Ökosystemleistungen zu gewährleisten.

Alternative Crangon added value (AKW)

The North Sea shrimps (Crangon crangon) caught on the North Sea coast are today mainly shelled by hand in Morocco. We are investigating the possibilities of using a new mechanical shrimp peeling technique for regional processing and marketing of the shrimp.

Analyses of fishery effort in German fishing fleets

The project aims at a better understanding of the relationship between fisheries and population dynamics of fish stocks in order to better predict and justify the necessity of fleet capacity adjustment measures

Assessment of pelagic fish stocks in the North Sea and North Atlantic

Data on population parameters of pelagic fish stocks (herring, mackerel, horse mackerel, blue whiting and sprat) in the North Sea and North Atlantic are combined with catch records and landings statistics and provide input for the fish stock assessments of ICES. The results of these calculations serve as a basis for sustainable fisheries management.

Becoming and being a professor in Bremerhaven - Subproject: "Cooperation professorship at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences with the Thünen Institute" (BeProf@BHV)

In order to improve the recruitment and development of professorial staff, Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences has initiated the BeProf@BHV project. Building on the BeProf@BHV concept, the scientific objective of this sub-project is to test new structures, development opportunities and career paths for professorial staff.

Bioeconomy Monitoring II

- What has biomass use in Germany developed? - How important are import commodities for German bioeconomy and what effects do they have in the countries of origin? - We will address these and further questions in the project.

Biological Oceanography

Factors such as temperature, salinity, oxygen, and oceanic currents shape the environmental conditions of marine life and directly or indirectly impact marine ecosystems. In this project, we aim to understand and quantify these impacts and use climatic trends to predict future changes in marine life.

Collection of economic data of the fish processing industry

As part of the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF), we collect economic data of the German aquaculture.

Development of customized dynamic diversity criteria for the long-term use of European marine ecosystems (B-USEFUL)

Putting Europe’s threatened marine biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030 requires well informed science advice and operational decision-support tools allowing end-users to formulate management plans and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation actions for biodiversity protection, notably with regard to the placement, size and number of marine protected areas (MPAs). This is in order to protect “hotspots” of biodiversity and vulnerable ecosystems, while ensuring their capacity to provide services vital to society and human wellbeing (e.g., food provision and climate regulation).

Development of new genetic methods for monitoring fish stocks using the example of the European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus)

Current methods used for stock size surveys in fisheries monitoring are invasive and contribute to environmental stresses and strains. A genetic approach based on relationship patterns within stocks should bring relief.

Development of physical measurement methods for non-invasive in-situ detection of plankton and fish

Within the scope of this project, hydroacoustic and optical instruments and methods will be used jointly and further developed to enable the continuous, automated, hogh-resolution and non-invasive recording of marine organisms in their natural environment. Furthermore, we aim to extend the understanding of the functional relationships of organisms of different trophic levels (e.g. fish and zooplankton) as well as potential behavioural patterns such as the vertical migration of individual species.

Ecology of redfish on the East Greenland shelf

This project focusses on the distribution and ecology of the two commercially exploited redfish species on the East Greenland Shelf: Golden redfish (Sebastes norvegicus) and Beaked redfish (S. mentella).

Economic analyses

Enhancement of multi-species assessment models

This research activity will enhance multi-species models (improved diet selection models and recruitment models) to enable best possible projections of stocks developments. This will contribute to a sustainable harvest of fish stocks inside an ecosystem approach. Not only fisheries influence fish stocks but also predation and other environmental factors.

Exclusion of mobile bottom-fishing in the German Natura 2000 areas (MGF Nordsee)

What happens to habitats and communities when commercial fishing stops? This important but largely unanswered question is the focus of this research project.

Fish & fisheries in numbers - the Data Collection Framework

The Data Collection Framework (DCF), co-funded by the EU, allows Member States to collect fisheries data relevant for the sustainable management of fish stocks.

Fisheries economics in numbers

As part of the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF), each Member State is obliged to collect economic data of its fishing fleet.

Future Forum Coastal Fisheries 2045

What are the perspectives for German coastal fisheries in long-terms? This central question arises, when facing the crisis of German fisheries in the Baltic Sea or considering the current developments of Marine Spatial Planning and other issues in the North Sea.

Helping to implement a WASCAL master research program "Climate change and Marine Sciences" at Mindelo / Cabo Verde (WASCAL TI-CCMS)

Climate change poses a significant challenge to African societies within the next decades. Direct effects such as droughts and water shortages will be amplified through increased economic and population growth. To combat climate change effects and maintain the livelihoods of the peoples is thus the major aim of WASCAL. Marine resources will play a significant role in the future supply of protein for human nutrition in West Africa.

Hydroacoustics - Methods, Applications, Development

Hydroacoustic methods utilize sound waves to detect marine organisms. Modern echosounders can not only be used to determine stock parameters but also allow identification of habitat use, species composition and further parameters of marine ecosystems.

Impact of the use of offshore wind and other marine renewables on European fisheries

What is the general impact of the development of marine renewables on the European fishing sector? In our study we will answer this question, highlight pathways for possible co-existence solutions and research gaps and provide concluding policy recommendations.

Implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework directive (MSFD)

As holistic approach, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive poses a challenge to the scientific community: How to describe the state of the marine environment with 11 descriptors? We develop indicators, techniques in risk assessments, and integrated assessment frameworks.

Migration behaviour of tope (HTTP)

It is the largest shark found permanently in German waters and is globally classified as "critically endangered": the tope. Tagging experiments with satellite transmitters in the North Sea will provide information on the migratory behaviour of the animals and thus allow a reliable assessment of the distribution of the sharks and their population development.

Monitoring concepts in protected areas: habitat use and migration patterns of bony fish, sharks and rays (NIKOFIN)

NIKOFIN aims to assess the fish communities in the North Sea from a nature conservation perspective. Particular attention is paid to species that are not commercially exploited and to habitats that can not be assessed using standard fish monitoring technology. Among other things, the project strives to record the habitat use and migration patterns of various bony fish and elasmobranch species in order to assess their respective habitats. This is intended to support conservation measures that contribute to the preservation of these habitats and their biodiversity. The project employs various ...

Oceanographic baseline monitoring: collection and provision of hydrographic data from the North Atlantic (OCEBASE)

The hydrographic conditions in the oceans, which signifcantly influence different fish habitats, vary over wide ranges of spatial and temporal scales based on a number of different physical processes. The Thünen Institute for Sea Fisheries conducts long-term observation programmes to regularly record and monitor the hydrographic parameters and make them available for further analyses.

Re-thinking aquatic production systems

The sector with the highest employment and turnover in the fish and seafood industry is the processing industry and wholesale. The majority of German fish catches already come from few high sea vessels and the vast majority of domestic consumption is imported. Which environmentally friendly production systems of fish and seafood will still pay off in Germany in the future and what structural change potentials are there? This is our guiding question, which we address in inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation between human and natural scientists as well as with environmental and business ...

Risk assessment in fisheries management

Why does fisheries managment sometimes fail? Conduction of risk analyses on various aspects of fisheries management can help to answer this question.

Safeguarding biodiversity through sustainably managed pond landscapes in Lusatia

Pond farming areas provide a variety of services and more than mere fish production: fish farming ponds have positive effects on microclimate and regional water balance. They do not only serve as valuable habitats for many species, but also provide jobs and a space for recreation and tourism. Exploring possibilities on how this ecologically important cultural landscape with its high biodiversity can be protected is the main focus of the “TeichLausitz” project.

Saithe Acoustics in the North Sea

Saithe (Pollachius virens) is a key species within the German fisheries. Uncertainties in the current stock assessment arise from insufficient catchability of saithe and possibly insufficient spatial resolution of fisheries independent surveys.

Sampling and assessment of benthic species and seabed in the German EEZ (MOBEEZ)

The project will supplement the ongoing monitoring in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the North Sea, as required by Section 6 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG), with a temporally and spatially extended sampling and analysis of benthic communities in the German EEZ of the southern North Sea, incorporating alternative, minimally invasive methods.

Scientific advice in support of the common fisheries policy

In implementing the EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the EU Commission obtains scientific advice and awards individual specific contracts (studies). For this purpose, the EU Commission has concluded a framework contract with two large project consortia, covering topics for the Baltic and North Sea and the North Atlantic (SANoBA), but also other EU waters in the North-East Atlantic and outer regions such as Madeira or the Azores (SAF EU).

Scientific studies on the biology and fisheries of the brown shrimp CRANgon crangon as a basis for an efficient self-MANagement system (CRANMAN II)

The CRANMAN 2 project aims to establish and improve the scientific basis for sustainable management of shrimp fisheries in the North Sea.

Shaping Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (SEAwise)

The wish for an ecosystem based fisheries managment is omnipresent. However, potential approaches still lack implementation in Europe. In the project SEAwise we want to change this.

Structural Change in Coastal Fisheries

Coastal fisheries change. Reduced catch opportunities put enormous economic pressure on the fishers. Thereby, fisheries are not exclusively a business. Fisheries is a centuries old cultural practice, which characterises coastal communities until now.

Studies on fish eggs and larvae

Knowledge on the strength of the recruiting year class of a fish stock is of tremendous importance for sustainable mangement. Successful reproduction and foraging of fry are of essential importance for the further development of the stock.

Sufficient offspring for brown shrimp?

Brown shrimp fishery is from the economic point of view the most important fishery in Germany. Our research aims to develop a sustainable and ecologically sound fishery.

Sustainable exploitation of North Sea and North Atlantic fish stocks

As contracting party of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and EU Member State, Germany is obliged to submit national data to the scientific fish stock assessment working groups of ICES and other European organisations.

The demography of fishes

Age composition data for fish stocks are essential input parameters for stock assessment. It is therefore necessary to permanently develop age determination methodology further.

Transdisciplinary science for effective ecosystem-based maritime spatial planning (MarinePlan)

One of the key challenges of our time is to prevent the loss of biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems, while enabling their use by those who depend on their services, goods and benefits. In Europe, maritime spatial planning is one of the most important management processes for integrating nature conservation and sustainable use. This requires tools and knowledge to coordinate maritime spatial planning and the designation of marine protected areas, which are currently often lacking, especially with regard to transboundary coordination and connectivity.

What are they? And how many are they?

Hydroacoustic methods utilize sound waves to detect marine organisms. Modern echosounders can not only be used to determine stock parameters but also allow identification of habitat use, species composition and further parameters of marine ecosystems. These data are the basis for predictive models allowing estimating sustainable catch quotas.

Coastal Ecosystem Monitoring in Cabo Verde - developing a blueprint for Large Ocean States (CEM_CV)

The management of marine natural resources in small island states - large ocean countries often poses certain challenges due to the extent of marine environment to be covered and the according logistics and infrastructure. Likewise, significant efforts are required to let policy makers and often remote communities fully participate in decision making processes. Data on the extent and dynamics of the natural resources as well as the notion of drivers of change are needed to understand ways to improve their state and utilization, to maintain and preserve vulnerable parts of the ecosystem and ...

Ecosystem Approach to the management of fisheries and marine environment in West African waters (AWA)

The project as part of a strategic partnership to West African countries puts forward a vision of ecosystem based management of regional natural resources.

Enhancing Prediction of Tropical Atlantic Climate and its impacts (PREFACE)

Climate predictions in the tropical-subtropical Atlantic bear a high degree of uncertainty and even bias. Biological long-term data sets are used to support model evaluation and in turn, improved climate predictions are applied to improve forecasts for biological distribution and stock abundance models.

Fish monitoring in the Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea is an important and sensitive ecosystem. Long-term monitoring of the different ecosystem components is essential in order to understand the processes and their dynamics in this unique habitat. The main goal of this project is to assess the development and status of the fish fauna in the German Wadden Sea area by means of analysing updated monitoring data.

Future Scenarious for Sustainable Marine Ecosystems of Contested Marine Areas (CoastalFutures)

In "CoastalFutures", we elaborate science-based concepts for sustainable management of coasts, marine ecosystems and their resources. We develop an innovative model system to test future use scenarios and support analyses of possible management options.

How does climate affect baby herring in the North Sea? (THRESHOLDS)

Climate variability and change directly and indirectly affect the distribution and productivity of marine fishes including commercially important fish species. Most of the alterations in productivity are thought to be driven by changes in growth and survival of the fish early life stages. We aim at a better mechanistic understanding of how bottom-up processes (e.g. temperature, prey) impact larval vital rates (e.g. survival, growth) by using North Sea herring as a case study.

Impact of brown shrimp fishery on benthic habitats (CRANIMPACT)

Bottom contacting fishing is being criticised for destroying seafloor habitats. However, there is a broad range of combinations of fishing gears, habitats and associated ecosystems questioning whether such general statement holds true. Each possible combination of gear and habitat type will exhibit a different degree of impact or damage to seafloor integrity. Although the mechanisms how fishing impacts on seafloor integrity are well understood, results cannot easily be applied to specific regions and fishery – habitat combinations. Each and every benthic habitat and associated ecosystem is ...

Implications of climatic changes on fish stocks and fisheries off East Greenland (CLIMA)

The East Greenland ecosystem has been influenced by warming in the North Atlantic in recent years. As a consequence, there were distinct changes in the distribution and composition of the fish fauna in this area. The aim of this project is to investigate the functional relationships of climatic and biological changes and to estimate their impact on the fish stocks, fishing and fisheries management.

Interaction in European coastal waters: A roadmap to sustainable integration of aquaculture and fisheries (COEXIST)

Competition for space is increasingly an issue in coastal zones. Multiple uses create complex issues for ocean governance and management. "How to evaluate the interactions between coastal fisheries, aquaculture and other activities in coastal areas?" is the central resarch question addressed by COEXIST.

Interactions between fisheries, biodiversity and food webs (BioWeb)

Climate change, declining fishing pressure, and reduced nutrient inputs are shifting structure and functions in the ecosystem of the southern North Sea. In BioWeb, we explore the links between these environmental and land-use changes and trends in biodiversity.

Knowledge for sustainable management of Crangon fisheries in the coastal North Sea (MaKramee)

This project will synthesize exisiting scientific knowledge as baisis for better management of the brown shrimp fishery in the North Sea.

NOAH1: North Sea - Observation and Assessment of Habitats

The importance of the seafloor for a healthy ecosystem: Evaluation of pressures, state and services of benthic ecosystems in the German Bight of the North Sea.

NOAH2: North Sea - Observation and Assessment of Habitats

What is the ecological state of the seafloor in the German EEZ of the North Sea? Information about sedimentology, geochemistry, biology and anthropogenic pressures is compiled and used for developing a concept for ecosystem-based risk assessment.

Redfish with a label

How organic residues on ear stones help us to discriminate between different redfish stocks.

Self-management in the brown shrimp fishery (CRANMAN)

The German brown shrimp fishery got a sustainability certificate (MSC ecolabel) since 2017. Unlike other fisheries that are subject to a management plan of the European Union, the prerequisite for the MSC ecolabel is an internal self-management of the shrimp fishery. The CranMan project aims at creating the scientific basis to accompany and improve the self-management of the shrimp fishery.

Shedding light on the South Atlantic: a status assessment (TRIATLAS)

Scientists from Europe, Brazil and southern Africa are comprehensively investigating the current state, driving forces and potential future of South Atlantic regions.

Study on stomach content of fish

The aim of the project is to improve the data basis for multi species and ecosystem models. Predator-prey relationships are an important driver of fish population dynamics.

Synthesis of methods for assessing connectivity in a network of protected areas (CREATE)

In CREATE, we use so-called ‘living labs’ in the North and Baltic Seas, in which we develop concepts for sustainable use and protection together with stakeholders. In these model regions, the jointly defined approaches can be subjected to a practical test.

Tools for Marine spatial Planning (MESMA)

How can the efficiency of a current or future spatial management approach be assessed in relation to stated management objectives? MESMA has produced a set of coherent management tools (concepts, models and methods) for Monitoring, Evaluation and implementation of Spatially Managed marine Areas (SMAs), based on European collaboration.

Towards a Joint Monitoring Programme for the North Sea and Celtic Sea (JMP NS/CS)

The main aim of this project is to build a constructive network between all institutions that are responsible for monitoring in the North and Celtic Seas, concerning both fisheries and environmental monitoring.

Variability of benthic infauna in North Sea fish habitats (BINO)

Benthic fish habitats are subject to change - due to climate impacts as well as fisheries activities. This project aims at documenting the availability of benthic infauna for demersal fishes, investigating the relationship of the variability in infauna biomass and species composition to changes ingroundfish communities.