Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith, Reef Life Survey
- Chair(s)
- Anthony Bernard (South Africa) and Rick D. Stuart-Smith (Australia)
- Other Full Members
- Rene Abesamis (Philippines), Emily Darling (USA), Jordan Goetze (Australia), Aaron MacNeil (Canada), Eva Maire (UK), Ana Carolina Mazzuco (Brazil), Christy Pattengill-Semmens (USA), Melita Samoilys (Kenya)
- Associate Members
- Rusty Brainard (Saudi Arabia), Pascale Chabanet (France - Reunion Island), Emmett Duffy (USA), Laura Ghigliotti (Italy), Reiji Masuda (Japan), Peter Mitchell (UK), David Obura (Kenya), Alejandro Perez-Matus (Chile), Fernanda Rolim (Brazil), Peter Walsh (Australia)
- Reporter
- Judith Gobin
- Terms of Reference
Determine the extent to which data obtained from the most widely applied visual census methods (UVC, DOV and BRUVs) and sampling approaches can be used in conjunction to measure and report on the status of coastal and nearshore demersal fish assemblages from low to high latitudes at a global scale.
Endorse best-practice guidelines for the visual census methods that ensure a common base level of data and metadata collection required to enable data to be interoperable, useful for reporting on key indicators on fish assemblage status and reusable in the future. Where best-practice guidelines are not available or incomplete, they will be drafted and subjected to the endorsement process requirements of the Global Ocean Observing System Biology and Ecosystems panel (GOOS BioEco) and Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS).
Develop data schema and vocabularies relevant to the visual census techniques, establish and implement data management protocols aligned with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and open-access principles, and establish infrastructure and workflows for open-access data to be published on OBIS and dedicated web-based platforms.
Evaluate the potential of emerging and alternative research techniques to be integrated into a broader community of practice and determine priority areas for engagement, capacity development and research to enhance spatial coverage and strengthen the global research network.
Establish a global community of practice willing to employ the agreed minimum methods in programmes with demonstrated sustainability, and who are willing to share data through the agreed workflow and web-based platforms.
- Approved
- October 2021
- Financial Sponsors
- SCOR, NSF
- Meetings
January 2022 (online)
May 2022 (online)
January 2023, Hobart, Australia
- Group Website
- https://sites.google.com/saiab.nrf.ac.za/concensus-members/home