2009 SAG Award Winners

FAO – Fisheries and Aquaculture Department

Project Goal

The mission for the GISFish Web site, as well as its overriding goal, is "Solving problems in inland fisheries and aquaculture using GIS, remote sensing and mapping". Specifically, the objectives of GISFish are to: (a) Improve the sustainability of aquaculture and inland fisheries by promoting the use of GIS, remote sensing and mapping; and (b) Facilitate the use of GIS, remote sensing, and mapping through easy access to comprehensive information on applications and training opportunities.
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Business Problem Solved

It is evident that there are many opportunities to use GIS, remote sensing and mapping to improve the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture. However, the widespread use of these tools is impeded by limited awareness of their benefits and lack of access to experiences on how they can be deployed. GISFish was created to overcome these impediments.

Technology Implemented

The software supporting GISFish is the Java-based Community Directory Server (CDS), a powerful Internet portal system developed at FAO in collaboration with the Information Systems and technology Division of the FAO. The CDS was developed in response to the need for more effective and participatory knowledge generation and dissemination in support of sustainable aquaculture and inland fisheries development. Currently, FIMA is creating maps that will be embedded in National Aquaculture Sector Overview (NASO) Fact Sheets for display on the Internet using combinations of Open Source and Google Earth technology. The main objective of this work on NASO maps is to illustrate, in general, where aquaculture is taking place. NASO map work is lead by Francesco Cardia (FIMA consultant), Jose Aguilar-Manjarrez and Valerio Crespi (FIMA), and Sachiko Tsuji and Marc Taconet from FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Information and Statistics Service (FIES).

Development Team Biography

Development of GISFish is carried out under the guidance of FAO’s Aquaculture Management and Conservation Service (FIMA). The GISFish team includes two programme coordinators for aquaculture and inland fisheries and will include one new coordinator for marine fisheries. Dr. José Aguilar-Manjarrez has been working at FAO since 1996, his current responsibilities at FIMA have mainly focused on developing technical papers, reviews, training materials and information systems like GISFish. Dr. James McDaid Kapetsky (FIMA retired) is a sole or senior author of 34 scientific reports, magazine and journal articles on the applications of GIS and Remote Sensing in aquaculture and fisheries. Mr. Fabio Carocci is a Fishery Information Assistant and will be the programme coordinator for marine fisheries. GISFish programmers have included: Marcella Pesce, Ennio Lepri, Cosimo Togna, Yi Shuai and Sabina Ramazzotto.