General Information

Venue: Centro Andaluz Superior de Estudios Marinos (CASEM)

Dates: September 14-18

Duration: 25 hours

Field of Knowledge: Biology

Number of places: 12

Course Coordinator: Remedios Cabrera Castro

Coordinator’s email: reme.cabrera@uca.es

Language: English · Portuguese · Spanish

ECTS recognition is requested

Target Audience: Students and PDI

Course Description

Data Analysis in Fisheries Science: Biology, Assessment and Conservation of Living Marine Resources is an intensive course designed to provide participants with a comprehensive foundation in fisheries science, with a strong focus on sharks and rays. The program integrates biological principles, fisheries data analysis, and applied quantitative methods to understand how living marine resources are assessed and conserved. Key concepts include CPUE, stock structure, population dynamics, data-limited fisheries, biological parameters (growth, maturity, feeding ecology), migration, and tagging techniques.

The course is aimed at training students and professionals in marine and environmental sciences, guiding them from fundamental concepts to advanced analytical approaches. Participants will gain hands-on experience with diverse data management and analytical techniques, including database construction, data cleaning, maturity estimation, CPUE standardization, time-series analysis (ARIMA/SARIMA), and the application of the Gini index to evaluate quota or size-class concentration. Emerging data sources such as citizen science and social media imagery will also be explored.

Through a combination of lectures and daily practical sessions in Excel and R, the course equips participants with the skills to transform raw fisheries data into meaningful indicators for assessment and conservation. By the end of the program, attendees will be able to critically evaluate fisheries datasets, apply appropriate analytical tools, and interpret results within a biological and sustainability framework to support the responsible management of living marine resources.

Course Objectives

• Understand fundamental fisheries science concepts, including stock structure, population dynamics, CPUE, biological reference parameters, and the characteristics of living marine resources, with emphasis on sharks and rays.
• Recognize the importance of biological parameters (e.g., length, weight, maturity, feeding ecology, tagging, migration) and understand how these variables influence fisheries assessment and conservation strategies.
• Design and structure robust fisheries databases, applying best practices in data organization, variable standardization, and quality control using Excel and R.
• Identify and evaluate data-limited situations, detect sampling bias, and apply appropriate analytical approaches when working with poor or incomplete datasets.
• Apply quantitative and statistical tools such as CPUE standardization, logistic models for maturity estimation, time-series analysis (ARIMA/SARIMA), and the Gini index for quota or size-class concentration analysis.
• Integrate biological and fisheries data to generate scientifically sound interpretations that support conservation and sustainable management of marine living resources.
• Develop critical thinking and analytical skills, enabling participants to independently analyze fisheries datasets and contribute to research, monitoring, and conservation initiatives.

Participant requirements

Participants are expected to have:

• Basic computer skills, including familiarity with spreadsheets (e.g., Excel) and general file management.
• Basic knowledge of statistics (e.g., mean, variance, basic graphs, and interpretation of trends). Prior statistical experience is recommended but not essential.
• Basic background in biology, particularly in marine or environmental sciences.

Target Participants

• 4th year Marine Sciences or equivalent in other related degrees
• Master’s students
• PhD Candidates

Course Programme

Day 1 – Foundations of Fisheries Science (4h)

Day 2 – Programming and Monitoring (5h)

Day 3 – Growth, Population and Indicators (5h)

Day 4 – Quantitative Fisheries Analysis (4h)

Day 5 – Conservation and Applied Assessment (4h)

Assessment

Participant evaluation will be based on:

Continuous Practical Assessment

• Daily practical exercises in Excel and R.
• Application of data organization techniques, CPUE calculation, maturity estimation, time-series analysis (ARIMA/SARIMA), and Gini index calculations.
• Evaluation of the ability to correctly structure databases, clean datasets, and interpret results.
• Active participation during practical sessions.

Final Multiple-Choice Assessment

• An online multiple-choice test at the end of the course (e.g., Google Forms format).
• Questions covering key theoretical concepts in fisheries science (e.g., stock, CPUE, biological parameters, data-limited fisheries).
• Assessment of understanding of analytical and statistical methods presented during the course.

Overall Performance Criteria

• Engagement and participation during lectures and discussions.
• Correct application of analytical tools.
• Ability to interpret fisheries data within a biological and conservation framework.

Final group Exercise

Successful completion of the course requires active participation in practical sessions and completion of the final multiple-choice assessment.

Teaching Staff

This course is supported and sponsored by:

Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales / Departamento de Biología / RNM950 Pesca, Biodiversidad y Conservación de los Recursos Vivos Marinos.

For any questions, please contact the coordinator of this course