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Abstract
This review provides an appraisal of existing, state-of-the-art fish identification (ID) tools (including some in the initial stages of their development) and shows their potential for providing the right solution in different real-life situations. The ID tools reviewed are: Use of scientific experts (taxonomists) and folk local experts, taxonomic reference collections, image recognition systems, field guides based on dichotomous keys; interactive electronic keys (e.g. IPOFIS), morphometries (e.g. IPez), scale and otolith morphology, genetic methods (Single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] and Barcode [BOL]) and Hydroacoustics.
The review is based on the results and recommendations of the workshop "Fish Identification Tools for Fishery Biodiversity and Fisheries Assessments", convened by FAO FishFinder and the University of Vigo and held in Vigo, Spain, from 11 to 13 October 2011. It is expected that it will help fisheries managers, environmental administrators and other end users to select the best available species identification tools for their purposes.
Preparation of this document
This document is a result of the contributions and deliberations of the workshop "Fish Identification Tools for Biodiversity and Fisheries Assessments" (Vigo, Spain, 11-13 October 2011) convened by the University of Vigo and the FAO FishFinder Programme. Although not a "Proceedings" as such, it does reflect the presentations and discussions of participants regarding user perspectives and user requirements, definition of criteria for the characterization of identification tools, description of identification tools and scenarios as well as recommendations for research and development. However, it also contains observations and summaries added after the workshop with the intent to make this document more accessible to the reader. A draft version of this document was circulated to workshop participants, and this finalized version incorporates substantive comments and corrections received from them.
The workshop participants consisted of 15 invited experts from 10 countries, two FAO officers and one FAO consultant. The first part of the workshop was dedicated to 14 plenary presentations on fish identification methods and tools. The workshop then proceeded to provide definitions for the criteria used to characterize each identification tool addressed by the workshop. Each expert reviewed the summary description and visual characterization of the ID tools prepared by FAO and the workshop then evaluated the results in a non-comparative manner. It was agreed that the visual characterization would...