Matomo

Our offer

Launched by fisheries specialists (fisheries economists and fisheries biologists), Sakana Consultants is a dynamic company providing expertise and advice on the management of marine natural resources. We help a wide range of clients from the public and private sectors to better understand the complexity of seafood systems. Since our inception, we have assisted administrations, professional organisations, research institutes and private companies in their quest of better resource management.

Who's catching the fish?

Natural Resources Management

We're specialists of the seafood sector: fish, shellfish and algeas (seaweeds) have no secret for us. Managing their production is essential to achieve the 14th Sustainable Development Goal which consists in "conserving and using sustainably the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development" (SDG 14).

We're assisting our clients in gathering and interpreting economic data on the different seafood sectors: wild fishing, aquaculture, seafood processing and ancillary activities.

Fraserburgh Harbour
Who's eating the fish?

Market analysis

Through value chain analysis or more in-depth econometric analyses, we can help you understand the market dynamics of seafood products at a local or a global scale.

We notably applied these techniques in several projects following the 2016 British referendum (aka the Brexit referendum), notably in a report commissioned by the European Parliament.

Fish market
Exploring management options

Bio economic modelling

Since Sakana's launch in 2015, we have developed several bio-economic models.

Implementing simulation models to foster discussions among stakeholders (notably in Indonesia), elaborating optimisation models to support marine spatial planning (soon to be published) or developping novel approaches to explore the depredation phenomenon (ORCADEPRED project), we have a proven track record of innovative approaches integrating bio-economic models into wider discussions with stakeholders (fishers, NGOs and administrations).

Octopus
Catalysing change

Fisheries Improvment Projects

Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIP) have been initiated at the beginning of the 2000s as a tool engaging the entire seafood supply chain towards a common goal: fostering change in fisheries management, in order to improve the status of the fishery by favoring the adoption of a precautionary approach.

Over the last 20 years, the concept has evolved with an increasing number of organizations deploying at least part of the FIP framework in different settings: from small-scale fishing communities in Indonesia to long-distant fleets targeting tuna species in the Atlantic. There are currently over 130 active FIPs around the world, with a large variety of species covered: small pelagics, large pelagics, demersal fish, cephalopods...

We're assisting stakeholders to develop and implement FIPs, notably helping them to include the social and economic dimensions in their project.

fishing boats in Thailand
Science doesn't stop where data availability fades

Data-Poor approaches

Since Sakana's inception, we've encouraged our customers to integrate data-poor approaches in their decision making.

In Indonesia, very little data is collected on the Blue Swimming Crab fishery. This species is however one of the most important export product for the Indonesian seafood sector. We showed our partners that using a simplistic bio-economic model to illustrate discussions between fishing communities, local administration and local NGOs could provide a useful framework to foster a constructive conversation.
The bioeconomic model developed in this case was far from robust (one could argue that it was anti-robust). Showing this group of stakeholder that the discussion had to be robust, not the model, was a leap forward: they were able to discuss management measures that could be applied at the local level.

Blue Swimming Crab

Meet the team

Mainly focused on the fishing and aquaculture sector, our fisheries specialists have an extensive expertise in fisheries economics, supply chain analysis and in the design of management systems. We have been involved in multiple projects on all continents (Europe, Africa, Middle-East, South-East Asia, North and South America). We are also actively involved in the two main associations of fisheries economists releveant to our geographies: the European Association of Fisheries Economists and the International Institute of Fisheries Economics & Trade.

Recent projects

Discard ban

Economic impacts of the landing obligation

The implementation of the landing obligation in EU waters has led to numerous projects since 2015.

We have helped the British administrations (DEFRA and Marine Scotland) to understand the potential effects of the discard ban on their fishing fleet, but also the European Commission to assess the various management options in the Black Sea (notably the potential exemptions) or for the EU Distant-Water vessels (in the case of a potential extension of the regulation to these vessels).

pelagic fish
Fostering the achievement of SDG14

International Oceans Governance (IOG)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adopted by world leaders in 2015 set the foundations for an ambitious, inclusive, and resilient transformation that recognises poverty as one of the biggest challenges and aims to eradicate it. This 9 month study assisted the European Commission in identifying areas and projects for capacity development in 13 selected developing partner countries in the Central East Atlantic and Indian Ocean to help them achieve one or more of the 10 targets set under SDG 14. The study may also serve as a pilot for future studies in other geographical regions. The assignment addressed the following 3 specific objectives: 1. State of play; 2. Identification of main problem areas and gaps; and 3. Recommendations for concrete projects.

African fishers
Developping a novel modelling approach

OrcaDepred

This project aims at assessing the ecological and socio-economic consequences of killer whales and sperm whales depredation on the French toothfish fishery.

We're assisting the UBO-AMURE team by developping a specific bio-economic model integrating consequences of depredation through an ecological-economic linkage. The ultimate aim is to develop strategies for the sustainable management of these fisheries taking into account depredation.

OrcaDepred

Get in touch

We are based in Brest, in the French Far West, one of the major European hotspots for marine research, notably in fisheries economics, fisheries biology and integrated coastal zone management. The city is the hometown for several leading institutes such as the European Institute for Marine Studies (IUEM), IFREMER or the CEDRE.

If you are interested to get in touch, feel free to call us
on +33 222 068 138 (landline),
or +33 601 630 558 (Sébastien’s mobile).
Sébastien's mobile can be reached by WhatsApp.

Or alternatively send us a message by email at info _at_ sakana-consultants _dot_ com