INTERCAFE (“Interdisciplinary Initiative to Reduce pan-European Cormorant-Fisheries Conflicts”) is a COST Action. The main objective of INTERCAFE is to improve European scientific knowledge of cormorant-fisheries interactions in the contexts of the interdisciplinary management of human:wildlife conflicts and of sound policy formation, so as to inform policy decisions at local to international levels across Europe and to deliver a coordinated information exchange system. Cormorant-fisheries conflicts are a truly pan-European issue being experienced by a variety of stakeholder groups in a diverse range of aquatic habitats across the continents. An interdisciplinary approach involving the collaboration of biological and social scientific expertise, economic and political interest and practical local experience is now seen as vital to the development and successful implementation of practical cormorant-fisheries conflict management strategies across Europe.
INTERCAFE, currently covering 28 countries in Europe and beyond, will run for 4 years and ultimately hopes to create a coordinated research network and an information bank that will be used to develop long-term collaborative management solutions to pan-European cormorant conflicts. As part of this process, we plan to develop an information exchange/discussion facility for visitors to this web site.
What is the objective of INTERCAFE?
The main objective of INTERCAFE is to improve communication and sharing of European scientific knowledge in relation to cormorant-fisheries interactions and the management of human:wildlife conflicts. INTERCAFE hopes to inform policy decisions at local to international levels across Europe by developing a coordinated information exchange system. INTERCAFE addresses three issues: the reduction of distrust between all those with interests in cormorants and fisheries, the development of collaborative management strategies, and the provision of useful and practical information to natural resource managers/decision-makers.
How does INTERCAFE work?
Following COST’s procedures, independent scientific assessors evaluated the INTERCAFE work programme - as a preliminary proposal and then a full proposal. The INTERCAFE network meets 2-3 times each year where researchers work on synthesising and exchanging information from their own countries. As well as the general work of INTERCAFE, each meeting has a specific ‘theme’ and a small number of local experts are invited to discuss specific issues with INTERCAFE participants. A one-day field trip is organised at each meeting further allowing INTERCAFE participants and local experts to discuss specific issues. In addition, each year INTERCAFE proposes to work on a larger ‘Case Study’, a meeting where participants and local experts work together over 2-3 days to explore a specific example of cormorant-fishery interaction.
What will INTERCAFE do?
INTERCAFE is not a lobby group. It does not have any direct, formal link to national or international policy-makers. INTERCAFE’s main purpose is to act as an information exchange network providing scientists, local people and those with decision-making and policy-related interests access to up-to-date information from across Europe. During its 4-year duration, INTERCAFE also plans to produce amongst other things (a) a practical methodological manual for those working on cormorant-fisheries issues, (b) a ‘tool box’ of potential techniques for mitigating cormorant impacts at fisheries, (c) a ‘water systems database’ to explore the biological and geographical status and distribution of cormorants, (d) a series of information leaflets on specific issues relating to the cormorant:fisheries situation.
