ICES Steering Group on Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (SSGIEA) provides a forum for ICES expert groups that work primarily on the development of integrated ecosystem assessment (IEA) methodologies and approaches that allow the use of both qualitative and quantitative data, and which can be used to address both specific advisory questions and broader ecosystem issues.
The aim of this session is to discuss the developments in IEA science within ICES, its contribution to the ICES Science Plan and its role in underpinning advice. In particular, the session will focus on how to include the human dimension in IEA, including a presentation on the work being done by ICES Working Group on the Northwest Atlantic Regional Sea (WGNARS) on a conceptual model to combine ecosystem and human dimensions. Conveners of next year's ICES symposium on "Understanding marine socio-ecological systems: including the human dimension in Integrated Ecosystem Assessments", (June 2016, Brest, France) have been invited to present the details of the conference and where SSGIEA groups might fit in.
We aim to use these discussions to provide feedback from the SSG to the wider scope session on Human Dimensions in Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (SIHD) to be held at 15:00 on Wednesday.
Finally, we will have an open discussion about ideas for an Integrated "Integrated Ecosystem Assessment group" joint meeting, where the groups can exchange experiences, ideas, and potentially prepare a position paper on IEA from the entire Steering Group.
