This course is part of the "Higher National Diploma in Fisheries Science" developed by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Malta, in collaboration with the University of Plymouth (UK) and the FAO project COPEMED. This diploma has started this year (first promotion). It is comprised of 16 compulsory units and is designed to equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills required for success in current and future employment in the fish industry, or for progression to an undergraduate degree.

The course "Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in fisheries management is part of the Unit 4: "Fisheries Management I". The students had no background in GIS, neither in database management. They are used to manipulate the Windows environment word processing, spread sheet and graphics software.
 

The training course had a duration of 4 days, with 3 sessions each day. We include as link the support documents provided to the students in Acrobat PDF Format.

These supports, including also the data set used, are available in a CD-ROM on request to the Administrative Co-ordinator of the Higher National Diploma  in Fisheries Science or COPEMED Headquarters.
This CD-Rom also includes: COPEMED Informes y Estudios COPEMED Nº 4 "Towards the Use of Geographic Information Systems as a Decision Support Tool for the Management of Mediterranean Fisheries"

Day 1                                     Support document in PDF Format

Part 1 - GIS Definition

Course

Part 2 - Data collection

Course

• Data collection for marine Fisheries Resources GIS   Example: Maltese form for Inventory of commercial Fishing Units
• Data collection for marine Fisheries Resources GIS- methods (1)
• Example: Fishing Log Form
• Example: Lampuka fishing zones
• Data collection for marine Fisheries Resources GIS- methods (2)
• GPS
• Acoustic Sonar Systems
• Satellite Remote Sensing Systems
• Data acquisition of already formatted data

Part 3 - Maps

Course

• Map as a Model
• Analog Map Versus Digital Map     more information  >>
• Map scale 1
• Map scale 2     more information  >>
• Map scale 3
• Legend
• Spatial Measurement levels     more information  >>
• Spatial objects and spatial measurement levels

Course

• Spatial Location and reference
• Geographic coordinate system
• Map Projections and Coordinate systems
• Type of projection
• Projections Characteristics
• Projections Characteristics
• Examples of some map projections
• UTM Zones

Exercise                                     Map, questions and corrections in PDF Format  

• Analysis of a Thematic Map (analog paper map)

Course

• Work Flow in a GIS Project
• Type of information in a GIS database
• Source of Geographical data
• Acquiring Digital Datasets From A Data Supplier
• Creating Digital Datasets by Manual Inputs
• Georeferencing
• Representation of spatial information in a GIS Software: vector model
• Representation of spatial information in a GIS Software: vector model
• Representation of spatial information in a GIS Software: raster model
• Raster / Vector data model     more information  >>
• Entering Spatial data by Manual Inputs
• Identify and correct errors
• Data conversion: vector - raster
• Data conversion: projection
• Attributes
• Entering Attribute data and Link to spatial objects
• Attribute Errors: Vector Data
• Attribute Errors in Raster Data
  
   
  

Day 2                                     Support document in PDF Format 

Course

• Data Storage
• The Relational Data Model
• The Relational Data Model - conceptual level (example)
• The Relational Data Model - logical level (example)
• Spatial Data Storage: vectorial Model – Example: ArcView Shapefile
• Spatial Data Storage: vectorial Model – Example: ArcInfo Coverage
• Spatial Data Storage: Raster Model – Example : IDRISI

Course

• Project Windows
• ArcView Documents: Views and themes
• ArcView Documents: Tables
• ArcView Documents: Layouts

Exercises

• Display of a thematic layer available in vector ArcView format
• Legends: how to represent a geo-referenced attribute on a Map
  • Unique Value legend Type
  • Single Symbol legend type
  • Change the type of a legend
  • Define a legend for a numeric variable
• Display the attributes of the spatial features

Course and exercises in ACCESS97

• SQL: Structured Query Language
• SQL: SELECT Statement
• SQL: WHERE clause
• SQL: Combining conditions and Boolean Operators
• SQL: GROUP BY clause
• SQL: Having Clause
• SQL: ORDER BY clause

Exercises in ArcView GIS Software

• Import a table from ACCESS database using SQL Connection
• Selecting a feature using Query Builder button
• Selecting a feature using Find button
• Selecting features by selecting records in a theme's table

Day 3                                     Support document in PDF Format 

Exercises in ArcView GIS Software

• Switching the selected and unselected sets of features
• Clear selection
• Promote selected records in a table
• Zooming to the selected features
• Export to table
• Convert to shape-file
• Statistics, summarizing, charting.
• Labeling the selected features with their attribute data 

Course

• Spatial relations: metric operators
• Examples of tasks performed using spatial metric operators
• Spatial relations: topologic operators
• Examples of tasks performed using spatial topological operators
• Examples of tasks performed using spatial topological operators

Exercises in ArcView GIS Software

• Use of a metric operator for spatial feature selection
• Use of a metric operator for spatial feature creation
• Use of the topologic operator INTERSECTION for spatial feature selection
• Use of the topologic operator COMPLETELY WITHIN for spatial feature selection
• Use of the topologic operator INTERSECT to overlay 2 polygons layers
• Use of topological relations to assign data by location
• Other ways to select features using topologic operators
• Using topologic operators: Using the mouse in the View
• Selecting features using shapes
• Make a selection using topologic operators and involving more than two thematic layers
• Use the of topologic operators to dissolve adjacent polygons based on the value of an attribute

• Use of Maltese Boats Registry to produce a Map

 

Participants

Lecturer:

Alexis Bensch
Proyecto FAO COPEMED
Via delle Terme de Caracalla
Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 5705 6505
E-Mail:
URL: http://www.faocopemed.org

Administrative Co-ordinator of the Higher National Diploma  in Fisheries Science:

Darmanin, J, Ms National Aquaculture Centre,
Dpt. Fisheries& Aquaculture,
San Lucjan, Marsaxlokk BBG 06
Malta
Tel: +356 651898
Fax: +356 (688) 380 /650 932
E-Mail: joanne.darmanin@magnet.mt

Data

• ArcView GIS Layers prepared by COPEMED using ESRI and GEBCO data
• Extract of the Fleet registry provided by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Malta
• Extract of the COPEMED Regional database on Artisanal Fisheries Inventory

ArcView Shape Files
Name	Type	Description	First use
batimetria	lines	Bathymetric Isobaths (Western Mediterranean Region)	Day 2 - Part 7
batimetria_poly	polygons	Bathymetric Isobaths (Maltese region)	Day 3 - Part 8.4
carte	polygons	Western Mediterranean Region	Day 2 - Part 7
dwejra5_10_15nm	polygons	Result Exercise 2	Day 2 - Part 8.4
fishingareadwejra	polygons	Result Exercise 9	Day 3 - Part 8.4
fishingareadwejra1	polygons	Result Exercise 9	Day 3 - Part 8.4
grid_bathy	polygons	Result Exercise 5	Day 3 - Part 8.4
gridwmed	polygons	Statistical cells 2' x 2' (Maltese region)	Day 3 - Part 8.4
portsmalta	points	Maltese Ports	Day 2 - Part 7
proj1.apr	Project	Contains all the themes
Other:
VesselPorts.xls	Excel97 File	Number of boats by type and by ports (example)	Day 4 - Part 10
IAFC_MLT.MDB	ACCESS97 dataBase	Fisheries description by port (example)	Day 2 - Part 8

 

All these data are available on the CD-ROM

 

Bibliography
The following material has been used to prepare this training session:

Meaden, G.J. and Doc Chi T. (1996) Geographical Information Systems – Application to Marine fisheries – FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, No 356. FAO, Rome, Italy.

Burrough P.A. and McDonnell R.A (1997) Principles of Geographical Information System Oxford University Press.

Champoux, P. and Bédard Y. (1992) Notions fondamentales d'analyse spatiale et d¡opérateurs spatiaux – Revue des sciences de l'information géographique et de l'analyse spatiale. Volume 2 – No 2/1992, p. 187 à 208.

ESRI (1995) Arc/Info The World's GIS ESRI White Paper Series – Environmental Systems Resaerch Institut, Inc., Reedlands, CA, USA.

Perdue University - Online GIS Course at http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~tgis/getstart.html