Maria Pierce chaired the 2nd ICES Workshop on Participatory Modeling in Tromsø

The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) is an intergovernmental science organization tasked with providing the scientific basis for the management of fisheries and aquatic resources in the greater North Atlantic. Within ICES, there is an increasing need to apply participatory modeling both to the further development of its Stakeholder Engagement Strategy and to address the more erratic behavior of ecosystems and anthropogenic pressures. A first Workshop in 2024 assessing the many aspects of participatory modeling within ICES identified, as one result, the requirement for a framework to increase its prudent, consistent, and high-quality use within the organization.  One result of the extensive discussions over the past year and a half, as well as during the workshop itself, is a comprehensive yet concise handbook, expected to be available later this year.