Stakeholders are ready to start using DNA-based monitoring methods

10 November 2022 - Published by Nele Jacobs

In the final stages of GEANS, it is of the utmost importance to be in line with stakeholders’ expectations and needs. During a hybrid stakeholder workshop on Oct 26th, it was clear that scientists and stakeholders are very much on the same page.

The stakeholder meeting was organized from Aarhus University in Roskilde (DK) and hosted 38 participants from countries around the North Sea but even beyond (France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Estonia). The aim of the workshop was to showcase the achievements within the GEANS project, to ensure that all the work done is useful for stakeholders’ plans and activities, and take into account stakeholders’ interest in future developments and applications.

An overview was given of the main project results, followed by insights gained from the different pilot studies:

In a second part of the workshop, two early adopters talked about their experiences and plans:

The final part of the workshop comprised of a poll and discussion, using the interaction tool Mentimeter. Important conclusions from this poll are that:

All stakeholders see potential for the application of DNA-based methods and are either exploring, testing or even already implementing.
The main driver for implementing is cost-efficiency.
All stakeholders acknowledge that DNA-based methods do not replace traditional methods, and that combined approaches are most promising
Lack of funding and harmonization are important hurdles for implementation.

These findings will be taken into account in the last work package of GEANS, that aims to provide a decision support tree for stakeholders. More information can be found at geans.eu.