Table of ContentsProject Description

MORAY FIRTH ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE WORKING SEMINAR

Preliminary Programme

Co-organisers

The Highland Council, Fisheries Development
Inverness, Scotland

and

The Ecological Knowledge Social Research Development Initiative
St. Francis Xavier University
Antigonish, Nova Scotia

 

July 3rd - 5th

 

Seminar Organisation and Topic Outline


July 3rd, Monday

LOCATION: Council Chambers, Highland Council

9:00-10:15 am

Co-Chairs: Anthony Davis and George Hamilton

Welcoming Remarks

Initial Plenary

  1. Mr. George Hamilton, the Highland Council
    Review of the working seminar's goals and an introduction to the Highland Council point of view and interests
  2. Ms. Rachel Harding-Hill, Moray Firth Partnership
    Review of the Moray Firth Partnership and its perspective
  3. Dr. Timothy Ingold, the University of Aberdeen
    Introduction to the University of Aberdeen's social research expertise and interests as these relate to the Moray Firth
  4. Dr. Anthony Davis, St. Francis Xavier University
    Review of the Antigonish Ecological Knowledge Working Seminars - their purposes and outcomes
  5. Discussion

10:15-10:30 - Break

10:30-12:00

  1. Review of Moray Firth fisheries and fisheries management issues
  2. Moray Firth fisheries and environmental perspectives
  3. Discussion of what social research might contribute

12:00-1:00 - Lunch

1:00-2:30

  1. A brief review of Moray Firth fisheries and fisheries management issues
  2. Discussion of the interface between the outcomes of the Antigonish meetings and the social research issues associated with the Moray Firth
  3. Discussion of the importance of research design and methodology to the organisation and conduct of social research that offers promise for documenting and understanding ecological knowledge claims.
  4. Specification of the key research issues
  5. Overview of the small working group format for tackling the issues

2:30-2:45 - Break

2:45 - 4:15

Initial Small working group treatment of the research issues

Note: Each small group must nominate a chair and a 'reporter'. The chair will be responsible for keeping the small group discussions focused on the issues identified. The reporter will be responsible for recording key points made through the course of discussions, for briefly presenting these points at the outset of the next Plenary Session, and for providing a copy of comments for seminar staff at the end of each afternoon's Plenary Session. Reporters will be asked to spend some time working with the seminar staff in order to assure that cogency and coherence are embodied in the communication of the recorded key points. These small group reports will be processed into a document and copied for distribution and discussion at the outset of the following morning. Finally, each small group chair should reserve at least the final 15 minutes of discussion for group development of specific recommendations and discussion conclusions.

4:15-5:00pm Plenary Session in which results from small group discussions are reported and discussed. Effort will be made the Chairs and the Reporters to draw out conclusions with an emphasis on research design proposals and recommendations.

5:00 Adjourn for the day

 

July 4th, Tuesday

LOCATION: Council Chambers, The Highland Council

Co-Chairs: Anthony Davis and George Hamilton

9:00-9:30 - Review of 1st day's outcomes, assessment of the working group approach, and specification of 2nd day's topics, approaches and goals.

9:30-10:30 - Small group treatments

10:30-10:45 - Coffee Break

10:45-11:30 - Small group treatments

11:30-11:55 - Reports from the morning's small group treatments

12:00-1:00 - Lunch

1:00-2:30 - Small group treatments

2:30-2:45 - Coffee Break

2:45-5:00 - Plenary Session in which results from small group discussions are reported and conclusions from the day's work are drawn, with an emphasis on research methods proposals, specifics, tips and recommendations.

5:00 - Adjourn for the day

 

July 5th, Wednesday

LOCATION: Council Chambers, The Highland Council

Co-Chairs: Anthony Davis and George Hamilton

9:00-9:30 - Review of 2nd day's outcomes and specification of 3rd day's topics, approaches and goals.

9:30-10:30 - Small group treatments

10:30-10:45 - Coffee Break

10:45-11:30 - Final small group treatments

11:30-11:55 - Reports from the morning's small group treatments

12:00-1:00 - Lunch

 

'Synthesis'

Co-Chairs: Anthony Davis and George Hamilton

1:00-4:30 (with the needed break about 3:00pm)

  • Defining specific outcomes re: likely best suited research designs and methodological approaches for the systematic examination of Moray Firth ecological knowledge systems and fisheries management issues.
  • Planning re: the next steps as well as for the site visits, July 6th - 8th .

 

Working Seminar Adjourns