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A hallmark of science is the open exchange of knowledge. At this time of crisis, it is more important than ever for scientists around the world to openly share their knowledge, expertise, tools, and technology. Scientific models are critical tools for anticipating, predicting, and responding to complex biological, social, and environmental crises, including pandemics. They are essential for guiding regional and national governments in designing health, social, and economic policies to manage the spread of disease and lessen its impacts. However, presenting modeling results alone is not enough. Scientists must also openly share their model code so that the results can be replicated and evaluated.

This paper examines recent collaborative efforts by fisheries scientists and representatives from the pelagic fishing industry in Europe to generate a knowledge base to support management of a new fishery for boarfish (Capros aper) in the Northeast Atlantic. The forms of knowledge used and produced in the collaborations were investigated by applying a conceptual framework developed to help understand the detailed dynamics of knowledge exchange in mixed-actor settings. The collaborative initiatives studied were informal and efficient, and they benefited from financial support and co-ordination efforts by the industry actors. Generation of scientific knowledge was given high priority. Tangible collaborative outputs produced between 2010 and 2013 included new scientific insights into boarfish maturity and aging, initiation of an annual boarfish-specific acoustic survey, data to underpin a stock assessment, and two management plan proposals. The study highlights the information requirements that apply for fish stocks managed under the European Common Fisheries Policy and illustrates that the fishing industry can fill important roles in collaborative processes that aim to generate new scientific knowledge to support fisheries management.

Trends towards a more participatory agenda in policy-relevant science imply that the roles and work tasks of scientists become more multifaceted. In Europe, the increased use of multiannual plans creates a need for fishery scientists to contribute with their expertise in a wide variety of situations. We identify and characterize four roles for scientists as developers, reviewers, judges, and messengers in arenas where management plans are produced and evaluated. Using examples of producing and evaluating management plans for pelagic fish stocks in Europe, we present different scientific roles and how they may intertwine. The examples illustrate that fishery scientists increasingly interact with advisory councils and industry stakeholders when performing roles as developers and messengers. The roles as reviewers and judges are typically affiliated with evaluation processes carried out under the auspices of the marine science and advisory organization International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). While it may be difficult to separate the roles in practice, we argue that it must be emphasized to be aware of their different requirements to ensure that scientific credibility is not compromised. By asking the question “What hat are you wearing?”, we encourage individual fishery scientists, their employers, and ICES as a network organization of expertise to reflect on roles, affiliations, mandates, and possible consequences of wearing different “hats”.

This paper investigates knowledge production in collaborations where the actors have different knowledge and interests. Building on boundary object theory, a conceptual framework is developed to analyse knowledge exchange in two stakeholder-led collaborations to make fishery management plans. The framework introduces boundary spaces to conceptualise the dynamic interaction between objects and activities. Within boundary spaces, actors can share, transfer and translate their knowledge, and common understanding can emerge. The collaborations analysed aimed to produce management plans for the Nephrops (Nephrops norvegicus) fishery in the North Sea and the boarfish (Capros aper) fishery in the Northeast Atlantic. Several boundary spaces were identified in each collaboration. During the production phase, the emerging management plans took on multiple representations as boundary objects that facilitated knowledge exchange. Activities were essential, as these created entry points for different actors to become part of the boundary spaces where they could contribute to knowledge production. Fishing industry representatives in the North Sea Advisory Council and the Pelagic Advisory Council played key roles in initiating and coordinating activities. The case studies demonstrate that Advisory Councils take on pro-active roles in initiatives that aim to expand the knowledge base for European fisheries management. Direct engagement was instrumental to create ownership of the problem addressed in the various collaborative settings that emerged during the management plan initiatives.

This paper investigates how different kinds of knowledge are mobilised in interactions between the stakeholders, scientists and bureaucrats who are involved in EU fisheries management. It reports on an initiative led by the North Sea Regional Advisory Council aimed at making a long-term management plan for Nephrops fisheries in the North Sea. The sharing of knowledge between the actors is explored using insights from organisation management, focusing on the kinds of resources and efforts that are needed at different boundaries to allow knowledge sharing and knowledge production to occur. The findings point to the challenge of reaching a common understanding between actors when both novelty and high stakes are involved. Experiences gained during this pioneering initiative raise questions about how far it is possible to take a ‘bottom up’ collaborative process aimed at developing management instruments within a setting where there are conflicts of interests between the stakeholders involved.