The development of a Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis Network of Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems – Drivers, successes, challenges and future aspirations

The Global Biodiversity Framework underpins global policies driving marine protection and conservation. Meeting the targets of these policies requires an understanding of how marine ecosystems respond to anthropogenic pressures such as exploitation, habitat loss and climate change. Much of the burden of achieving these targets currently rests on small, remote island communities with limited resources and capacity. The development of co-ordinated global networks is one approach that can be used to address this issue and enable local communities, through the provision of equipment, training, and resources to collect and analyse the data required to meet national and, in some cases, global conservation and protection targets. The Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis Network (GOWAN) is a collaboration supported by the UK Government Blue Belt Programme between United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), the Centre for the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and Blue Abacus and comprises of a network of Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS). This paper describes the drivers for the development of GOWAN, one such global network which was designed to overcome many of the challenges faced by the UKOTs in relation to capacity, resources and use of the equipment. We present two case studies which detail how the equipment has been used and how the data collected has already informed the development of management strategies. Finally, we discuss how such networks facilitate the collection of standardised data required to address questions associated with large scale ocean protection through to fine scale local conservation strategies.

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