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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The online course on the use of geographic information system in the establishment of allocated zones for aquaculture (Module 1: Spatial information and representation) was held from 23 November to 2 December 2020. It was organized by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as the follow-up to a previous virtual seminar on aquaculture and marine spatial planning (MSP) “Highlights on the Mediterranean and Black Sea”, organized in June 2020. The course aimed to provide basic information on the use of geographic information system (GIS) and on a methodological framework for its application within spatial planning. Specifically, this five-day online course sought to contribute to the understanding of geographic information, projections, digitizing processes and generation of georeferenced information using a free-access software. More than 300 participants from 48 countries attended the event. During the first day, aquaculture experts from the GFCM as well as guest aquaculture and MSP experts introduced general concepts related to MSP, highlighting its importance for sustainable aquaculture development in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, namely the sustainable siting of aquaculture operations and the management of conflicts between users and activities. Throughout the following four days, different formats of data were defined and the data collection methodologies used to create a database were explained. Participants also attended hands-on GIS sessions where basic geoprocessing tools were applied and they learned how to modify and create new layers. On the final day of the course, the relevance of remote sensing and satellite data to allocated zones for aquaculture (AZAs) and MSP was presented and participants were introduced to the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Services portal. Finally, a hands-on session was conducted and the course concluded with an interactive discussion between experts and trainees. The online course was acknowledged as useful for learning and improving the understanding and basic skills on GIS as well as for the application of GIS in MSP processes and AZA identification, as it reveals deeper insights into data thereby aiding in spatial planning and management.