العربية
Sohar University, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Fisheries Research at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, will host a closed-group workshop on Monday, June 2, 2025, focusing on the Stakeholders’ Impact Assessment of the Decision and Information System for Coastal Waters (DISCO), an innovative marine monitoring and decision-support tool.
The workshop marks a new chapter in the development of the DISCO system, which was originally created under a strategic research grant funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MoHERI). The project has since gained international recognition and support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), emphasizing its relevance in addressing global challenges related to marine ecosystems and coastal sustainability. The DISCO system has been deployed to assist in collecting real-time oceanographic and environmental data, improving fisheries management, supporting sustainable aquaculture, and enhancing the country’s readiness for climate change adaptation.
In line with the continued advancement of this national project, the upcoming workshop aims to assess the impact of the DISCO system on various stakeholder groups and decision-making bodies. The event will take place at Sohar University and is expected to bring together leading experts and institutional representatives from key sectors across the Sultanate, including public agencies, private enterprises, academic institutions, and government authorities.
Participants will be introduced to a live demonstration of the DISCO system’s operational capabilities, providing hands-on insight into its technical features and real-world applications. The program will also feature a scientific presentation from the Marine Science and Fisheries Center on the pressing challenges facing Oman’s coastal waters. Participants will receive an overview of the stakeholder impact assessment methodology being used under the NASA-funded extension of the DISCO project, followed by an interactive focus group discussion. This will allow experts to explore the system’s usability, scalability, and potential integration into national marine resource planning.
Confirmed participants include experts from OQ, National University of Science and Technology-IMCO, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS), Majis Industrial Services, the Authority for Public Services Regulation, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, the Royal Navy of Oman, and Sohar University. The diversity of these institutions underscores the cross-sectoral importance of coastal resource management and reflects Oman’s commitment to research-driven environmental stewardship.
This workshop is poised to strengthen collaboration between scientific institutions and policy-making bodies, with the overarching goal of leveraging technology to protect Oman’s marine resources and support its sustainable development vision.