FiSHU@LiS, a Computer Game on a General Pelagic Fish

Abstract

Experience has shown that making political decisions that ensure sustainable use of natural resources is difficult. This has raised the question on how to include stakeholders and citizens in decision processes. ViRTU@LiS (social learning on enVIRonmental issues with the inTeractive information and commUnicAtion technoLogIeS) is an EU project that aims at developing ICTs (information and communication tools) for participatory processes. One of the outcomes of this project is an Internet game on a general pelagic fishery, FiSHU@LiS. The aim of the game is to let any citizen learn and judge information in an interactive way. The player can choose to be a migratory pelagic fish, a predator (a shark), a fisherman, a fisheries scientist or a politician. Through these characters, the player can learn in an interactive way about resource problems and societal aspects in the fisheries. An important part of the project, including this Internet game, is to undertake an extended peer-review. Stakeholders of different categories will be invited to evaluate the information presented: the information itself, how it is presented and how uncertainty is presented. The software will then be adjusted. This paper describes in short the dynamics of the game, indicates what kind of information will be available and how the extended peer-review will be carried out.