A summarizing UNIFIeD workshop was held for project participants, survey contributers and other interested stakeholders. After the UNIFIeD project was introduced, results from the surveys were presented followed by thematic discussions.
Results related to the perception of eDNA were presented by Ian Salter from the Faroe Marine Research Institute. In the following discussion, workshop participants discussed various challenges they had experienced when stakeholders have had unrealistic expectations and requirements to the application of eDNA methods. This issue seemed to cause frustrations and solving this discrepency between researchers and stakeholders was recognised as having high priority for the implementation of eDNA methods in marine monitoring.
It was also acknowledged, that researchers have a responsibility of being clear about strenghts and weaknesses of eDNA methods towards stakeholders in order to promote a common understanding about the potential application of eDNA methods. Any misunderstandings could hamper the explotitation of this great potential of applying eDNA methods to marine monitoring.
At the same time, researchers have experienced difficulties relating these messages. However, the UNIFIeD project report including the survey results was mentioned by some as a potential tool and basis for engaging with stakeholder in constructive discussions and advancing a joint understanding between various partners.
The standardization challenges described in the survey results were presented by Christophe Pampoulie from the Marine and Freshwater Institute in Iceland. The related discussion demonstrated that obstacles for adhering to gold standard protocols were often practical and logistical issues such as cold storage during transport of samples and the frequent shifts between projects of short duration with varying oppertunities and settings. The will to follow recommended guidelines was not lacking, the issue was rather the lack of Institutional or National guidelines, leading to the dependency on consortium, project, and work package management.
In addition, the possibilities that biomonitoring programs and continuity in funding provide for the effort of establishing standardized protocols for eDNA methods were estimated to be highly valuable. Researchers with limited access to national scientific and political schemes supporting such activities are at a disadvantage and as a consequence the region lags behind in the effort to establish national guidelines and taking part in international harmonization of eDNA methods.
Therefore, scientific and political schemes focusing on biomonitoring programs and continuity in funding were identified as key issues where stakeholders can add support for the advancement in standardization of eDNA methods.
The workshop participants also discussed the possibility of enhanced collaboration between the Nordic countries, combining our individual strengths in joint projects to tackle these hurdles and together strenghten the Northeast Atlantic marine research and monitoring efforts by the application of eDNA methods.
The discussion of establishing national guidelines for eDNA methods led to the question of how specific or inclusive such guidelines should be. The inclusive argument was that in order to promote standardization and collaboration beyond their own country, researchers should consider the feasability of researchers from other institutions and countries being able to follow these guidelines. Such guidelines should take into account that not all have the same equipment, surroundings, etc. On the other hand, some level of specificity needs to be witheld for results to be comparable.
Most agreed, that under any circumstances, such a process needs to be open for other parties, if the established guidelines are to be applicable on a larger scale.
Results concerning the implementation process were presented by Ása Jacobsen from the Aquaculture Research Station of the Faroes / PF Fiskaaling. Workshop participants agreed that the implementation process is complicated even though there are interested stakeholders. Consensus seemed to be that researchers should do their part in communicating with stakeholders and continuing working on standardization, but that the implementation requires a coordinated effort from various stakeholders in collaboration with the research community.
Several of the workshop attendees also stated an intent to increase research collaboration within the Nordic region on this issue and to use the knowledge gained from the UNIFIeD project to engage with relevant stakeholders about future efforts.