Exploratory offshore drilling projects are under constant challenge to be competitive,efficient,and tocontribute to ecosystem sustainability.At the same time,they attract development and investment,as wellas tending to strengthen the communities they relate to.One of the main challenges presented during thepreparation of the baseline studies; is incorporating the local knowledge and experience to the traditionalmethods of socio environmental characterization and evaluation.The project emerges as an alternativeaimed at complementing and enriching the baselines of offshore projects,generating new knowledge andprocedures by involving local fishing communities,as well as their fishing practices and methods.Thetraditional methodology for obtaining oceanic hydro biological information consists in using oceanographicresearch cruises.These cruises are subject to logistic,climatic and oceanographic limitations in the areasto be evaluated.The project consisted of monitoring hydro biological resources,involving independentfishermen and artisanal fishing organizations in the Colombian Caribbean,between the years of 2016 and2017.This process included three steps: personnel selection; training and coaching sessions,and applyingwhat was learned during the training sessions.This relationship and involvement with the fishermen responded to the intent of recognizing the partiesinvolved and reciprocal learning in the knowledge of the hydro biological resource.The approach wassupported in a view from the meaningful learning and participatory research.Integrating the empiricalknowledge of fishermen with new knowledge,achieved collective learning(fishermen-technician).Relevant and high quality data for project was obtained,as well as new skill development for thefishermen on methods and tools for collecting information.This opens a range of opportunities for futureemployment in the development of their economic activities in a more competitive way.At a quantitativelevel,the homogeneity in the data collected by technicians and fishermen in simultaneous data collectionexercises demonstrates adequate application,valid technical results,and compatibility with any othertraditional methodology.The benefit of this methodology consists of obtaining high quality technicalinformation for the projects,based on the integration of empirical knowledge and the local work force of the fishing communities.This allows the substitution of traditional methods,integrating knowledge and localparticipation and being a replicable applicable model for other projects,sectors and geographies.
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