Web-based tool for economic analysis of fish transportation decisions TATIANA A. BoRISOVA, PREETHI R. VANTARAM, GERARD D ' SouzA, DANIEL MILLER AND CHRIS ZABRISKIl Computers are contributing more and more to production and distribution effectiveness in aquaculture. They monitor aquaculture facilities and set alarms if critical indicators reach dangerous levels; regulate water, temperature and feed supply; link producers and customers through web-sites and e-mails and perform many other functions (DGL Systems 2003). In this article, we focus on the role of computer systems in decision-making activities. We discuss Decision Support Systems (DSS) that are designed to help with choices of specific actions from a set of alternatives. The DSS developed at West Virginia University for the analysis of fish transportation choices is discussed in more detail. What are DSS? To make a decision, we usually collect relevant information, seek expert opinion and consider advantages and disadvantages of alternative actions. DSS are developed to make these major decision activities - communications, data access, summary and analysis -more effective; that is, faster, with fewer errors and based on up-to-date methods of analysis (Alter 1980). However, choices are still made by farmers, company analysts or managers. People supply the computer systems with information about existing situation and questions that should be answered. DSS then use internal databases and models to process this information and return appropriate answers in a user-friendly format. However DSS helps people by providing more information faster and by simplifying the use of existing analytical methods (Power 2005). 34 MARCH 2007 DSS are developed to help people with each step in the decision-making process. Accordingly, DSS can be classified into data- and document-driven, model-driven, knowledge-driven or communication-driven DSS (Power 2002). Next, we briefly review each of these categories2 • Data- and Document- Driven DSS Data- and document-driven DSS are developed to help with data management. They are designed to access and manipulate large amounts of data, to summarize and analyze the data and to produce reports. While data-driven DSS help with managing numeric data and short descriptions, such as sales volumes, prices, dates or addresses, document-driven DSS assist with larger text documents, such as meeting notes or product specifications (Power 2002). Data can be supplied with the DSS and/or they can be entered by users into a set of forms on a computer screen based on day-to-day facility information. Some DSS, such as WiseFish, can automatically collect information from various pieces of equipment, including weighing scales, graders and bar code printers (Marintech 2003). The information accumulated in the database can then be accessed and manipulated by various users. Examples of aquaculture-specific data-driven DSS are suites of aquaculture software developed by AquaAssist Pty Ltd (2003) and Marintech (2003). These DSS are designed to trace the origin and fate of stocks or supply items, to quickly summarize different types of data in the form of a report and to conduct simple cost, fish growth or feeding analyses. While AquaAssist DSS are tied to the specific needs of abalone, salmon or tuna farms, fish hatcheries, processing plants and feed manufacturers, Marintech DSSS are focused on integration of the data belonging to one or more steps in the fish product value chain, from fish production/catch, to processing and distribution. Model-driven DSS Model-driven DSS emphasize access to and manipulation of models. Models consist of mathematical expressions that describe various systems, such as organizations, markets or fish populations. Such DSS can perform cost-benefit or budget analyses, forecast future values of economic indicators, find the optimum of various parameters or examine "what-if" scenarios and simulate system responses to various changes (Power 2002). An example of a model-driven DSS is Fish Bioenergetics Modeling Software developed to predict growth and food consumption of fish in stream, river, lake or marine environments (University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute 2003). The DSS relies on principles of bioenergetics - balancing energy from feed consumed by fish and energy lost or used for various purposes, including growth. Based on user-provided data about fish species, numbers, sizes, diets, water temperature and some other parameters, the software predicts future weight and number of fish, population biomass, mortality, nitrogen and phosphorus excretion and concentration of contaminants in a predator's tissues. Another example of a model-driven DSS is POND, de-
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