Delivering sustainable fisheries through adoption of a risk-based framework as part of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management

Abstract

Recently, the role which fisheries play in the provision of marine ecosystem services has been more widely acknowledged, largely as a result in recent years of fisheries management organisations developing and adopting more ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management (EAFM). Accordingly, several important management and science challenges have been identified. We argue that these challenges represent a number of important steps which underpin effective science based fisheries management, and when taken together and integrated, offer a logical framework by which to best achieve an EAFM. The challenges, or steps of the framework, identified and described are, i. defining appropriate spatial management units based upon significant and coherent ecosystem production processes, ii. assessing multi-species stock dynamics, iii. developing mixed fisheries management approaches, and iv. assessing the impacts of fisheries on non-target species and ecosystem components. The paper considers how the knowledge gained from research on these challenges can be applied to a risk-based management framework as an essential step towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 with respect to the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources for sustainable development

Deep‐water fisheries along the British Isles continental slopes: status, ecosystem effects and future perspectives

“…As evidenced by the recent introduction of depth ban on trawl fishing bellow 800 m, there is an intention to reduce of bottom‐trawl fisheries to allow the sustainability of deep‐water fisheries and to protect benthic ecosystems (EU, ). An integrated ecosystem‐based approach coupling the management of deep‐water fish stocks and the state of benthic ecosystems (Kenny et al , ) would allow a better understanding of direct and indirect effects of bottom trawling on benthos and how fisheries effects reflect changes in food webs and ultimately in fish stocks. Implementing such strategies can be a step towards the achievement of the SDGs and contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.…”

Linking Small-Scale Fisheries to International Obligations on Marine Technology Transfer

“…ICTs are increasingly being used across the fisheries sector, from resource assessment, capture or culture to processing and commercialization. Some of these technologies are specific to fisheries (e.g., sonar for locating fish), while others are general purpose applications (e.g., Global Positioning Systems (GPS) used for navigation and location finding, mobile phones for trading, information exchange and emergencies, radio programming with fishing communities, Web-based information and networking resources) [4,18]. The Declaration of Principles of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) highlighted the potential contribution of ICTs in building "a peoplecentred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and peoples to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development and improving their quality of life" [19, para 1, 20, 21].…”

“…As for SDG 17, ICTs are instrumental for knowledge-sharing among stakeholders from different regions (SDG 17.6) and for building partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society at the national, regional, international and global levels (SDG 17.7) [22]. In addition, ICTs can serve as a catalyst for coordinated action and partnerships towards the eradication of poverty, hunger and malnutrition in parallel to the sustainable use and management of natural resources [4,22,23].…”

“…On the other hand, fisheries science is "gradually becoming more ecological", moving away from its traditional focus on the assessment of MSY for individual species towards multi-species stock analyses and a wider focus on ecosystem-based management at multiple scales [2, p. 380, 3]. Significant in this regard is the contribution of marine science to the identification of biogeographical boundaries and the subsequent delineation of management units; the identification of areas that warrant protection due to their importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services; and the adoption of precautionary reference points for conservation and management purposes [4].…”

“…The central part of the article explores the inter-State obligations related to technology transfer, focusing on the duty to cooperate and to share information with a view to fleshing out the concept of partnerships for sustainable development. 4 The article concludes by suggesting how the international law of the sea can be better implemented to enhance international cooperation on marine technology transfer to the benefit of small-scale fisheries, on the basis of the normative standards of the human right to science and the lessons learnt in international biodiversity law, with a view to contributing to the synergetic implementation of the SDGs through genuine partnerships.…”