Ecosystem-based fisheries management: some practical suggestions

Abstract

Globally, there is increased scientific and public interest in the concept of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). This trend is fueled by a widespread perception that large-scale fishing operations are powerful forces altering the structure and function of marine ecosystems. It is acknowledged that management needs to better account for variations in ocean productivity, stock structure, and changing social values. Many countries are contemplating how to improve ocean fishery management. In the United States, fishery management bodies are experiencing pressure to undertake the daunting task of moving from their current single-species management plans to EBFM. Impediments include lack of a clear definition of EBFM, what it entails, or how to proceed. In this paper, characteristics of fishery management that are unique to EBFM are identified. The transition to EBFM needs to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. A course of action is outlined that can be used to guide this transition. Modeling approaches and metrics useful for planning, implementing, and evaluating EBFM are discussed, with particular emphasis on management strategy evaluation.Résumé : Il y a, à l'échelle globale, un intérêt croissant chez les scientifiques et le public en général pour le concept de gestion des pêches axée sur les écosystèmes (EBFM, ecosystem-based fisheries management). Cette tendance est alimentée par la perception que les opérations de pêche de grande envergure constituent des forces puissantes qui altèrent la structure et le fonctionnement des écosystèmes marins. On reconnaît que l'aménagement doit mieux tenir compte des variations de la productivité océanique, de la structure des stocks et des valeurs sociales changeantes. Plusieurs pays cherchent comment améliorer la gestion des pêches dans l'océan. Aux États-Unis, les organismes responsables de la gestion des pêches subissent de fortes pressions pour remplacer leurs plans actuels axés sur les espèces individuelles par l'EBFM. Une des difficultés est l'absence de définition claire de l'EBFM; il est aussi nécessaire d'en connaître les implications et de savoir comment procéder. Nous identifions ici les caractéristiques de la gestion des pêches qui se retrouvent exclusivement dans l'EBFM. La transition vers l'EBFM doit se faire par évolution plutôt que par révolution. Nous proposons un plan d'action pour guider cette transition. Nous discutons aussi des méthodologies de modélisation et des métriques utiles pour la planification, la mise en oeuvre et l'évaluation de l'EBFM avec une attention particulière portée à l'évaluation des stratégies de gestion.[Traduit par la Rédaction] Marasco et al. 939

Regime shifts, resilience and recovery of a cod stock

“…The cod stock in the Sound recovered to preshift conditions whereas those in neighbouring areas remained in a depleted state. The socioeconomic costs of an ecosystem switch with a decline of commercially valuable fish species can be enormous and, therefore, the maintenance and restoration of ecosystem resilience is an important part of a successful ecosystem-based fisheries management strategy (Folke et al 2004, Marasco et al 2007). …”

“…Determining the relative importance of these drivers in causing regime shifts is difficult due to co-occurring and often synergistic effects. The ability to separate these effects is of vital importance in developing ecosystem-based management strategies and achieving sustainable use of fisheries resources in the future (Pikitch et al 2004, Marasco et al 2007, Lindegren et al 2009). …”

Qualitative analysis of recreational fisher response and the ecosystem impacts of management strategies in a data-limited situation

“…EBFM is the next step forward for fisheries management and can be considered as an operational extension of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) (Fletcher et al 2002). This form of management recognises the physical, biological, economic and social interactions among the affected components of the ecosystem and attempts to 455 manage fisheries to achieve multiple, often competing social objectives (Marasco et al 2007). As such, it is critical that social information, such as recreational fisher M a n u s c r i p t Table 1.…”

Integrated ecological–economic fisheries models—Evaluation, review and challenges for implementation

“…This understanding may help managers to avoid the well-documented unintended consequences of management actions that might not be predicted by simpler models that do not account for interactions and feedback processes between system components (Beddington, Agnew, & Clark, 2007;Hicks et al, 2016;Hilborn, 2007;Hilborn, 2011;Hilborn et al, 2015;Holling, 2001;Marchal et al, 2016;Ostrom, 2009;Walters 1998;Wilen et al, 2002;Worm et al, 2009). Complex feedbacks and impacts between ecosystems, exploited species and fisheries systems have been investigated and discussed extensively (Branch et al, 2010;Garcia & Cochrane, 2005;Gascuel et al, 2016;Hill et al, 2007;Howarth, Roberts, Thurstan, & Stewart, 2013;Marasco et al, 2007;Murawski et al, 2010;Neubauer, Jensen, Hutchhings, & Baum, 2013;Österblom, Jouffray, Spijkers, 2016;Pauly et al, 2013;Plagányi and Butterworth 2004; Rose et al, 2010). Comprehensive reviews of ecosystem and biological models have been conducted addressing this complexity and feedback processes (e.g.…”