The application of qualitative risk assessment methodology to prioritize issues for fisheries management

Abstract

Implementing more holistic forms of fisheries management (e.g. Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD), Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management) usually increases the number and scope of impacts requiring assessment. This study examined the effectiveness of a qualitative risk assessment process, developed as part of a National ESD framework, for prioritizing issues across the seven most valuable Western Australian commercial fisheries. Structured stakeholder workshops were used to identify issues across three ecological areas: retained species (i.e. target and by-product), non-retained (i.e. discarded and protected) species, and the broader ecosystem for each fishery. The risk associated with each issue was assessed using one of five sets of consequence criteria specifically developed to cover fishery-related impacts. The risk scores, for which suitably detailed justifications were written, determined the level of reporting and management required for each issue. Despite an additional 96 “non-target species issues” being identified at the workshops from a total of 115 issues, of the 27 issues requiring explicit management actions, just six new issues were added by this process. In addition, it identified where modifications of some of the existing arrangements were necessary. Finally, the system significantly improved stakeholder involvement and therefore acceptance of the outcomes. Given this success, risk assessment has now been applied to all Western Australia's export fisheries and to the development or review of many other systems, thereby improving the entire management process.

Cumulative effects assessment: proof of concept marine mammals

“…(Francis & Shotton, 1997); Samhouri & Levin, 2012) or qualitative approaches (e.g. (Fletcher, 2005); (Breen et al, 2012); (Fletcher et al, 2010). Ecological risk assessments (e.g.…”

“…Ecological risk assessments (e.g. (Astles et al, 2006;Campbell & Gallagher, 2007); (Fletcher, 2005)) have traditionally been based on a likelihood-consequence approach for estimating the risk of a rare or unpredictable event (Williams et al, 2011). However, when an assessment of on-going (current) pressure is needed, then an exposure-effect analysis is more suitable (Smith et al, 2007) (see Figure 1).…”

Modelling climate-change effects on Australian and Pacific aquatic ecosystems: a review of analytical tools and management implications

“…Because of the cost of assessment, risk-based approaches have been developed to assess ecological risk from fishing and prioritise management responses (Fletcher 2005;Smith et al 2007b;Zhou and Griffiths 2008;Hobday et al 2011). These approaches underpin the ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) approach in Australia and derive from the implicit embedding of risk assessments in fisheries management.…”

Book Reviews

“…The first chapter provides a compelling overview of potential sources of error in an individual's judgment-as motivation to pursue quantitative risk assessment in its place. However, this text omits several notable contributions to qualitative risk assessment, e.g., Fletcher (2005), Jeffreys (2009), Liebig andHastings (2009), andVásquez et al (2006). Furthermore, he dedicates an entire chapter to the limitations of risk matrices.…”