Ecological Approach to Fisheries Management

Ecological Approach to Fisheries Management

• Fisheries management is an integrated process aimed at improving societal benefits from fish harvesting.
• It focuses on target species and stock assessments, including single-sector specific fisheries.
• Control measures like gear restrictions and zones are employed.
• Management is based on maximizing biological objectives, such as production.

What is an Ecosystem?

• An ecosystem is a self-contained system of plants, animals (including humans), micro-organisms, non-living environmental components, and their interactions.
• Fishing impacts marine ecosystems through:
  • Bycatch (unwanted species)
  • Habitat damage to benthic habitats
  • Disruption of food chains
• Human activities like agriculture, forestry, and coastal development, along with introduced species and pathogens, also affect marine ecosystems.

Ecosystem Linkage

• Habitat destruction leads to increased coastal erosion, increased sediment and pollutants, loss of seagrass habitat, and declining human well-being.
• Decreased fisheries result from habitat destruction, while decreased storm buffering and lost tourism revenue are also consequences.

Ecosystem Services & Benefits

• Supporting services are necessary for the production of other ecosystem services, such as food webs.
• Provisioning services include supplying fish for human and animal food.
• Regulating services include coastal protection, resilience against change, and natural disaster responses.
• Cultural services comprise non-material benefits like recreation, cultural, and traditional heritage values.

Ecosystems in a Fishery Context

• Fish depend on their surrounding supporting ecosystems (water and habitats).
• Managing fisheries in isolation from their impacts and being affected is ineffective and unsustainable.

Ecosystem Approach

• It's a strategy to integrate the management of land, water, and living resources, promoting conservation and sustainable use equitably.
• Often used synonymously with Ecosystem-based Management (EBM).
• Implementing sustainable development is achieved through this approach.

Sustainable Development

• "Development that satisfies present needs without compromising future generations' ability to satisfy their own needs."
• It entails maximizing ecosystem benefits while avoiding system degradation to a point where benefits are no longer sustainable.
• Sustainable development balances ecological well-being, good governance, and human well-being for future generations.

Ecological well-being

• Healthy ecosystems maximize ecosystem services.
• Biodiversity fosters ecosystem resilience.
• Supportive ecosystem structures and habitats are maintained.
• Healthy oceans and coastal areas, as well as watersheds, are vital.
• Diverse sources of primary production support complex food webs.

Human well-being

• Material living standards encompass income, food, and wealth.
• Health, education, and food security are fundamental.
• Basic human rights, like political voice and influence, are necessary.
• Strong social connections and relationships are important.
• Living environments, both present and future, are crucial.
• Economic security and safety for people are paramount.

Good Governance

• Good governance is the way rules and regulations are established and implemented.
• It includes planning and implementing mechanisms, enabling citizens and governance groups to voice opinions, mediate conflicts, and enact their legal rights and responsibilities.
• Compliance and enforcement are key parts of good governance.

What is EAFM?

• EAFM (Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management) is an application of the ecosystem approach in fisheries management.
• EAFM is equivalent to EA + FM.
• A practical approach to implement sustainable development and maximize ecosystem benefits in fisheries systems.

Three (3) Components of EAFM

• These components are ecological well-being, human well-being, and good governance.

Three (3) Components – in Fishery Context

• Healthy habitats, food webs, and sustainable fishing exemplify ecological well-being.
• Increased & equitable wealth, food security, and sustainable livelihoods define human well-being.
• Effective institutions and arrangements for rules and regulations characterize good governance.

EAFM vs Conventional FM

• Conventional fisheries management focuses on target species and production, driven by government control.
• EAFM incorporates bycatch, habitats, people, and ecosystem impacts; this approach relies on good governance.

Why EAFM?

• EAFM links fisheries management across jurisdictions, fostering political and stakeholder support.
• It increases support for good governance, leading to better compliance and enforcement.
• Conflicts are reduced, especially between different fishery sub-sectors.
• Financial resources for fisheries are unlocked.
• Good planning and momentum for support from governments, donors, and NGOs are fostered.

Protection and Communication Fostering

• EAFM protects the fishing sector from impacts of other users and protects sub-sectors.
• EAFM promotes communication and trust.

EAFM Compliments Other Approaches

• EAFM complements co-management, integrated coastal zone management, and marine spatial planning.

Other Management Approaches

• Co-management: a partnership involving government and users for management (part of EAFM).
• Integrated coastal zone management: an ecosystem approach to coastal management (linked with EAFM).
• Marine spatial planning: planning for user access based on spatial and temporal distribution (important for EAFM).
• Marine protected areas: clearly defined areas for nature conservation, ecosystem services, and cultural values (important for EAFM).

Remember EAFM is Finding the Balance

• EAFM balances human well-being and ecological well-being.

Activity

• The activity involves watching a video clip titled "Grinding Nemo" and answering subsequent questions. Questions focus on industrial fishing's impact on small-scale fishing, ethical implications of fishing for wealthy nations, economic aspects of fishing, negative impacts on workers, impacts of pirate fishing, and connections with aquaculture.

Questions

• The provided questions delve into the specific impacts of industrial fishing.
• They involve discussions about fishing's role in food supply, worker exploitation, pirate fishing, and connections with aquaculture.

Principles of EAFM

• Key principles for EAFM are outlined.
  • Good governance, Appropriate scale, Increased participation, Multiple objectives, Adaptive management, Precautionary approach, Cooperation and coordination.

Good Governance

• Good governance is defined as consensus oriented, participatory, rule of law adherent, and effective and efficient.

Appropriate Scale

• The concept of appropriate scale in EAFM is discussed.