Ecological Approach to Fisheries Management PDF

Ecological Approach to Fisheries Management Jeniel A. Santos Fisheries Management An integrated process that aims to improve the benefits that society receives from harvesting fish. Mainly focused on target species & stock assessment Single sector-specific (fisheries)...

Ecological Approach to Fisheries Management Jeniel A. Santos Fisheries Management An integrated process that aims to improve the benefits that society receives from harvesting fish. Mainly focused on target species & stock assessment Single sector-specific (fisheries) Mainly control of fishing (e.g. gear restrictions and zones) Based on biological objectives e.g. maximizing production Fisheries Management What is an Ecosystem? An ecosystem is a relatively self-contained system containing plants, animals (including humans), micro-organisms, non-living components of the environment, and the interactions between them.” Fishing can impact marine ecosystems by: Catching unwanted species (bycatch); causing physical damage to benthic habitats; and disrupting food chains. Other human activities unrelated to fishing, such as agriculture, forestry, coastal development, and introduced species and pathogens can also affect marine ecosystems. Ecosystem Linkage Ecosystem Services & Benefits Supporting services – necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services (e.g., food webs of plants and animals) Provisioning – the product obtained from the ecosystem (e.g., supply of fish for animals and human food) Regulating – benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem process (e.g., coastal protection and resilience against variability and change, as well as natural disasters) Cultural – nonmaterial benefits people obtain from an ecosystem (e.g., recreation, cultural, and traditional heritage values) Ecosystems in a Fishery Context Fish depend upon their surrounding supporting ecosystem (water, habitats) to survive and thrive Managing fisheries in isolation from what they affect and are affected by has proven to be relatively ineffective and unsustainable Ecosystem Approach It is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water, and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way (CBD 2000) EA is often used interchangeably with ecosystem-based management (EBM) The ecosystem approach is the way to implement sustainable development. Sustainable Development “Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sustainable development is about maximizing the ecosystem benefits but at the same time not degrading the systems to the extent that the benefits cannot be sustained. Sustainable Development Ecological well-being Healthy ecosystems that maximize ecosystem services Biodiversity that leads to ecosystem resilience Supportive ecosystem structure and habitats Healthy oceans, coastal areas, and watersheds Food webs based on diverse sources of primary production Human well-being Material living standards (income, food, and wealth) Health Education Food security Basic human rights e.g. political voice and influence Social connections and relationships Living environment (present and future conditions) Economic security and human safety Good Governance The way rules and regulations are set and implemented (both formal and informal). It includes: planning and implementation mechanisms processes and institutions through which citizens and governing groups voice interests, mediate differences, exercise legal rights, and meet obligations compliance and enforcement What is EAFM? EAFM is simply the ecosystem approach (EA) applied to fisheries management (FM) EAFM = EA + FM a practical way to implement sustainable development and sustainably maximize the ecosystem benefits of a fishery system Three (3) Components of EAFM Three (3) components – in Fishery Context Ecological well-being - e.g. healthy habitats, food webs, and sustainable fishing Human well-being - e.g. Increased & equitable wealth, food security, and sustainable livelihoods Good governance - e.g. effective institutions and arrangements for setting and implementing rules and regulations  EAFM vs Conventional FM Conventional FM EAFM Target species Looks at both target species Fish focused and bycatch Production driven Includes habitats and people Managed through control of Considers fisheries impacts on fishing ecosystem Government driven Manages threats to the fisheries from external factors Relies on good governance Why EAFM? Links fisheries management across jurisdictions and boundaries Helps gain political and stakeholder buy-in to fisheries Increases support for better governance This can lead to better compliance and enforcement Reduces conflicts, especially between different fishery sub-sectors Helps unlock financial resources for fisheries Good planning and momentum foster support from governments, donors, and NGOs Why EAFM? Helps protect the fishing sector from the impacts of other users Protects sub-sectors from negative impacts on each other (e.g. large-scale vs small-scale) Promotes better communication and trust EAFM Compliments other Approaches Other Management Approaches Co-management: a partnership arrangement between government and users for management (more later) forms part of EAFM Integrated coastal zone management: an ecosystem approach to managing a coastal area links with EAFM in the coastal zone Other Management Approaches Marine spatial planning: planning that delineates user access based on the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities an important tool for EAFM (zoning) Marine protected areas: a clearly defined area to achieve conservation of nature, with associated ecosystem services and cultural values another important tool for EAFM Remember EAFM is Finding the Balance Activity Balancing Societal Objectives Watch a video clip “Grinding Nemo” Answer the following questions. Grinding Nemo Questions 1. Determine the impact of industrial fishing on small-scale fishers; 2. Make a discussion on the topic “industrial fishing providing food for richer nations”; 3. Based on the video clip, How Fishing provides income; 4. Based on the video clip, What is the extent of fishing exploits the workers; 5. How does pirate fishing affects the fishing industry based on the video clip; 6. Make a discussion of the link with aquaculture (bycatch as meal for prawns); Principles of EAFM  GOOD GOVERNANCE Consensus oriented Accountable Participatory Transparent Follows the rule of Responsive Law Equitable and Effective and Inclusive Efficient APPROPRIATE SCALE