BUILDING EFFECTIVE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM PLANS

Abstract

Connections matter. That is the unifying principle of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). Ecological connections matter because fishing affects target species, predators, prey, competitors, bycatch species, and habitat. Economic connections matter because management affects fishermen, wholesalers, retailers, and recreational fishing guides. And social connections matter because fishing supports families and communities. U.S. fisheries management has made tremendous strides under the current management framework, which centers on single stocks or stock complexes rather than ecosystems. In addition, fishermen, managers, and many others have cooperated to reduce bycatch, conserve habitats, and improve the equity and safety of fisheries. However, conventional management has certain limitations. It generally focuses on one fishing sector at a time, which may unexpectedly lead to worse outcomes in another sector. It often considers a narrow range of issues, potentially overlooking other factors that shape fishery systems, such as loss of habitat and the behavior of people and markets. And fundamentally, the current system is atomized into individual fishery management plans (FMPs), often leaving little opportunity to consider overarching management goals or the trade-offs across fisheries that attend almost every decision. EBFM provides mechanisms to address these issues and many others. Yet despite this, and despite many other reports and studies that have made the case for EBFM, it has not been widely adopted. The Task Force believes a major reason is that there is no clear way to put its principles into practice.