Implementing the precautionary approach into fisheries management: Biomass reference points and uncertainty buffers

The precautionary approach to fisheries management advocates for risk-averse management strategies that include biological reference points and account for scientific uncertainty (i.e. process, model and observation uncertainty). In this regard, two approaches have been recommended: (a) biomass reference points to safeguard against low stock biomass, and (b) uncertainty buffers that reduce the catch limit as a function of the scientific uncertainty. This study compares the effectiveness of these two precautionary approaches in recovering over-exploited fish stocks. We evaluate the performance of more than 80 harvest control rules (HCRs) within a stochastic management strategy evaluation (MSE) framework for three stocks with contrasting life-history parameters and under various levels of scientific uncertainty. The results show that both approaches reduce the risk of overfishing at the expense of expected yield. This risk-yield trade-off strongly depends on the HCRs, life-history parameters of the species, as well as the level of the scientific uncertainty. Nevertheless, some combinations of biomass threshold and limit reference points as well as uncertainty buffers lead to a more favourable risk-yield trade-off than other rules. This study elucidates the multiple factors affecting the effectiveness of management strategies and highlights key features of HCRs for precautionary fisheries management.     

Strong fisheries management and governance positively impact ecosystem status

Fisheries have had major negative impacts on marine ecosystems, and effective fisheries management and governance are needed to achieve sustainable fisheries, biodiversity conservation goals and thus good ecosystem status. To date, the IndiSeas programme (Indicators for the Seas) has focussed on assessing the ecological impacts of fishing at the ecosystem scale using ecological indicators. Here, we explore fisheries ‘Management Effectiveness’ and ‘Governance Quality’ and relate this to ecosystem health and status. We developed a dedicated expert survey, focused at the ecosystem level, with a series of questions addressing aspects of management and governance, from an ecosystem‐based perspective, using objective and evidence‐based criteria. The survey was completed by ecosystem experts (managers and scientists) and results analysed using ranking and multivariate methods. Results were further examined for selected ecosystems, using expert knowledge, to explore the overall findings in greater depth. Higher scores for ‘Management Effectiveness’ and ‘Governance Quality’ were significantly and positively related to ecosystems with better ecological status. Key factors that point to success in delivering fisheries and conservation objectives were as follows: the use of reference points for management, frequent review of stock assessments, whether Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) catches were being accounted for and addressed, and the inclusion of stakeholders. Additionally, we found that the implementation of a long‐term management plan, including economic and social dimensions of fisheries in exploited ecosystems, was a key factor in successful, sustainable fisheries management. Our results support the thesis that good ecosystem‐based management and governance, sustainable fisheries and healthy ecosystems go together.     

Small‐scale fisheries through the wellbeing lens

Despite longstanding recognition that small‐scale fisheries make multiple contributions to economies, societies and cultures, assessing these contributions and incorporating them into policy and decision‐making has suffered from a lack of a comprehensive integrating ‘lens’. This paper focuses on the concept of ‘wellbeing’ as a means to accomplish this integration, thereby unravelling and better assessing complex social and economic issues within the context of fisheries governance. We emphasize the relevance of the three key components of wellbeing – the material, relational and subjective dimensions, each of which is relevant to wellbeing at scales ranging from individual, household, community, fishery to human‐ecological systems as a whole. We review nine major approaches influential in shaping current thinking and practice on wellbeing: the economics of happiness, poverty, capabilities, gender, human rights, sustainable livelihoods, vulnerability, social capital, and social wellbeing. The concept of identity is a thread that runs through the relational and subjective components of social wellbeing, as well as several other approaches and thus emerges as a critical element of small‐scale fisheries that requires explicit recognition in governance analysis. A social wellbeing lens is applied to critically review a global body of literature discussing the social, economic and political dimensions of small‐scale fishing communities, seeking to understand the relevance and value addition of applying wellbeing concepts in small‐scale fisheries.     

Reference points for predators will progress ecosystem‐based management of fisheries

Ecosystem‐based management of fisheries aims to allow sustainable use of fished stocks while keeping impacts upon ecosystems within safe ecological limits. Both the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets promote these aims. We evaluate implementation of ecosystem‐based management in six case‐study fisheries in which potential indirect impacts upon bird or mammal predators of fished stocks are well publicized and well studied. In particular, we consider the components needed to enable management strategies to respond to information from predator monitoring. Although such information is available in all case‐studies, only one has a reference point defining safe ecological limits for predators and none has a method to adjust fishing activities in response to estimates of the state of the predator population. Reference points for predators have been developed outside the fisheries management context, but adoption by fisheries managers is hindered a lack of clarity about management objectives and uncertainty about how fishing affects predator dynamics. This also hinders the development of adjustment methods because these generally require information on the state of ecosystem variables relative to reference points. Nonetheless, most of the case‐studies include precautionary measures to limit impacts on predators. These measures are not used tactically and therefore risk excessive restrictions on sustainable use. Adoption of predator reference points to inform tactical adjustment of precautionary measures would be an appropriate next step towards ecosystem‐based management.     

Toward sustainable harvest strategies for marine fisheries that include recreational fishing

Recreational fishing (RF) is a large yet undervalued component of fisheries globally. While progress has been made in monitoring, assessing, and managing the sector in isolation, integration of RF into the management of multi-sector fisheries has been limited, particularly relative to the commercial sector. This marginalises recreational fishers and reduces the likelihood of achieving the sector's objectives and, more broadly, achieving fisheries sustainability. We examined the nature and extent of RF inclusion in harvest strategies (HSs) for marine fisheries across 15 regions in 11 nations to define the gap in inclusion that has developed between sectors. We focused on high-income nations with a high level of RF governance and used a questionnaire to elicit expert knowledge on HSs due to the paucity of published documents. In total, 339 HSs were considered. We found that RF inclusion in HSs was more similar to the small-scale sector (i.e., artisanal, cultural, or subsistence) than the commercial sector, with explicit operational objectives, data collection, performance indicators, reference points, and management controls lacking in many regions. Where specified, RF objectives focused on sustainability, economic value and catch allocation rather than directly relating to the recreational fishing experience. Conflicts with other sectors included competition with the commercial sector for limited resources, highlighting the importance of equitable resource allocation policies alongside HSs. We propose that RF be explicitly incorporated into HSs to ensure fisheries are ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable, and we recommend that fisheries organisations urgently review HSs for marine fisheries with a recreational component to close the harvest strategy gap among sectors.     

Wealth and welfare? Can fisheries management succeed in achieving multiple objectives? A case study of Lake Victoria,East Africa

Fisheries policies often pursue multiple objectives, which may, in some instances, be in conflict or competition with each other. It may not be possible, for example, to create or maintain employment and generate increasing volumes of revenue for government whilst also sustaining stocks and biodiversity. Two approaches to fisheries management, one focused on capturing wealth and limiting access and the other on maintaining access for employment and providing community development and welfare, present contrasting policy advice, with different points of emphases and objectives. This article examines the case of Lake Victoria, where the three main commercial fisheries are seen to contribute to different objectives for the lake's fisheries. Insights from the debate between wealth‐based and welfare‐based approaches to fisheries management provide a framework for the analysis of fisheries policy and practice on the lake. From the analysis, it is concluded that whilst there is much rhetoric in support of a wealth‐based approach, this has not been followed through in implementation, reflecting the lack of political support for new taxation and limiting access. The welfare functions of the fisheries are significant, but could be substantially strengthened through greater investment in the provision of services to fisheries communities. The approaches are not mutually exclusive, but pursuing wealth‐based management must support livelihoods, employment and development, as well as fisheries management objectives. Without the incorporation of welfare objectives, fisheries policies will not be politically accepted or fully implemented, suggesting the need for a balance between wealth and welfare objectives and measures.     

Policy analysis for tropical marine reserves: challenges and directions

Marine reserves are considered to be a central tool for marine ecosystem‐based management in tropical inshore fisheries. The arguments supporting marine reserves are often based on both the nonmarket values of ecological amenities marine reserves provide and the pragmatic cost‐saving advantages relating to reserve monitoring and enforcement. Marine reserves are, however, only one of a suite of possible policy options that might be used to achieve conservation and fisheries management objectives, and have rarely been the focus of rigorous policy analyses that consider a full range of economic costs and benefits, including the transaction costs of management. If credible analyses are not undertaken, there is a danger that current enthusiasm for marine reserves may wane as economic performance fails to meet presumed potential. Fully accounting for the value of ecological services flowing from marine reserves requires consideration of increased size and abundance of focal species within reserve boundaries, emigration of target species from reserves to adjacent fishing grounds, changes in ecological resilience, and behavioural responses of fishers to spatially explicit closures. Expanding policy assessments beyond standard cost–benefit analysis (CBA) also requires considering the impact of social capital on the costs of managing fisheries. In the short term, the amount of social capital that communities possess and the capacity of the state to support the rights of individuals and communities will affect the relative efficiency of marine reserves. Reserves may be the most efficient policy option when both community and state capacity is high, but may not be when one and/or the other is weak. In the longer term, the level of social capital that a society possesses and the level of uncertainty in ecological and social systems will also impact the appropriate level of devolution or decentralization of fisheries governance. Determining the proper balance of the state and the community in tropical fisheries governance will require broad comparative studies of marine reserves and alternative policy tools.     

Risk equivalence in data-limited and data-rich fisheries management: An example based on the ICES advice framework

Fisheries management needs to ensure that resources are exploited sustainably, and the risk of depletion is at an acceptable level. However, often uncertainty about resource dynamics exists, and data availability may differ substantially between fish stocks. This situation can be addressed through tiered systems, where tiers represent different data limitations, and tier-specific stock assessment methods are defined, aiming for risk equivalence across tiers. As case studies, we selected stocks of European plaice, Atlantic cod and Atlantic herring, where advice is provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). We conducted a closed-loop simulation to compare risk equivalence between the data-rich ICES MSY rule, based on a quantitative stock assessment, and the revised data-limited empirical management procedures of the ICES advice framework. The simulations indicated that the data-limited approaches were precautionary and did not lead to a higher risk of depletion than the data-rich approach. Although the catch based on generic data-limited approaches was lower, stock-specific optimisation improved management performance with catch levels comparable with the data-rich approach. Furthermore, the simulation indicated the ICES MSY rule can fail to meet management objectives due to increased depletion risk when management reference points are set suboptimally. We conclude that the recent revisions of the ICES system explicitly account for risk equivalence for data-limited fisheries management and are a major step forward. Finally, we advocate further consideration of simple empirical management procedures irrespective of data limitations due to their ability to meet fisheries management objectives with greater simplicity.     

Evaluating and implementing social–ecological systems: A comprehensive approach to sustainable fisheries

Fisheries sustainability is recognized to have four pillars: ecological, economic, social (including cultural) and institutional (or governance). Although international agreements, and legislation in many jurisdictions, call for implementation of all four pillars of sustainability, the social, economic and institutional aspects (i.e., the “human dimensions”) have not been comprehensively and collectively addressed to date. This study describes a framework for comprehensive fisheries evaluation developed by the Canadian Fisheries Research Network (CFRN) that articulates the full spectrum of ecological, economic, social and institutional objectives required under international agreements, together with candidate performance indicators for sustainable fisheries. The CFRN framework is aimed at practical fisheries evaluation and management and has a relatively balanced distribution of elements across the four pillars of sustainability relative to 10 alternative management decision support tools and indicator scorecards, which are heavily focused on ecological and economic aspects. The CFRN framework has five immediate uses: (a) It can serve as a logic frame for defining management objectives; (b) it can be used to define alternate management options to achieve given objectives; (c) it can serve as a tool for comparing management scenarios/options in decision support frameworks; (d) it can be employed to create a report card for comprehensive fisheries management evaluation; and (e) it is a tool for practical implementation of an integrated social–ecological system approach.     

What constitutes effective governance of recreational fisheries?—A global review

The effectiveness of recreational fisheries governance has been mixed, with some countries boasting good governance practices that sustain productive recreational fisheries, while others lack any policies and governance structures specific to recreational fisheries. Here, we identify what constitutes effective governance of recreational fisheries by carrying out: (a) a desktop review of 227 country‐specific fisheries legislation, policies and strategies; and (b) a follow‐up questionnaire‐based survey covering 57 contacts in 29 selected countries. Our results show that while recreational fishing is referred to in the main legislation of 67% of the countries reviewed, only 86 of these 152 countries provide a definition for either “recreational” or “sport” fishing and not always in the main legislation. Recreational fisheries are not considered to be effectively managed in many countries, with less than a quarter of respondents claiming that management in their country is effective. Furthermore, the management efficacy, including compliance with regulations, was considered greater for the industrial and small‐scale fishing sectors than for recreational fisheries in most countries. From our findings, it appears that effective recreational fisheries governance requires explicit acknowledgement of recreational fisheries with a clear legal definition in Policy, a well‐developed Policy statement, extensive co‐management processes, clearly defined biological, economic and social monitoring structures and efficient and transparent cost recovery mechanisms. To ensure adaptation to rapidly changing conditions, policy should recognize all fishery sectors and proactively incorporate adaptive planning and contingency plans to effectively secure the diverse values of resources for all users.     

Managing non‐target,data‐poor species using catch limits: lessons from the Alaskan groundfish fishery

Abstract The 2006 reauthorisation of the Magnuson‐Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires annual catch limits for all target and non‐target species within federally managed fisheries in the United States. In Alaska, both target and non‐target species in the Alaska groundfish fisheries have been managed using catch limits since the early 1990s. Non‐target species that are caught incidentally in a fishery require monitoring to ensure that the population is not negatively impacted by commercial fishing. Resource assessment scientists have been challenged with obtaining sufficient data to recommend an acceptable catch level for management of these species. This paper reviews three case studies where a catch limit is determined for non‐target species when certain data are limited: (1) varying levels of biomass and catch data for all species within a species group or complex; (2) adequate catch data but no biomass data; (3) emerging target fishery of data‐poor species, plus an example of how a complex of ecosystem component species is managed.     

Implementing ecosystem‐based management: evolution or revolution?

As a dominant paradigm, ecosystem‐based fisheries have to come to terms with uncertainty and complexity, an interdisciplinary visioning of management objectives, and putting humans back into the ecosystem. The goal of this article is to suggest that implementing ecosystem‐based management (EBM) has to be ‘revolutionary’ in the sense of going beyond conventional practices. It would require the use of multiple disciplines and multiple objectives, dealing with technically unresolvable management problems of complex adaptive systems and expanding scope from management to governance. Developing the governance toolbox would require expanding into new kinds of interaction unforeseen by the mid‐twentieth‐century fathers of fishery science – governance that may involve cooperative, multilevel management, partnerships, social learning and knowledge co‐production. In addition to incorporating relatively well‐known resilience, adaptive management and co‐management approaches, taking EBM to the next stage may include some of the following: conceptualizing EBM as a ‘wicked problem’; conceptualizing fisheries as social‐ecological systems; picking and choosing from an assortment of new governance approaches; and finding creative ways to handle complexity.     

Catching the future: Applying Bayesian belief networks to exploratory scenario storylines to assess long‐term changes in Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras,Clupeidae) and salmon (Salmo salar,Salmonidae) fisheries

Fisheries management aims to ensure that the fishing activities are environmentally sustainable in the long term, while also achieving the economic, social and food security related management objectives. To facilitate this, both the ecological and human dimensions of sustainability need to be included in fisheries assessment. In addition, assessing long‐term sustainability calls for taking into account plausible changes in the surrounding societal conditions that shape the characteristics of the fisheries governance system, as well as the ecological conditions. The paper uses a combination of qualitative exploratory scenario storylines (ESS) and Bayesian belief networks (BBN) to integrate the environmental, economic, social and food security dimensions in an interdisciplinary assessment of the future sustainability of Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras, Clupeidae) and salmon (Salmo salar, Salmonidae) fisheries. First, four alternative ESS were created based on plausible changes in societal drivers. The ESS were then formulated into a BBN to (a) visualize the assumed causalities, and (b) examine quantitatively how changes in the societal drivers affect the social‐ecological fisheries system and ultimately the fisheries management objectives. This type of probabilistic scenario synthesis can help in thinking qualitative scenarios in a quantitative way. Moreover, it can increase understanding on the causal links between societal driving forces and the complex fisheries system and on how the management objectives can be achieved, thereby providing valuable information for strategic decision‐making under uncertainty.     

Governance interactions in small‐scale fisheries market chains: Examples from the Asia‐Pacific

Small‐scale fisheries are subject to various governing institutions operating at different levels with different objectives. At the same time, small‐scale fisheries increasingly form part of domestic and international market chains, with consequent effects for marine environments and livelihoods of the fishery‐dependent. Yet there remains a need to better understand how small‐scale fisheries market chains interact with the range of governance institutions that influence them. In this paper, we examine how multiple governance systems function along market chains, in order to identify opportunities for improved multiscale governance. We use three small‐scale fisheries with varying local to global market chains operating in the Asia‐Pacific region to develop a framework for analysis. Drawing from Interactive Governance theory we identify governing systems that have come to operate at particular sections in each market chain. We recognize four institutions that shape the governance over the length of the chain; namely those centred on (a) government, (b) private sector and pricing, (c) decentralized multistakeholder management and (d) culture and social relations. The framework shows how diverse arrangements of these governing institutions emerge and take effect along market chains. In doing so, we seek to move away from prescribed “ideals” of universal governing arrangements for fisheries and their market chains, and instead illuminate how governing systems function interactively across multiple scales.     

What makes fisheries data informative?

Informative data in fisheries stock assessment are those that lead to accurate estimates of abundance and reference points. In practice, the accuracy of estimated abundance is unknown and it is often unclear which features of the data make them informative or uninformative. Neither is it obvious which model assumptions will improve estimation performance, given a particular data set. In this simulation study, 10 hypotheses are addressed using multiple scenarios, estimation models, and reference points. The simulated data scenarios all share the same biological and fleet characteristics, but vary in terms of the fishing history. The estimation models are based on a common statistical catch‐at‐age framework, but estimate different parameters and have different parts of the data available to them. Among the findings is that a ‘one‐way trip’ scenario, where harvest rate gradually increases while abundance decreases, proved no less informative than a contrasted catch history. Models that excluded either abundance index or catch at age performed surprisingly well, compared to models that included both data types. Natural mortality rate, M, was estimated with some reliability when age‐composition data were available from before major catches were removed. Stock‐recruitment steepness, h, was estimated with some reliability when abundance‐index or age‐composition data were available from years of very low abundance. Understanding what makes fisheries data informative or uninformative enables scientists to identify fisheries for which stock assessment models are likely to be biased or imprecise. Managers can also benefit from guidelines on how to distribute funding and manpower among different data collection programmes to gather the most information.     

渔业管理中生物学参考点的理论及其应用

生物学参考点常被表示为与渔业管理相关联的捕捞死亡率和生物量,是单从生物学角度来衡量渔业资源及其开发状况的指标。通常可分为目标参考点、限制参考点和阈值参考点。目标参考点是为了持续获得某一目标渔获量所需的最小生物量和相应捕捞死亡率,包括目标生物量(Bmsy)、目标产卵亲体量(Smsy、SSB35%、SSB40%)、目标捕捞死亡率(Fmsy、Fmax、F0.1、Fmed、F40%、F40%)等参数。限制参考点用于保证捕捞死亡率不会高到危害鱼类种群的可持续利用和其生物量不会低到危害其生存,主要包括Fmsy、Fmax、F0.1、Fcrash、F20%、Bloss等参数。阈值参考点介于目标参考点和限制参考点之间,包括预防性捕捞死亡率Fpa、预防性生物量Bpa,主要对渔业资源的开发和管理进行预警,防止生物量小于BL。生物学参考点主要应用动态综合模型、产量模型和亲体量补充量关系模型来估算,估算过程中需要考虑到补充、生长、死亡等生命史过程中的不确定性。本文对生物学参考点的发展和应用进行了综述,并以金枪鱼渔业为例阐述它在渔业管理上的应用。近几十年来,我国近海渔业资源出现衰退,亟需利用生物学参考点的原理和方法对重要渔业资源种类进行...     

A typology of fisheries management tools: using experience to catalyse greater success

Fisheries provide nutrition and livelihoods for coastal populations, but many fisheries are fully or over‐exploited and we lack an approach for analysing which factors affect management tool performance. We conducted a literature review of 390 studies to assess how fisheries characteristics affected management tool performance across both small‐scale and large‐scale fisheries. We defined success as increased or maintained abundance or biomass, reductions in fishing mortality or improvements in population status. Because the literature only covered a narrow set of biological factors, we also conducted an expert elicitation to create a typology of broader fishery characteristics, enabling conditions and design considerations that affect performance. The literature suggested that the most commonly used management tool in a region was often the most successful, although the scale of success varied. Management tools were more often deemed successful when used in combination, particularly pairings of tools that controlled fishing mortality or effort with spatial management. Examples of successful combinations were the use of catch limits with quotas and limited entry, and marine protected areas with effort restrictions. The most common factors associated with inadequate biological performance were ‘structural’ issues, including poor design or implementation. The expert‐derived typologies revealed strong local leadership, high community involvement and governance capacity as common factors of success across management tool categories (i.e. input, output and technical measures), but the degree of importance varied. Our results are designed to inform selection of appropriate management tools based on empirical data and experience to increase the likelihood of successful fisheries management.     

Co-management without involvement: the plight of fishing communities

This paper discusses the role of fishing communities in the stewardship of their adjacent fish resources, and the benefits associated with community participation in co‐management. Contrary to the view of most fisheries management agencies, local communities are able to design institutions that can successfully restore equity and limit access to the fishery. The dismissal of local concerns may be at the root of biological and social crises in fisheries, and the privatization of common fishing rights world‐wide through individual transferable quotas (ITQs) is contributing to these problems. Community involvement that is embedded into a network of management at larger spatial scales would allow fishing communities to regain some control over their livelihoods. Meaningful co‐management arrangements must go beyond consultation by redirecting the flow of social and economic benefits from the fishery back into communities. Unless geographically defined communities are allowed to share power and responsibility with government fisheries managers, both fish stocks and fishing as a way of life are in danger of vanishing.     

Attending to spatial social–ecological sensitivities to improve trade‐off analysis in natural resource management

Balancing trade‐offs amongst social–ecological objectives is a central aim of natural resource management. However, objectives and resources often have spatial dimensions, which are usually ignored in trade‐off analyses. We examine how simultaneously integrating social–ecological benefits and their spatial complexities can improve trade‐off analysis. We use Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii, Clupeidae)—an ecologically important forage fish with social, cultural and economic value to communities and commercial fisheries—as a case study. By combining spatial management strategy evaluation with social benefits analysis, we illustrate when policies aimed at aggregate stocks versus spatially segregated substocks of fish fail to balance trade‐offs amongst social–ecological objectives. Spatial measures (e.g. area‐based closures) may achieve some objectives but produce alternative trade‐offs that are sensitive to assumptions about fish population dynamics and social complexities. Our analyses identify policies that are inefficient (e.g. yielding economic costs without producing social or ecological gains), highlight management strategies that generate trade‐offs and indicate when costs are distributed unequally for different user groups. We also point to strategies with outcomes that are robust to spatial uncertainties and reveal research priorities by identifying which performance metrics exhibit sensitivity to spatial ecological assumptions. Collectively, our analyses demonstrate how incorporating social objectives and spatial dynamics into management strategy evaluation can reveal trade‐offs and the implications of management decisions.     

Approaches to fully documented fisheries: practical issues and stakeholder perceptions

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform sets out a move to a land‐all catch policy in European Union waters with a requirement for full reporting of fishing and on‐board processing activity. We explore the merits, stakeholder perceptions and applicability of different technology and approaches to the full documentation of fisheries that might be considered in the context of implementing the CFP reform. While recent efforts have focused on demonstrating how remote electronic monitoring (REM) systems can be utilized in fully documented fisheries (FDF), other technologies and approaches such as reference fleet and self‐sampling exist that could contribute to delivering FDF. Perceptions of fishers show that they would prefer using a reference fleet or self‐sampling to REM systems as a future method of implementing FDF. In general, there is support from the fishing industry for data collection and enhancement, but there remains some mistrust concerning the use of the data. Findings show that the most appropriate means and methods of FDF will depend on the circumstances and objectives for full documentation whether in enforcing a discard ban, documentation of total catch or data enhancement. We conclude that any technology or approach that will be used to deliver the monitoring requirements for FDF needs to make practical and commercial sense at the fishing vessel level.