Policy background of Ecosystem approach to fisheries management 427.18 Kb

The concepts and principles of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management are contained in a number of international instruments, agreements and conference that have already been negotiated, adopted or are in the process of being implemented.

These include:

• the 1972 World Conference on Human Environment;
• the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea Convention;
• the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and its Agenda 21;
• the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity;
• the 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement; and
• the 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.

More specifically, the Reykjavik Declaration (2001) requires that scientific advice on fisheries management shall be based on an “Ecosystem Approach” by 2010. More recently, the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002) adopted a Political Declaration and a Plan of Implementation in relation to capture fisheries. In the Declaration, the Heads of States agreed to: develop and facilitate the use of diverse approaches and tools, including the ecosystem approach, the elimination of destructive practices, the establishment of marine protected areas ... and the integration of marine and coastal areas into key sectors.

The purpose of an ecosystem approach to fisheries, therefore is to plan, develop and manage fisheries in a manner that addresses the multiple needs and desires of societies, without jeopardizing the options for future generations to benefit from the full range of goods and services provided by marine ecosystem (FAO,2003).

From this purpose, an ecosystem approach to fisheries strives to balance diverse societal objectives, by taking into account the knowledge and uncertainties about biotic, abiotic and human components of ecosystems and their interactions and applying an integrated approach to fisheries within ecologically meaningful boundaries (FAO, 2003).

Both the purpose and the definition recognize that ecosystem approach to fisheries management is a means to implement sustainable development concepts into fisheries by addressing both human and ecological well-being.

Af for the FAO, fisheries management under the ecosystem approach to fisheries management should respect the following principles:

  fisheries should be managed to limit their impact on the ecosystem to the extent possible;

 ecological relationships between harvested, dependent and associated species should be maintained;

 management measures should be compatible across the entire distribution of the resource (across jurisdictions and management plans);

 the precautionary approach should be applied because the knowledge on ecosystems is incomplete; and

 governance should ensure both human and ecosystem well-being and equity.

The Institute for Environment and Sustainability of the Joint Research Centre provides scientific and technical support towards a European approach on assessment and monitoring of the coastal and marine aquatic environment under Action 2121. In this context the Action supports the ecosystem approach which can be defined as “the comprehensive integrated management of human activities based on the best available scientific knowledge about the ecosystem and its dynamics, in order to identify and take action on influences which are critical to the health of marine ecosystems, thereby achieving sustainable use of ecosystem goods and services and maintenance of ecosystem integrity.” 

The ecosystem approach is also a fundamental element in the development of EU legislation, e.g. the upcoming Marine Strategy. Indeed, the Green paper on the future integrated Maritime Policy states as second pillar that the Maritime Policy must maintain and improve the status of the resource upon which all maritime activities are based: the ocean itself. To do this, ecosystem-based management, built on scientific knowledge, is essential.

ICES work

The overreaching objective for scientific advice is the rational exploitation of the marine resources. This was laid down in the principle of “sustainability” and was worked out into more details with the adoption of the precautionary approach.

The Reykjavik declaration (2001) requires that scientific advice on fisheries management shall be based on an “Ecosystem Approach” by 2010. ICES reviewed its policy in this respect at the 13th Dialogue meeting in 2004 and together with its Clients on advice for fisheries management concluded that ICES will implement the Ecosystem Approach in a stepwise manner: each component of the ecosystem will be considered and included in the advice but in the context of our understanding of the interactions among the subsystems and considering the amount and quality of the available data. ICES at the same meeting considered the most important components to include. In response to the 5th North Sea Conference (Bergen 2003) ICES has conducted a holistic assessment of the North Sea (the REGNS process). This analysis brought together all available fisheries and environmental data for the North Sea but the results suggested that in practical terms the stepwise approach is the only viable option at the moment.

ICES has restructured its Advisory report 2004-2005. The report is now a comprehensive single report for all topics and includes Ecosystem overviews. Work on the development of an ecosystem assessment continues together with HELCOM (Baltic Sea) and OSPAR (Northeast Atlantic).

Summaries

The summaries (Technical Leaflets) relating to long-term management and recovery plans include

• COST-IMPACT
• BEEP
• INDECO
• BECAUSE
• PROTECT (MPAs)
• EMPAFISH (MPAs)

• FAO Fisheries Department. 2003. The ecosystem approach to fisheries. FAO Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries. No. 4, Suppl. 2. Rome, FAO. 2003. 112 p.
• Green paper: towards a future Maritime Policy for the Union: A European vision for the oceans and Seas COM (2006) 275 final.