Ecosystem-based Ecosystem-based Approaches to Management Approaches to Management and Linkages to US GLOBEC and Linkages to US GLOBEC

Synthesis ActivitiesSynthesis Activities

Patricia A. LivingstonPatricia A. Livingston

NOAA-Fisheries NOAA-Fisheries

Alaska Fisheries Science Center Seattle, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Seattle, WA, USAWA, USA

NOAA’s Mission to Implement NOAA’s Mission to Implement EAMEAM• Based on recommendations from US Ocean Based on recommendations from US Ocean

Commission, Pew Report, NRC reviews, external Commission, Pew Report, NRC reviews, external Ecosystem Task Team reviewEcosystem Task Team review

• US Ocean Commission: “US ocean and coastal US Ocean Commission: “US ocean and coastal resources should be managed to reflect the resources should be managed to reflect the relationships among all ecosystem components, relationships among all ecosystem components, including humans and nonhuman species and the including humans and nonhuman species and the environments in which they live.”environments in which they live.”

Ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM)Ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) – – an approach that takes major ecosystem components and services into account in managing fisheries.

● Its goal is to sustain biological communities Its goal is to sustain biological communities and marine ecosystems at high levels of and marine ecosystems at high levels of productivity and biological diversity so as not productivity and biological diversity so as not to jeopardize a wide range of to jeopardize a wide range of goods and goods and servicesservices from marine ecosystems while from marine ecosystems while providing food, revenues and recreation for providing food, revenues and recreation for humans. humans.

National Research Council. 1998. Sustaining marine National Research Council. 1998. Sustaining marine fisheries. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.fisheries. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.

DefinitionsDefinitions

Ecosystem servicesEcosystem services – benefits that people receive – benefits that people receive from ecosystems.from ecosystems.● Provisioning Services – products obtainedProvisioning Services – products obtained: : food, food, water, fuel, fiber, biochemicals, genetic resourceswater, fuel, fiber, biochemicals, genetic resources● Regulating Services – benefits from regulationRegulating Services – benefits from regulation: : climate, disease, water purificationclimate, disease, water purification● Cultural Services – non-material benefitsCultural Services – non-material benefits: : spiritual, recreational, ecotourism, aesthetic, spiritual, recreational, ecotourism, aesthetic, educationaleducational● Supporting Services – necessary for production Supporting Services – necessary for production of all other ecosystem servicesof all other ecosystem services: : primary primary production, nutrient cycling,production, nutrient cycling, ecological value, ecological value, sustaining conditions for life on earthsustaining conditions for life on earth

DefinitionsDefinitions

NOAA defines an ecosystem approach to management as one that is:

AdaptiveRegionally directedTakes account of ecosystem knowledgeTakes account of uncertaintyConsiders multiple external influencesStrives to balance diverse societal objectives

What characteristics should there be What characteristics should there be to an ecosystem approach to to an ecosystem approach to management?management?

What characteristics should there be What characteristics should there be to an ecosystem approach to to an ecosystem approach to management?management?

WHAT

•Protect ecosystem structure and function (including diversity and habitat)•Protect key ecosystem processes •Account for food web interactions

HOW•Manage regionally•Incorporate precaution into decisions•Integrate broad societal goals•Acknowledge multiple, external influences, including climate

Review of Common Objectives from some EAM definitionsReview of Common Objectives from some EAM definitions

• Bycatch or fishery interactionsBycatch or fishery interactions

• Indirect effects of harvestingIndirect effects of harvesting

• Interactions between biological and Interactions between biological and physical components of ecosystemsphysical components of ecosystems

What are the primary issues What are the primary issues addressed under an ecosystem addressed under an ecosystem approach?approach?

What are the primary issues What are the primary issues addressed under an ecosystem addressed under an ecosystem approach?approach?

Ecosystem-based Scientific Ecosystem-based Scientific AdviceAdvice

Ecosystem-based Scientific Ecosystem-based Scientific AdviceAdvice

State-of-the-Art Population Assessments including uncertainty

State-of-the-Art Population Assessments including uncertainty

Research on Effects of Fishing on HabitatResearch on Effects of Fishing on Habitat

Improve understanding of Climate effects on Ecosystem Production

Improve understanding of Climate effects on Ecosystem Production

Development and Improvement of Predictive Models

Development and Improvement of Predictive Models

Research on Ecosystem Effects of FishingResearch on Ecosystem Effects of Fishing

Ecosystem-based Management Ecosystem-based Management Actions Actions Ecosystem-based Management Ecosystem-based Management Actions Actions

• OY cap on total OY cap on total groundfish yieldgroundfish yield

• No target fisheries on No target fisheries on forageforage

• Short-tailed albatross Short-tailed albatross take restrictions, Seabird take restrictions, Seabird bycatch mitigation bycatch mitigation devicesdevices

• No fishing in Steller sea No fishing in Steller sea lion foraging area and lion foraging area and minimum biomass minimum biomass threshold for sea lion preythreshold for sea lion prey

• Trawl closures, bottom Trawl closures, bottom trawling restrictionstrawling restrictions

CAP on TOTAL TARGET CATCHTotal yield < 2 million tonnes

• US GLOBEC US GLOBEC addresses the addresses the question of question of how global how global climateclimate change change may affect the may affect the abundancabundance e and and productionproduction of of animals in animals in the sea. the sea.

Ecosystem-Knowledge

Regionally-Directed

C lo sed A rea s

C a tchL ev e ls

E ffo rt

P h y sica l F o rc in g

M a n a g em en t

S ta tu s

Ecosystem-Based Management Measures and Outcomes

Ecosystem-Based Management Measures and Outcomes

Gear

Example:AlaskanLMRs

Human Predators

Groundfish Sharks/skates

Pelagics Other GroundfishMean Wt/Fish

NAO

Total Weight, All Species

Top-Down Forcing

Bottom-Up Forcing

Oceanic Conditions

Continental Shelf Fish Community

Temperature

Internal Biological Dynamics (e.g. trophic ecology, diversity, etc.)

Small shark & skate Landings

Groundfish Landings

Management Protocols

Average IncomeNumber of Vessels

Richness

Evenness

Ecological Forecasting Models -Example:New England ShelfEcosystem

Ecological Assessment and Forecasting supporting

Fisheries and Protected Species Management

Ecological issues considered in managing individual species

Ecosystem structure, function and productivity resulting from cumulative impacts of human activities

Dual missions for ecological assessment & forecasts:

• Fishery Management Monitoring/Research– Accurate estimates Accurate estimates

of removals and of removals and discards of target, discards of target, nontarget in nontarget in time/space time/space

– Conservative single Conservative single species harvestsspecies harvests

– Gear effects on Gear effects on habitat and habitat and nontarget speciesnontarget species

– Gear research to Gear research to minimize bycatchminimize bycatch

– Adaptive Adaptive management management (experimental (experimental approach)approach)

• Ecosystem Observation and Research– Monitoring from physics Monitoring from physics

and up (composition, and up (composition, abundance, biological abundance, biological characteristics)characteristics)

– Developing Developing understanding of understanding of mechanisms through mechanisms through experimental/process-experimental/process-based researchbased research

– Improve understanding Improve understanding of organism behavior to of organism behavior to changing conditionschanging conditions

– A variety of models A variety of models from state of the art from state of the art stock assessments to stock assessments to ecosystem-level to ecosystem-level to address a variety of address a variety of questionsquestions

Important Ingredients for an Important Ingredients for an Ecosystem-based ApproachEcosystem-based Approach

NOAA’s EAM Research PrioritiesNOAA’s EAM Research PrioritiesNOAA’s EAM Research PrioritiesNOAA’s EAM Research Priorities

• Integrate Ecosystem Observations (physical, biological, and socioeconomic)

• Conduct integrated ecosystem assessments

• Develop forecasts at the LME scale

Source: NRC 2006 Dynamic Changes in Marine Ecosystems: Fishing, Food Webs, And Future Options

Understand and DescribePollock and Bottom TemperaturePollock and Bottom Temperature

175oW 170 165 160oW

60oN

58oN

60oN

58oN

Relative CPUE 0.0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.0

Assess and Predict (Qualitative)

Recruits Recruits per per SpawnerSpawner (AFSC Stock (AFSC Stock Assessment Assessment Staff)Staff)

Living Living Marine Marine

ResourcesResourcesGROUNDFISH

EBS ATF

-3-2-10123

EBS ROCK SOLE

-3-2-10123

BS FH SOLE

-3-2-10123

EBS/AI POP

-3-2-10123

EBS POLLOCK

-3-2-10123

EBS COD

-3-2-10123

EBS YFS

-3-2-10123

BS GT

-3-2-10123

BS AK PLAICE

-3-2-10123

AI ATKA

-3-2-10123

GOA ATF

-3-2-10123

GOA NORTHERNS

-3-2-10123

GOA POP

-3-2-10123

GOA THORNYHEADS

-3-2-10123

GOA FLATHEAD SOLE

-3-2-10123

BS & GOA SABLE

-3-2-10123

GOA POLLOCK

-3-2-10123

GOA COD

-3-2-10123

Decrease Increase Variable

19

77

19

79

19

81

19

83

19

85

19

87

19

89

19

91

19

93

19

95

19

97

19

99

20

01

19

77

19

79

19

81

19

83

19

85

19

87

19

89

19

91

19

93

19

95

19

97

19

99

20

01

19

77

19

79

19

81

19

83

19

85

19

87

19

89

19

91

19

93

19

95

19

97

19

99

20

01

yellowfin sole

0

0.5

1

year

greenland turbot

0

0.5

1

67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95year

Rock sole

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95year

Flathead sole

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95year

Figure 1.--Estimated relative recruitment of Eastern Bering Sea flatfish species from stock assessments models of population abundance.

Arrowtooth flounder

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95year

Rock sole

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

fit to 1978-88fit to 1989-961978-88 data1989-96 data

Arrowtooth flounder

0

200

400

600

800

0 200 400 600 800 1000

female spawning biomass (1,000s t)

1978-88 recruits1989-96 recruits1978-88 data1989-96 data

Flathead sole

0

400

800

1200

1600

0 100 200 300 400 500

Rec

ruit

men

t (1

,000

s)

1978-88 recruits

1978-88 data

1989-96 data

Index of Advection in the E. Bering Sea and effects on winter-spawning flatfish recruitment

Rel

ativ

e R

ecru

itmen

t

Transport to nursery areas, 1980-89

Transport away from nursery areas, 1990-97

Improve understanding of Climate effects on FISH RECRUITMENT (Wilderbuer et al.)

Improve understanding of Climate effects on FISH RECRUITMENT (Wilderbuer et al.)

Assess and Predict (Quantitative)Numerical Biophysical

Predictive ModelsBiological Food Base

Energetic Models

Single Species Recruitment Models

Larval DispersalLarval Dispersal

Day 0

Day 60

Day 30Day 120

Day 90

Marine Reserve Design

Ecosystem Impacts Assessment Ecosystem Impacts Assessment Framework: Framework: PREDICTIONPREDICTIONEcosystem Impacts Assessment Ecosystem Impacts Assessment Framework: Framework: PREDICTIONPREDICTION

KEY CONSIDERATIONS 1.MODELS that incorporate processes of

interest

2.MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES to evaluate• Annual quota-setting• Management strategy evaluation of

policies

3.SCENARIOS of future environmental state

ENSURING CORE ENSURING CORE CAPABILITIESCAPABILITIES (forecasting (forecasting and risk assessments)and risk assessments)• NOAA External Task Team NOAA External Task Team

RECOMMENDATION 12: RECOMMENDATION 12: – NOAA should expand capacity in NOAA should expand capacity in

forecasting trajectories of ecosystem forecasting trajectories of ecosystem components under different hypotheses components under different hypotheses for environmental and anthropogenic for environmental and anthropogenic forcing and link these forecasts to forcing and link these forecasts to potential consequences for resource potential consequences for resource users, coastal residents, and users, coastal residents, and management options. management options.

Table 2: NHC Operational Intensity Guidance Models

Model Type Timeliness

SHIFOR Statistical Early

SHIPS Statistical Early

GFDLLimited-area baroclinic

Late

GFDIInterpolated GFDL

Early

Table 1: NHC Operational Track Guidance Models

Model Type Timeliness

AVN Global baroclinic Late

NOGAPS Global baroclinic Late

UKMET Global baroclinic Late

GFDL Limited-area baroclinic Late

GFDI Interpolated GFDL Early

LBAR Limited-area barotropic Early

BAM Trajectory Early

NHC90/NHC91 Statistical Early

CLIPER Statistical Early

Strategic Areas for New Strategic Areas for New InvestmentInvestment• New tools for modeling and forecastingNew tools for modeling and forecasting• Social science methods for linking ecosystem Social science methods for linking ecosystem

science to governancescience to governance• Identifying how humans respond to changes in Identifying how humans respond to changes in

ecosystemsecosystems• Methods for assessing and defining optimal Methods for assessing and defining optimal

ecosystem structure and functionecosystem structure and function• Ecosystem roles of toxics and contaminantsEcosystem roles of toxics and contaminants• Biodiversity and taxonomy to support an Biodiversity and taxonomy to support an

ecosystem approachecosystem approach• Data archiving and integrationData archiving and integration• Ecosystem impacts of human activitiesEcosystem impacts of human activities

Possible US GLOBEC Contributions to EAM Possible US GLOBEC Contributions to EAM Possible US GLOBEC Contributions to EAM Possible US GLOBEC Contributions to EAM

• Provide key “building blocks” for integrated ecosystem assessments:– Identify important data sets for defined

ecosystems: physical oceanography, atmos., biol.

– Expand linkage from GLOBEC studied species to others

– Provide advice on appropriate time/space scales for sampling

– Highlight results of process-oriented research that might be generalised or extended

– Develop GLOBEC “tool box” of models or model approaches

– Provide conceptual framework for regionally-based ecosystem studies