Marine Ecosystem–Based Management (EBM):

Contribution of Marine Biology for a Sustainable Future – Session 4

Mark Zacharias

Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of GeographyUniversity of Victoria

Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and LandsProvince of British Columbia

Diane Rome Peebles

My talk today

The Contribution of Marine Biology for a Sustainable Future – Session 4

¾ Brief history of marine management from land/sea tenure systems to modern international agreements

¾ What is marine EBM and where did it come from?¾ Steps to undertake successful marine EBM¾ International applications of marine EBM¾ A critique on marine EBM

Marine EBM : A personal perspective

Marine EBM : A personal perspective

Marine EBM : A personal perspective

Pacific Coast Collaborative

• Clean Energy; • Regional transportation; • Innovation, research and development; • Enhancing a sustainable regional economy, especially with

respect to environmental good and services; • Emergency management

Marine EBM : A manager’s perspective

• What really is marine EBM?• Is it really different from status quo management?• How should it be properly applied?• How do I ensure EBM plans are implemented?• Is marine EBM good value for money?

Ecosystem-based managementAdaptive environmental assessment and management

Ecosystem approachesIntegrated ecosystem-based management

Adaptive management

Integrated managementEcologically sustainable development

Sustainable development Environmental management systemsIntegrated oceans managementEcosystem approaches to fisheries

Ecosystem-based fisheries management1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Coastal zone managementIntegrated coastal zone management

1. Significant interest in the topic2. Some jurisdictions have EBM legislation3. Long application of EBM concepts in international law4. EBM in many instances simply improved fisheries management5. No single guide to marine EBM6. EBM being applied in dozens of countries

Setting the context for marine EBM

1760

1960

1860

Ocean resources are inexhaustible

Key fisheries are inexhaustible.

Major fish populations decline;Traditional fishing communities breakdown; Ecosystems deteriorate.

200 Years

Christensen et al. (2007)

Adapted : Christensen et al.,20081950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2004

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Setting the context for marine EBM

Global Catch Since 1950

Industrialized Fishing Fleets

Pollution

• Artificial radionuclides• Petroleum hydrocarbons • Chlorinated hydrocarbons• Metals• Organotin• Carcinogens• Mutagens• Pesticides• Endocrine disrupters• Acidification• Eutrophication

• Light• Noise• Thermal• Invasive species

• Disease• Visual• Plastic• Sewage• Garbage

Pollution and contaminants

Setting the context for marine EBM

Habitat LossKelp Mangroves Sea grasses Corals

Other biotic communitiesMud flats and estuariesBeaches Dredging, dumping.

Setting the context for marine EBM

How we use marine environments

1. Biological resource harvesting2. Mineral and energy extraction3. Waste disposal4. Biological resource cultivation5. Transportation and communication6. National defence and marine safety7. Urban development8. Tourism and recreation

Land & Sea Tenure 1886

Hawaii

Ahupua’aVertical land-to-sea

management units

Puako Bay and Reef

What is Ecosystem-Based Management?

Juvik et al. 2008, Mueller-Dombois and Wirawan (2005)

Pre 1886 Hawaiian managementPuako Bay & Reef

Juvik et al. 2008, Mueller-Dombois and Wirawan (2005)Ahupua’a

Pre 1886 Hawaiian management

• Closed areas• Closed seasons or bans while spawning• Letting some fish escape (MSY)• Holding excess catch in enclosures until

needed• Ban on taking small individuals• Use of lagoons when reefs too rough• Restrictions on taking seabirds or their

eggs• Restrictions on the number of fish traps in

an area• Bans on taking turtle eggs• Bans on taking turtles on the beach

Juvik et al. 2008, Mueller-Dombois and Wirawan (2005)

1. Lagoon/reef tenure2. Superstition/myth

Modern marine management

Hugo GrotiusMare Liberum (1609)

Cornelius van BynkershoekDe dominio maris (1702)

The “cannon shot rule”

John Selden Mare clausum (1635)

The ‘Common Property’ Rubric

Unregulated exploitation

Over-capitalization

Resource misappropriation

e.g., American lobster , 1895, New England, USA

Tragedies ComediesLocal ‘private fish property’ wars

Commoners lose access to the commons

Policy speaks for the fishers & Science speaks for the fish

e.g., Chesapeake Bay oysters, 1900, Maryland, USA

Kennedy and Breisch (1983)

Single-Species Management

All too common…

Declining populations

Northern Shrimp

Idoine (2006)

The Northeast Multi-Species Groundfish Fishery

Multi-Species Management

Mayo and O’Brien (2006)

1. Minimum fish sizes by species2. Closed areas3. Protect spawning areas

Limitations to current approaches

• Fragmented ocean governance• Maintaining ecosystem elements• Managing diverse impacts• Lack of recognition of connections between:

– Ecosystem structure, functioning and services– Land and the sea– Marine habitats– Species – Diverse stressor– Knowledge and uncertainty

Guerry 2005

What is marine EBM?

Compass 2005

An integrated approach to management that considers the entire ecosystem, including humans with the goal to maintain an ecosystem in a healthy, productive, and resilient condition so that it can provide the services we want and need.

Perspectives on marine EBM (1) P

• Humans as ecosystem components• Sustainability• Goals• Sound ecological models and understanding• Complexity and connectedness• Dynamic character of ecosystems• Context and scale• Adaptability and accountability

Ecological Society of America elements of marine EBM

Christensen et al. 1996

Perspectives on marine EBM (2) P

• Fisheries should be managed to limit the impacts on the ecosystem to the extent possible

• Ecological relationships between harvested, dependent and associated species should be maintained

• Management should involve cross jurisdictional arrangements if required

• A precautionary approach should be adopted• Governance arrangements should ensure ecosystem

well-being and equity

Reykjavik Declaration of Responsible Fisheries in the Marine Ecosystem

FAO 2001

Perspectives on marine EBM (3) P

• Maintain natural structure and function of ecosystems

• Recognize that human uses and values are central to ecosystem management

• Base management on a shared vision of stakeholders

• Appreciate that all ecosystems are dynamic• Require a commitment of performance

monitoring and management

World Wildlife Fund elements of EBM

WWF 2002

Perspectives on marine EBM (4) PPikitch et al. (2004)

• EBM is a reversing the order of management priorities to start with the ecosystem rather than the target species

• Overall objective is to sustain healthy marine ecosystems and the fisheries they support.

Guerry 2005• EBM is about perceiving the big picture, recognizing

connections and striving to maintain elements of ecosystems

Where has EBM come from? (1)

CLOS—UN Law of the Sea (1982); STRAD—UN Agreement on Straddling Stocks (1995), SCK’72—Stockholm Declaration (1972); RIO—Rio Declaration (1992); A21—Agenda 21 (1992); COP—Decisions of Conference of the Parties (CBD) (1992–2003), WSSD—World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002); CODE—FAO Code of Conduct (1995); REY—FAO Reykjavik Declaration (2001)

Turrell et al. , 2004

SCK ’72

CLOS '82

RIO '92

A21 '92

COP 92-03

CBD 92-03

STRAD '95

CODE '95

REY '01

WSSD '02

Conservation

Biodiversity / Biological Diversity

Habitats

Ecosystems

Fish Stocks

Alien Species (prevention)

Management Concepts

SCK ’72

CLOS '82

RIO '92

A21 '92

COP 92-03

CBD 92-03

STRAD '95

CODE '95

REY '01

WSSD '02

Sustainable Use

Integrated

Stakeholder Involvement

Environmental Factors

Socio-economic Factors

De-centralised

Transparency Integrated Coastal Zone Management

Climate Change

Where has EBM come from? (2)

CLOS—UN Law of the Sea; STRAD—UN Agreement on Straddling Stocks ;SCK’72—Stockholm Declaration; RIO—Rio Declaration;A21—Agenda 21 COP—Decisions of Conference of the Parties; WSSD—World Summit on Sustainable Development; CODE—FAO Code of Conduct REY—FAO Reykjavik Declaration

Turrell et al. , 2004

Management Tools

SCK ’72

CLOS '82

RIO '92

A21 '92

COP 92-03

CBD 92-03

STRAD '95

CODE '95

REY '01

WSSD '02

Precautionary Approach Maximum Sustainable Yield Long-term Management Plans

National Action Plans Use of Traditional Knowledge Consider Species Interactions

Restoration Plans Financial Incentives (to conserve)

Turrell et al. , 2004

Where has EBM come from? (3)

CLOS—UN Law of the Sea; STRAD—UN Agreement on Straddling Stocks ;SCK’72—Stockholm Declaration; RIO—Rio Declaration;A21—Agenda 21 COP—Decisions of Conference of the Parties; WSSD—World Summit on Sustainable Development; CODE—FAO Code of Conduct REY—FAO Reykjavik Declaration

Scientific Tools

SCK ’72

CLOS '82

RIO '92

A21 '92

COP 92-03

CBD 92-03

STRAD '95

CODE '95

REY '01

WSSD '02

Ecosystems Monitoring

Indicators Environmental Impact Assessment Strategic Environmental Assessment

Marine Protected Areas Status Reports (Baselines)

Pilot Projects

Selective Fishing Gear

Ecosystem Models

Turrell et al. , 2004

Where has EBM come from? (4)

CLOS—UN Law of the Sea; STRAD—UN Agreement on Straddling Stocks ;SCK’72—Stockholm Declaration; RIO—Rio Declaration;A21—Agenda 21 COP—Decisions of Conference of the Parties; WSSD—World Summit on Sustainable Development; CODE—FAO Code of Conduct REY—FAO Reykjavik Declaration

Which way lies successful EBM?

Step 1: Develop a common information base

I. Oceanographic dataII. Physiographic dataIII. Biological dataIV. Human use data

Information categories

1. Harmonize mapping of seacapes at a useful scale

2. Improve inventories of biodiversity

3. Monitor ecosystem services

Which way lies successful EBM?

Step 2: Describe and understand the system1. Ecosystem classifications

2. Food web models

3. Oceanographic and dispersal models

I. Marine regime II. Broad-scale ecosystems III. Structural geoforms/hydroforms IV. Vertical zone (benthic, pelagic) V. Macrohabitat (spatial/temporal) VI. Fine-scale habitats VII. Biotope (biosystems)

Sample Ecosystem Classification

4. Habitat suitability models

5. Socioeconomic models

Which way lies successful EBM?

Step 3: Risk assessment1. Determine what ecosystems are at

the greatest risk and the ecosystem services they provide

1. Provisioning services that produce goods, such as food and fresh water2. Regulating services that modulate ecosystem processes, such as disease control and

climate regulation3. Cultural services that provide nonmaterial benefits, such as education and recreation4. Supporting services, such as nutrient cycling and primary production that are

necessary for the generation of all other ecosystem services

Ecosystem services

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)

Which way lies successful EBM?

Step 4: Priority setting / identifying objectives1. Statement of the overarching aims and intended products

from the effort2. SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic,

Timely)

Commercial fish speciesMarine mammalsSeabirdsFish communitiesBenthic communitiesPlankton communitiesThreatened or declining speciesEutrophication

Which way lies successful EBM?

Step 5: Select targets (goals) for objectives1. Determine the amount (abundance, area) of targets

required to meet objectives2. Can be tied to socio-economic goals in terms of area

(tourism, fishing, development) and abundance (ecosystem services, fisheries)

100% of Hawksbill turtle nesting sites30% of coral reef area< 100 ng /l TBT< 5mg Chl -a / m3

< 10,000 kg landings per day

Example targets

Which way lies successful EBM?

Step 6: Identify strategies to meet objectives1. Zone-based (place-based) management2. Fishery ecosystem plans for each zone3. Alternative marine governance systems4. Eco-certification5. Rights based fishery management6. Burden of proof7. Precautionary principle8. Education and outreach9. Legislation and policy10.Technological solutions

Which way lies successful EBM?

Step 7: Monitoring and adaptive management1. Implementation monitoring whether

strategies are implemented2. Compliance monitoring whether strategies

are being followed3. Effectiveness monitoring as to whether

strategies are meeting targets4. Revision of strategies and targets if

necessary

Western Everglades:The Big Cypress located on Shoshone Tribal Land abuts striking Everglades conversion for agriculture & livestock.

Eastern Everglades:The Loxahatchee Canal passes through the impounded north-eastern Everglades, carrying water from Lake Okeechobee to row-crop agriculture and development in West Palm Beach.

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force

Marathon, The Florida Keys

1. Divide watersheds into eco-units2. A conceptual ecological model developed for each eco-unit3. Identify key environmental factors that must be maintained or

restored in each eco-unit4. Determine what flow are require d to maintain objectives in eco-unit

• Scientists talk to each other• Agencies cooperate• Science introduced into the

policy arena• Identified the problem (QQTD)• Managers and scientists speak

the same language• Federal cost sharing legislation

Conclusions and final thoughts

1. Policy makers dictate EBM but currently EBM doesn’t dictate policy

2. Marine EBM needs a single, agreed-upon definition3. EBM still a catch-all term for multi-species management

in many jurisdictions4. EBM is ‘tools-rich’ but ‘solutions-poor’5. No single EBM handbook6. EBM or EBM-like principles will soon preface all human

management in the natural world7. Marine biologists are central in the successful

implementation of marine EBM

Thank you

Diane Rome Peebles

Dr. Mark Zacharias

Nancy WrightResearch & Design