A Conversation about NMFS’ Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management Policy and Road Map

The underlying concepts of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) have been considered for over a century. This chapter discusses broad, disciplinary perspectives on EBFM, noting how the topic has advanced, morphed, and evolved from debates over “what and why” to “how.” Several definitions of EBFM are provided, with a discussion on the past couple of decades for how this concept has developed. A brief exploration of policies related to EBFM is undertaken, with particular emphasis on the U.S.’s EBFM Road Map. The rationale for and obstacles to EBFM are also discussed, with the aim to spur further discussion on how EBFM can be more fully implemented and the benefits from it realized.

Download Full-text

Applying tree analysis to assess combinations of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management actions in Management Strategy Evaluation

Fisheries Research ◽

10.1016/j.fishres.2019.105466 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 225 ◽

pp. 105466

Author(s):

Amanda R. Hart ◽

Gavin Fay

Keyword(s):

Fisheries Management ◽

Management Strategy ◽

Tree Analysis ◽

Management Strategy Evaluation ◽

Management Actions ◽

Strategy Evaluation ◽

Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management

Download Full-text

The isotopic niche of Atlantic, biting marine mammals and its relationship to skull morphology and body size

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-94610-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Massimiliano Drago ◽

Marco Signaroli ◽

Meica Valdivia ◽

Enrique M. González ◽

Asunción Borrell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Atlantic Ocean ◽

Fisheries Management ◽

Marine Mammals ◽

Trophic Position ◽

Sympatric Species ◽

Isotopic Niche ◽

Apex Predators ◽

Skull Morphology ◽

Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management

AbstractUnderstanding the trophic niches of marine apex predators is necessary to understand interactions between species and to achieve sustainable, ecosystem-based fisheries management. Here, we review the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios for biting marine mammals inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean to test the hypothesis that the relative position of each species within the isospace is rather invariant and that common and predictable patterns of resource partitioning exists because of constrains imposed by body size and skull morphology. Furthermore, we analyze in detail two species-rich communities to test the hypotheses that marine mammals are gape limited and that trophic position increases with gape size. The isotopic niches of species were highly consistent across regions and the topology of the community within the isospace was well conserved across the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, pinnipeds exhibited a much lower diversity of isotopic niches than odontocetes. Results also revealed body size as a poor predictor of the isotopic niche, a modest role of skull morphology in determining it, no evidence of gape limitation and little overlap in the isotopic niche of sympatric species. The overall evidence suggests limited trophic flexibility for most species and low ecological redundancy, which should be considered for ecosystem-based fisheries management.

Download Full-text