The U.S. Pacific Region

2021 ◽  
pp. 343-414
Author(s):  
Jason S. Link ◽  
Anthony R. Marshak
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Loading ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Emergent Properties ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Fisheries Resources ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Ecosystem Level ◽  
Pacific Sardine ◽  
Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management

This chapter describes the Pacific region and the major issues facing this marine fisheries ecosystem, and presents some summary statistics related to the 90 indicators of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) criteria. The Pacific contains the sixth-highest number of managed taxa in the nation, including commercially and recreationally important salmon, Pacific sardine, and other coastal pelagic species, Pacific groundfish (e.g., rockfishes, flatfishes, halibut, Pacific hake, Pacific cod, sablefish, lingcod), cephalopods, Dungeness crab, and highly migratory fishes. The Pacific ecosystem emerges as an environment with biota and marine communities that are responding to the consequences of historical overexploitation of its fisheries resources, habitat loss, increasing coastal development, nutrient loading, HABs, ocean acidification, climate forcing, marine heatwaves, and other ocean uses. Overall, EBFM progress has been made at the regional level, and to a certain degree within subregions, in terms of implementing ecosystem-level planning, advancing knowledge of ecosystem principles, and in assessing risks and vulnerabilities to ecosystems through ongoing investigations into climate vulnerability and species prioritizations for stock and habitat assessments. While information has been obtained and calculations and models developed, and some progress has been made toward incorporating ecosystem information in LMR management, limited progress has been made on using ecosystem-level emergent properties in management frameworks or exploring system trade-offs.

The New England Region

2021 ◽  
pp. 47-111
Author(s):  
Jason S. Link ◽  
Anthony R. Marshak
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Nutrient Loading ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Emergent Properties ◽  
Atlantic Halibut ◽  
Sea Scallop ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Ecosystem Level

This chapter describes the New England region and the major issues facing this marine fisheries ecosystem, and presents some summary statistics related to the 90 indicators of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) criteria. New England contains the second-lowest number of managed taxa among U.S. marine ecosystems, including historically important groundfish species such as Atlantic cod, haddock, Atlantic halibut, commercially valuable Atlantic sea scallop and American lobster, and federally protected Atlantic salmon. The New England social-ecological system is an environment that is responding to the consequences of overfishing, habitat loss, coastal development, and nutrient loading. Overall, EBFM progress has been made at the regional and subregional levels in implementing ecosystem-level planning, advancing knowledge of ecosystem principles, and examining system trade-offs. While much information has been obtained and applied regarding ecosystem-level calculations, syntheses, and models, only partial progress has been observed in using these system-wide emergent properties in management actions. Despite many of these large-scale efforts toward greater scientific understanding of the New England ecosystem, challenges remain toward effectively implementing formalized EBFM management actions and enacting ecosystem-level control rules. Namely, this region currently lacks a completed fishery ecosystem plan (FEP), and only partial progress has occurred toward considering system catch limits for this region. This ecosystem is excelling in the socioeconomic status of its LMRs, and is relatively productive, as related to the determinants of successful LMR management.

The U.S. North Pacific Region

2021 ◽  
pp. 415-484
Author(s):  
Jason S. Link ◽  
Anthony R. Marshak
Keyword(s):  
North Pacific ◽  
Gulf Of Alaska ◽  
Emergent Properties ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Regional Warming ◽  
The North ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Ecosystem Level ◽  
North Pacific Region ◽  
The North Pacific

This chapter describes the North Pacific region and the major issues facing this marine fisheries ecosystem, and presents some summary statistics related to the 90 indicators of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) criteria. The North Pacific contains the fifth-highest number of managed taxa, including commercially and recreationally important groundfish (e.g., walleye pollock, Pacific cod, sablefish, lingcod, halibut, rockfishes, yellowfin sole), cephalopods, king-and Tanner crabs, salmon, and steelhead. The North Pacific ecosystem has biota and marine communities that are responding to the consequences of fishing pressure, climate oscillations, and other ocean uses. More recent stressors, including substantial regional warming, associated species shifts, increasing human population density, and proliferation of invasive species are affecting this system and altering its composition, dynamics, and LMR production. Overall, a moderate to high degree of EBFM progress has been made in the eastern Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska in terms of implementation, advancing knowledge of ecosystem principles, examining trade-offs, assessing risks and vulnerabilities, and in beginning to establish and use ecosystem-level reference points for management. While much information has been obtained and applied toward ecosystem-level calculations, syntheses, and models, continued progress in applying these system-wide emergent properties into regional management frameworks remains necessary.

The U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region

2021 ◽  
pp. 113-174
Author(s):  
Jason S. Link ◽  
Anthony R. Marshak
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Loading ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Emergent Properties ◽  
Level Control ◽  
Governance System ◽  
Atlantic Region ◽  
Ecosystem Level ◽  
The U.S

This chapter describes the Mid-Atlantic region and the major issues facing this marine fisheries ecosystem, and presents some summary statistics related to the 90 indicators of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) criteria. While containing lower numbers of managed taxa among the eight regional U.S. marine ecosystems, this region has relatively well-managed state and federal fisheries that are important both nationally and along the U.S. Atlantic coast, including Atlantic menhaden, blue crab, eastern oyster, black sea bass, summer flounder, and striped bass. The Mid-Atlantic is an environment that is subject to stressors that include habitat loss, coastal development, nutrient loading, climate-related species range shifts, hurricanes, other ocean uses, and proliferation of invasive species. Overall, EBFM progress has been made at the regional and subregional level in terms of implementing ecosystem-level planning, advancing knowledge of ecosystem principles, and in assessing risks and vulnerabilities to ecosystems through ongoing investigations into climate vulnerability and species prioritizations for stock and habitat assessments. While information has been obtained and models developed, only partial progress has been observed toward applying ecosystem-level emergent properties or reference points into management frameworks. While the Mid-Atlantic is leading in many aspects of its LMR and ecosystem-centric efforts, challenges remain toward effectively implementing additional facets of EBFM, and particularly enacting ecosystem-level control rules. This ecosystem is excelling in the areas of LMR and socioeconomic status, the quality of its governance system, and is relatively productive, as related to the determinants of successful LMR management.

scholarly journals From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada

FACETS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-179
Author(s):  
Grace E.P. Murphy ◽  
Jillian C. Dunic ◽  
Emily M. Adamczyk ◽  
Sarah J. Bittick ◽  
Isabelle M. Côté ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Nutrient Loading ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Seagrass Ecosystems ◽  
Plant Habitat

Seagrass meadows are among the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems, providing essential structure, functions, and services. They are also among the most impacted by human activities and in urgent need of better management and protection. In Canada, eelgrass ( Zostera marina) meadows are found along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts, and thus occur across a wide range of biogeographic conditions. Here, we synthesize knowledge of eelgrass ecosystems across Canada’s coasts, highlighting commonalities and differences in environmental conditions, plant, habitat, and community structure, as well as current trends and human impacts. Across regions, eelgrass life history, phenology, and general species assemblages are similar. However, distinct regional differences occur in environmental conditions, particularly with water temperature and nutrient availability. There is considerable variation in the types and strengths of human activities among regions. The impacts of coastal development are prevalent in all regions, while other impacts are of concern for specific regions, e.g., nutrient loading in the Atlantic and impacts from the logging industry in the Pacific. In addition, climate change represents a growing threat to eelgrass meadows. We review current management and conservation efforts and discuss the implications of observed differences from coast to coast to coast.

The U.S. Western Pacific Region

2021 ◽  
pp. 485-544
Author(s):  
Jason S. Link ◽  
Anthony R. Marshak
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Basin ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Western Pacific Region ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Storm Activity ◽  
Central Pacific Ocean ◽  
Ecosystem Level ◽  
The U.S

This chapter describes the West Pacific region and the major issues facing this marine fisheries ecosystem, and presents some summary statistics related to the 90 indicators of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) criteria. The U.S. Western Pacific region composes over half (~51%) of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), including multiple remote archipelagos, and extends over much of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean basin. The Western Pacific contains the second-highest (among eight regions) number of managed taxa in U.S. waters, including commercially and recreationally important bottomfishes (e.g., emperors, snappers, groupers), pelagic fishes, crustaceans, corals, and coral reef-associated taxa. The U.S. Western Pacific has been affected by above-average natural and human stressors that include the highest frequency and intensity of cyclonic storm activity, intensive fishing, high coastal development, and continually increasing temperatures. Overall, significant EBFM progress has been made in terms of implementing ecosystem-level planning and advancing knowledge of ecosystem principles.

Ecological and economic considerations in the conservation and management of the Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax)

2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 859-868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rögnvaldur Hannesson ◽  
Samuel Herrick, ◽  
John Field
Keyword(s):  
Fishery Management ◽  
California Current ◽  
Forage Fish ◽  
Ecological Significance ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Sardine ◽  
Commercially Important ◽  
Sardinops Sagax ◽  
Economic Considerations

In this paper, we consider economic and ecological issues associated with the Pacific sardine ( Sardinops sagax ) as a commercially harvested species relative to its importance as prey for species of commercial, recreational, and ecological significance. Using economic theory and ecosystem modeling results for the California Current, we investigate whether sardines might be more valuable as forage than as commercial landings. Our analysis considers various conditions under which this would be justified. For example, ex-vessel prices of commercially important sardine predators near the high end of their respective ranges in recent years and the ex-vessel price of sardine at the low end of its respective range would favor leaving more sardine as forage fish. However, even if it were advisable to reduce the volume of the sardine fishery to leave more forage for other, more valuable species, it does not necessarily imply that the sardine fishery should be shut down altogether. Rather, our results indicate that consideration of the trade-offs is a key element of ecosystem-based fishery management.

The U.S. Caribbean Region

2021 ◽  
pp. 237-282
Author(s):  
Jason S. Link ◽  
Anthony R. Marshak
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Queen Conch ◽  
The Status ◽  
Ecosystem Level ◽  
Climate Vulnerability ◽  
Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management ◽  
The U.S

This chapter describes the Caribbean region and the major issues facing this marine fisheries ecosystem, and presents some summary statistics related to the 90 indicators of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) criteria. While containing the highest number of managed taxa among the eight regional U.S. marine ecosystems, including over 200 distinctly managed coral reef species, this region has been challenged by historical exploitation of its important fisheries, particularly Caribbean spiny lobster, queen conch, and its snapper-grouper complex. The U.S. Caribbean has been affected by above average natural and human stressors that include the nationally second-highest rate of SST increase over the past 70 years, increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes, high coastal development, and concentrated historical fishing pressure. Although ranked low overall regarding the status of its marine socioeconomics, the U.S. Caribbean leads nationally in terms of aspects of its marine tourism, particularly cruise ship destinations, which contribute heavily to its local economy. Overall, EBFM progress has been made in terms of implementing ecosystem-level planning, advancing knowledge of ecosystem principles, and in assessing risks and vulnerabilities to ecosystems through ongoing investigations into climate vulnerability and species prioritizations for stock and habitat assessments.

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