sign in sign up
<<
Home , Carl Walters, Daniel Pauly, Ecopath, Ussif Rashid Sumaila

SSSeeeaaa AAArrrououounnnddd UUUsss considered inappropriate procedure shouldbe generally, thecurrent for somespecies.More the situationdeteriorating stocks remainsgrim,with state ofEuropeanfishes Nevertheless, theoverall recovery. stock allow more restrictiveaccessto stocks, usuallyleadingto some severelydepleted has hadpositiveeffectsfor . Undoubtedly,it exploited stocksandmarine term sustainabilityof supposed toensurelong Such anapproachis for themaintargetstocks. Allowable Catches (TACs) by politiciansofannual Total the basisforadoption assessment modelsandis This usessingle-species approach” “precautionary standard methodcalledthe advice islargelybasedona production ofscientific procedure forthe 1995), theEuropean Responsible ” (FAO S An EcosystemApproachto The Sea Sea The shift inEUpolicytargets The Sea Sea The The Sea Sea The The Sea Sea The The Sea Sea The Fisheries shouldimplya ince 1998,according Conduct for to the “Code of used forsingle-species Issue 41 – May/J – 41 Issue Issue 41 – May/J – 41 Issue Issue 41 – May/J – 41 Issue Issue 41 – May/J – 41 Issue Issue 41 – May/J – 41 Issue Around Us Project Ne Project Us Around Around Us Project Ne Project Us Around Around Us Project Ne Project Us Around Around Us Project Ne Project Us Around Around Us Project Ne Project Us Around management . by DidierGascuel exploited stocks. This would impacts onthemajor minimization offishing approach mustdealwiththe other words,anecosystem sustainable highcatches.In thatallows provide themaximalstock should bechangedto single-species policytargets resources management: conservation measuresfor a majorchangeregarding Conversely, EAFshouldimply above criticallimits. abundances, withstocks tends tomaintainlow safety margins,thisapproach biological limits.Evenwith stocks backwithinsafe regeneration andbringing theoretically, stock applied toensure, effort)thatcanbe biomass (andthemaximal the minimalspawning the abyssbydetermining stocks closetotheedgeof has consistedofassessing Indeed, thecurrentapproach perspective. Approach toFisheries(EAF) from anEcosystem un un un un un e 2007 e e 2007 e e 2007 e e 2007 e e 2007 e * over 50%forthemajorityof levels ofovercapacityare enormous changes,ascurrent decision shouldimply to decreasingcatches.Sucha unacceptable whentheylead fishing pressures,are reductions, duetoincreasing idea thatfurtherbiomass catches buttoenforcethe purpose isnottomaximize in therightdirection.Itsmain not laterthan2015”isastep (MSY) “as muchaspossible maximum sustainableyield to levelsthatpermitthe Commission) torestorestocks (endorsed bytheEuropean Johannesburg decision that perspective,the2002 huge consequences.From maximum targetwouldhave stock biomasstargettoa The shiftfromaminimum profitability. term andtoeconomic higher catchesinthelonger function andshouldleadto integrity, and preserving ecosystems impactsand be thefirststeptoreducing wsletter wsletter wsletter wsletter wsletter Continued on page 2 - EU - 2 page on Continued Continued on page 2 - EU - 2 page on Continued Continued on page 2 - EU - 2 page on Continued Continued on page 2 - EU - 2 page on Continued Continued on page 2 - EU - 2 page on Continued Sea Around Us – May/June 2007 Page 2

EU - Continued from page 1 with Ecosim one of major European stocks. It would also lead to a re-definition of NOAA’s top 10 breakthroughs management measures, by combining TACs and fishing by effort limitations. However, MSY he US National Oceanic and modeling software, respectively. Ecopath targets usually lead to a 2.5 to 3- Atmospheric Administration The Ecopath approach was initiated modeling fold reduction in (NOAA) has during its history by NOAA scientist Dr Jeffrey was one of compared to the unexploited T charted the seas, forecast the Polovina in the early 1980s, and state. This is probably not the top ten weather, launched satellites into modified into its current form by sufficient from the EAF – a space, modeled the climate, Pauly, Christensen and Walters. perspective, as the same amount managed fisheries and much Ecopath has the ability to represent significant of catch could result from more more. As part of the organization’s complex ecosystems using novel achievement conservative exploitation 200th anniversary, it reflected on equations, smaller data sets and given the patterns if larger mesh size was the outstanding individuals, limited computing power – used. Therefore, managing not numerous inspiring achievements, and advantages that most other only fishing effort but fishing outstanding defining moments that shaped the ecosystem modeling approaches patterns as well would lead to NOAA of today, selecting the most lack. This quality of the Ecopath suite contributions the same increases in catch but deserving to be honoured as the along with numerous courses and of NOAA to stronger reductions of impact NOAA ‘Top Ten Breakthroughs’ lectures given by its authors have and its on marine ecosystems, (http://celebrating200years.noaa. resulted in its widespread use. A according to the new suggested predecessors gov/toptens.html#categories). recent addition is the optimal policy target. Ecopath modeling was one of the search module, which uses top ten – a significant nonlinear optimization to improve * Visiting Professor (Rennes, achievement given the numerous an objective function by iteratively ) hosted by the Sea outstanding contributions of changing relative fishing rates. This Around Us project at the NOAA and its predecessors during module connects the functioning of UBC Fisheries Centre. their history. For anybody studying an ecosystem to human behaviour, marine ecosystems, however, this allowing different policy and The Sea Around Us project newsletter is recognition is not a surprise. Back management objectives to be published by the Fisheries Centre at the in 1993, the renowned ecosystem analyzed. This new development University of British Columbia. Included with modeler R.E. Ulanowicz hinted at has brought the Ecopath approach the Fisheries Centre’s newsletter FishBytes,six the potential of Ecopath when he into full cycle, with implications for issues of this newsletter are published wrote “The heavens were opened our ability to impact positively on annually. Subscriptions are to us by Galileo and his telescope, policies for the sustainable use and free of charge. the world of microbes by Pasteur management of marine ecosystems Our mailing and his microscope. It may not be worldwide. address is: Sea much of an exaggeration to say Around Us project, that the realm of ecosystems is I wish to conclude by congratulating Aquatic Ecosystems being opened to us by Polovina, Drs Jeffrey Polovina, , Research Laboratory, Pauly, and Christensen.” This was and , 2202 Main Mall, before Ecopath, which is static, was and of course NOAA, for this Vancouver, British extended by Carl Walters by the significant contribution to the world Columbia, Canada, V6T addition of Ecosim and Ecospace - of science, policy 1Z4. Our fax number is (604) dynamic and spatial versions of the and management. 822-8934, and our email address is [email protected]. All queries he Sea Around Us project is a Fisheries Centre partner- (including reprint requests), subscription ship with the Pew Charitable Trusts of Philadelphia, requests, and address changes should be USA. The Trusts support nonprofit activities in the areas of culture, addressed to Robyn Forrest, Sea Around Us TT education, the environment, health and human services, public policy Newsletter Editor. and religion. Based in Philadelphia, the Trusts make strategic investments The Sea Around Us website may be found to help organisations and citizens develop practical solutions to difficult at www.seaaroundus.org and contains up-to- problems. In 2000, with approximately $4.8 billion in assets, the Trusts date information on the project. committed over $235 million to 302 nonprofit organisations.

ISSN 1713-5214 Sea Around Us (ONLINE)