Steven Murawski NOAA Ecosystem Goal Team Lead  Characteristics of Ecosystem Approaches to Management (EAM)  A Science Strategy Supporting EAM  EGT’s Way Forward Ecosystem Approaches to Management: The EGT’s Work in Progress

…XI-XV How to Implement Ecosystem Management Ecosystem Approaches to Mgt. There is no manual for what we are attempting!

10 Common Myths Regarding EAM EAM is not well defined and we don’t know how to do it….. [nonsense!] Complex models of species interactions are necessary to guide EAM MPAs are an essential component of EAM (=equivalent) There is insufficient information for any area to answer all ecosystem questions for EAM There are no good examples of EAM in practice anywhere in the world

myths, continued…. EAM is too difficult to apply in multinational settings EAM can only apply to a few developed countries in the world because of the technical and financial resources required There are no good sets of principles or guidelines for implementing EAM It is impossible to establish boundaries necessary to implement EAM EAM only pertains to biological interactions among components but not other complex phenomena including social-economic relationships, climate change, etc.

Individual Species Narrow Perspective & Scale Human Activities Evaluated for Individual activities Resource Management by Sectors Scientific Monitoring programs Focused narrowly Single Use and Purpose Observations Multiple Species Broad Perspective & Scale Humans Integral to Ecosystem Integrated Resource Management Adaptive Management Based On Scientific Monitoring Shared and Standardized Observations Current Mandates Future Mandates Ecosystem Mandates: A Paradigm Shift or Evolution? Focus on Managing Ecosystem parts Focus on Ecosystem Relationships, Processes, and Tradeoffs

Growing Consensus on What Objectives of EAM IUCN – 12 Principles of the Ecosystem Approach* Objectives of land, water and LR management are a matter of societal choice Management should be decentralized to the lowest level possible Managers should consider effects on adjacent ecosystems Consider economic effects to: - reduce market distortions that adversely affect ecosystems - align incentives that promote biodiversity - internalize costs and benefits in a given ecosystem Conservation of ecosystem structure & function to maintain services should be a priority * Shepherd, 2004

IUCNs Ecosystem Approach – cont. Ecosystems managed within limits of their functioning EA undertaken at appropriate spatial and temporal scales Recognizing temporal variability & lag effects, objectives should be set for the long term Management must recognize that change is inevitable EA should seek the appropriate balance between & integration of conservation and use of biodiversity EA should consider all forms of relevant information, including scientific and ingigenous and local knowledge EA should involve all relevant sectors of society & scientific disciplines

NOAA Working Definitions for EAM* An ecosystem is a geographically specified system of organisms (including humans), the environment, and the processes that control its dynamics.An ecosystem is a geographically specified system of organisms (including humans), the environment, and the processes that control its dynamics. Characteristics of EAM are: Characteristics of EAM are: - adaptive, - incremental, - takes account of ecosystem knowledge and uncertainties, - considers multiple external influences, - strives to balance diverse social objectives, and - geographically specified. * NOAA’s Ecosystem Goal Team (EGT)

Operational Objectives for EAM (1) Develop broad Stakeholder-Based Governance system (2) Conserve essential Parts of the ecosystem (3) Conserve essential ecosystem Processes Question, if (2) is done well, is (3) necessary? Many Recent Publications Proposing General Objectives for EAM, EBM

Develop Ecosystem Governance System  Manage Tradeoffs ­ among fisheries sectors, optimize fishery benefits, prevent sequential depletion/effort transfer, use management processes that are fair, equitable and transparent, consider cumulative impacts, evaluate impacts of non-fishery sectors, include diverse stakeholder views  Use Adaptive Approaches to Management ­ consider multiple causes for observed changes and sources of uncertainty in assessment & prediction, reverse burden of proof where consequences are great, imbed experiments in management approaches to increase ecosystem knowledge  Establish Appropriate Ecosystem Boundaries ­ allows for interconnections between adjacent ecosystems, allows for imports and exports, includes multiple spatial scales depending on issue - paradox of scale

Fishery Management (council, state, state Commissions, International agree- ments) Protected Resource Management (MMPA, ESA, Birds Etc.) Water Quality Management (EPA, states, etc.) Other management authorities for navigation, food quality/safety, International agreements, climate change, etc. Coastal & EEZ Modifications (COE, MMS, etc.) Elements of Regional Ecosystem Governance interaction Need for coordination

Ecosystem Observing System (e-IOOS) Inputs from Multiple, Diverse Stakeholders Integrated Ecosystem Governance Systems Management Decision Support Systems provides users perspectives on desired outcomes for decisions provides forum for resolving conflicting uses of ecosystems develops management measures to achieve strategic goals for species & ecosystems develop management options to achieve goals evaluate effects of policy choices/tradeoffs Science Components Supporting Ecosystem Approaches to Management synthesizes observations conducts process research to link dynamics between components develops status indicators for individual components & ecosystems provides forecasts of status & trends develop types, frequency & spatial density of observations Biological, Economic, Social Communication Outreach communication

-2- Geographically Specified

Geographic Continuum - Scales of Ecosystem Processes Surface chlorophyllTime/Space Scales Whales

Bays & Estuaries Private Property Watersheds Inland Seas Open Coasts Local Govt. Governance Hierarchy & Advisory Services Marine Ecosystem Geography Territorial Waters EEZs LMEs International Waters Ocean Basins Global Oceans Regional Govt. State Govt. State Compact Federal Govt. RMO RSO IMOs ISOs NGOsAcademia

Bays & Estuaries Private Property Watersheds Inland Seas Open Coasts Local Govt. Governance & Advisory Services Marine Ecosystem Geography Territorial Waters EEZs LMEs International Waters Ocean Basins Global Oceans Regional Govt. State Govt. State Compact Federal Govt. RMO RSO IMOs ISOs NGOsAcademia LME Level Mgt. Paradox of Scale

Coastal Large Marine Ecosystems of the United States

Harvesting Affects Distributions & Abundances of Species Atlantic cod

2003 Groundfish Trawl Fishing Effort = 1-8 = 9-25 = = = Vessel Hours MPAs In New England

Conserve & Manage Ecosystem Parts  Conserve and Manage Species ­ Target species, assemblages, non-target species, PET* species, biodiversity protection  Minimize Bycatch ­ Target, non-target & PET species, and minimize waste * PET = Protected, Endangered or Threatened Species

Goal Non-Resource Species: Barndoor Skate

Account for Ecosystem Processes  Evaluate & Inform Feedback Effects ­ predator-prey relationships, gear impacts on habitat productivity, irreversibility of fishing impacts, harvesting- induced regime change  Maintain Ecosystem Productivity, Balance Ecosystem Structure ­ evaluate ecosystem carrying capacity, maintain resilience/resistance to perturbations, attain trophic balance  Account for Climate Variability –low-frequency variation (decadal scale changes), high- frequency variation (year-to-year or more frequent), climate-based regime change

The Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem – basis for FEP

Conserve & Manage Ecosystem Parts  Conserve and Manage Species - Target species, assemblages, non-target species, PET* species, biodiversity protection  Minimize Bycatch - Target, non-target & PET species, and minimize waste * PET = Protected, Endangered or Threatened Species

Cold-water Coral Research and Protection Habitat of Particular Concern

Key Science Needs Supporting EAM  Operational Ocean Observation System integrating biology, physical oceanography, chemistry, ocean- atmosphere links and socio-economic data (at appropriate geographic scales) ~ ½ built  Systematic reporting on the status of marine and coastal ecosystems through Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEAs), including key indicators of pressures on ecosystems and their state  Ecosystem research plan that enables linking of human activities to incremental change in ecosystem state indicators  Modeling, experimental ecology, and observation systems linked to support adaptive approaches to human uses of marine ecosystems consistent with goals of sustainable use

Need to Link High-Level Principles to Informative Performance Measures -High-Level Principles e.g., healthy and productive ecosystems… -Operational Objectives -Indicators -Reference Points -Performance Measures Sainsbury & Sumaila 2003 In many cases indicators, reference points and performance measures are not yet well specified for many ecosystem-level objectives, but likely will not be used as traditional fish stock reference points (F and biomass)

Characteristics of Ecosystem Indicators – (ICES WG on Ecosystem Effects of Fishing)  Easy to Understand  Responsive to Manageable Human Activities  Responses Linked in Time to Management Action  Easily and Accurately Measured  Low Responsiveness to Other Factors  Measurable Over Large Portion of Area  Existing Data to Provide Historic Dynamics  (DESIRABLE, not NECESSARY Conditions)

Indicators & Decision Criteria Most indicators are not yet usable as reference points. Empirical use of state indicators (e.g. biomass) as a function (or partial function) of pressure indicators (e.g. fishing rate) can help establish specified thresholds or Limit Reference Points. Development of empirically based indicator thresholds needs further development, but can be used NOW to establish some intermediate decision criteria.

Decision support tools for EAF Links governance to key issues, e.g. data, indicators, models, socio-economic analyses, etc. Management Strategy Evaluation is one example of a decision support tool that could be used for EAF Tool to help a broad and diverse set of stakeholders understand the likely consequences of alternative management actions and the tradeoffs across management objectives.

Decision Support Tools for EAF Decision support system would include tools such as: –Management information system (data collection, management, and use) –Indicators –Bioeconomic, ecosystem, social choice, stock assessment models –Risk assessment

What is an “Integrated Ecosystem Assessment”? Compile and archive all relevant data sets for a defined ecosystem Report on current conditions and trends in relevant time series of physical, biological and human use information Synthesize time series information to link important ecological responses to changes in climate and human use drivers, Evaluate data time series to provide suites of key indicators of ecosystem state (status), and propose reference levels for the desired state of marine ecosystems Forecast the relationship between state indicators and pressure indicators (e.g., pollution, climate change, fishing- related removals, coastal development, etc.) Provide periodic ecosystem assessment updates to inform the managers, stakeholders and the public on the state of marine ecosystems

Integrated Data Products for Alaskan Ecosystems IOOS is not Just about Sampling

Physical, Biological and Social Components to produce Integrated Ecosystem Assessment

Account for Ecosystem Processes  Evaluate & Inform Feedback Effects - predator-prey relationships, gear impacts on habitat productivity, irreversibility of fishing impacts, harvesting- induced regime change  Maintain Ecosystem Productivity, Balance Ecosystem Structure - evaluate ecosystem carrying capacity, maintain resilience/resistance to perturbations, attain trophic balance  Account for Climate Variability - low-frequency variation (decadal scale changes), High-frequency variation (year-to-year or more frequent), climate-based regime change

PaCOOS Mission  Provide ocean information needed for management of: needed for management of: - Fishery Resources - Fishery Resources - Protected Marine Mammals - Protected Marine Mammals - Sea turtles - Sea turtles  Forecast the ecosystem consequences of: consequences of: - Fishery Removals - Fishery Removals - Environmental Variability - Environmental Variability - Climate Change - Climate Change  In the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Economic Zone (EEZ) off the West Coast. the West Coast.

Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) critical to EAM Scalable Ecosystem Observation & Research Combination of observations at fixed locations (e.g., NMSs NERRS sites, local interests) and ecosystem-wide observation The whole must be more than the Sum of the parts (avoid discontinuities in sampling density or type at political boundaries) Priorities for observing are: - Coordinating sampling, - DMAC, - Products Overlay of All Observing?

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data Inputs Analyses Assessments Effort displacement Species richness Explore options Evaluate Management Plans External Models Matlab Ecopath etc. Species-level Distributions Bathymetry Temperature Sightings Catch Data Substrate TripSpeciesPounds IDSpeciesCount LatLongDepth IDAreaType LatLongTempDate SpeciesAdultHabJuvHabLarvalHab

PaCOOS Current Status  Web Site Established:  Science Plan Approved and Posted  Charter Approved and Posted  Interim Governing Board Established  Adding Partners  Represented on Regional Observing Assoc.’s  Regional Obs. Assoc.’s on PaCOOS Board  PICES Presentation  Instituto Nacional de Pesca Presentation

Climate & Ecosystems Ocean acidification Loss of sea ice Distribution, abundance, recruitment Sea level rise Coral bleaching Oscillating systems vs. trends

Changing climate: Bering Sea ice extent and duration has changed and impacts summer distribution of pollock Percent ice coverage 8

Role of Correlation: PDO & Pollock Recruitment

Regional Climatology Affects Ecosystems -8-

Woods Hole Temperature - NAO Both series smoothed Courtesy D. Mountain

Conclusions & Suggested Actions  Need to invest local, national, and international management venues with similar or complementary principles for management.  One strategy we can use is to develop a standard definition, objectives and requirements into the reauthorization of federal (and state) legislation: e.g., - Coral Reef Protection Act - Marine Sanctuaries Act - National Aquaculture legislation, others…  Science venues such as IOOS: need to provide a coordinated vision and investments for monitoring & research for Ecosystem Goods and Services (e.g., PaCOOS, Regional Associations…)  Our community must do a better job of explaining what ecosystems are and what specific outcomes will result from EAM – a Communication strategy is essential

EAM: “Peeling the Onion” Characteristics: - Activities/Behaviors - Benefits - Not Being / Good - Being / Great e.g., strives to balance diverse societal objectives Examples and best practices