Ecosystem-Based Management for the Northeast US Continental Shelf An ecosystem approach to management is management that is adaptive, specified geographically, takes into account uncertainties, considers multiple external influences, and strives to balance diverse social objectives (NOAA Strategic Plan 2005-2015). Ecosystem-based fishery management is one part of the broader concept of Ecosystem-Based Management

Current Management Practices Result in Management Plans Why EBFM? Current Management Practices Result in Management Plans that Work at Cross-Purposes Cod Haddock White Hake Pollock Yellowtail Flounder Winter Flounder Witch Flounder Windowpane American Plaice Halibut Redfish Ocean Pout Sea Herring Surf Clam Ocean Quahog Spiny Dogfish Red Crab Monkfish Tilefish Scup Black Sea Bass Summer Flounder Bluefish Squid Mackerel Butterfish Sea Scallops Winter Skate Little Skate Smooth Skate Thorny Skate Barndoor Skate Clearnose Skate Rosette Skate Silver Hake Red Hake Offshore Hake NEFMC MAFMC Salmon

How Do We Get There from Here?

Primary Assessment Models NEFSC Ecosystem Modeling Activities Empirical Models (Nonlinear Time Series) Ryther-Ware Production Potential Models Aggregate Production Models (Brown et al.) Multispecies Production Models (MSProd) Size-Based Models (LeMANS; MMLSAM) Ecosystem Network Models (EcoPath) Multispecies Virtual Population Analysis Full Ecosystem Models (Atlantis;EcoSim) Primary Assessment Models Virtual Test Beds

Ecoregions for Northeast US Shelf Aggregate Yield and Proportion Collapsed for 21 species Georges Bank Model (Worm et al. 2009) Reference Points for GoM Aggregate Production Model Aggregate Surplus Production 12 Species Demersal Complex Gulf of Maine (GoM) State space model fit for Demersal Assemblage on Georges Bank

The Key Question: Can we Manage Complexity? (1) Identify management objectives aimed at higher levels of ecological organization (e.g. functional groups) where we can take advantage of emergent properties of these systems related to predictability and stability. Management of a portfolio of species rather than individual stock offers a tractable and internally consistent pathway toward EBFM. (2) Develop integrated assessments for defined ecoregions (e.g. large marine ecosystems or subsets of these regions), sharply reducing the total number of assessments required. (3) Use ecosystem assessment models that are only as complex as needed to capture the dynamics of the managed system. (4) Adopt a Management Procedure framework that tests and, if supported, implements simple control rules and metrics and (5) Address tradeoffs directly and consider satisficing solutions for management if alternative approaches (e.g. formal optimization) are not feasible.

Ecosystem-Based Management Scoping Defining Management Units Setting Objectives Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Indicator Development Risk Analysis Ecosystem Research Monitoring Management Strategy Evaluation Spatial Management Options Impact Control Options Tradeoff Resolution & Management Advice

Potential Benefits of Adopting EBFM Simplification of management structures Coordination of management actions for stocks, protected species, biodiversity & habitat Comprehensive consideration of fishery & biological interactions Accounting for Ecosystem constraints on rebuilding Consideration of Climate change Coordination with State EBM efforts and Regional Ocean Councils Increased stewardship from broader participation

Timeline of Critical Council-Related Events 2008. NEFMC directs SSC to develop a White Paper on strategies for EBFM in the Northeast. 2010. SSC delivers White Paper to NEFMC 2010-2011. Three EBFM presentations on EBFM made to NEFMC 2011. NEFMC forms Ecosystems Committee comprising chairs of all existing committees 2012. NEFMC establishes Plan Development Team for EBFM 2010. MAFMC establishes Ecosystem Subcommittee of SSC