What makes the Ecosystem Approach work in natural resource management – or not? Tony Smith (*) and Jake Rice (#) MSEAS 2016, Brest, France May 2016 CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship *CSIRO and Centre for Marine Socioecology, #DFO

Outline The ecosystem approach Three Australian case studies Great Barrier Reef Ecosystem based fisheries management Oceans Policy Comparisons and conclusions Insert presentation title

The Ecosystem Approach Origins UNCED 1992 (Rio) UNEP/CBD 1998 Key elements Consideration of environmental forcing and variation Consideration of ecological and socioeconomic “footprint” of activities and decisions Integrated decision making for multiple use More participatory and inclusive approaches to governance Insert presentation title

The EA in Australia Australia as an early adopter National strategy on Ecologically Sustainable Development (1992) Sector adoption e.g. EBFM (mid to late 1990s) Legislative force – Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (late 1990s) Australia’s Oceans Policy (late 1990s) After two decades of implementation, what have been the successes and failures and what have we learned? Insert presentation title

The Great Barrier Reef Insert presentation title

The Great Barrier Reef Management system Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 “to provide for the long term protection and conservation of the environment, biodiversity and heritage values of the GBR region” Managed from outset for multiple use Fishing, tourism, ports and shipping (no mining or drilling) Managed by GBR Marine Park Authority Joint authority: Australian Commonwealth and Queensland Zoning as major management tool Insert presentation title

The Great Barrier Reef Outcomes GBR Marine Park widely regarded as a model for multiple use ocean management Strict protection increased in 2004 to about 30% of reef area Direct $5B benefit to Australian economy Comprehensive stakeholder engagement process Declared World Heritage Area But Environmental values of park under threat Land based nutrients and pesticides Ocean acidification Ocean warming (coral bleaching) Insert presentation title

The Great Barrier Reef Insert presentation title

EBFM in Australia Management system ESD adopted nationally 1992 (move towards EA) Given prominence in fisheries legislation mid 1990s EBFM adopted nationally early 2000s EBFM reporting framework (Fletcher et al 2005) Ecological risk assessment (Fletcher 2005, Hobday et al 2011) Ecological risk management Whole of fishery management strategy evaluation (Sainsbury et al 2000, Fulton et al 2014) Insert presentation title

EBFM in Australia Outcomes ERA  Species at risk prioritization Species recovery plans Use of existing management tools Spatial management, gear modification, temporal closures Improved monitoring and reporting ERA  Focus on benthic habitats Gear footprint analysis Some surprising results! Fishery certification Patagonian toothfish Tropical prawn fisheries Insert presentation title

A spectacular failure

The campaign Unusual alliance of eNGO and recreational fishing lobbies

Australia’s Oceans Policy Management systems AOP 1998 (Australian contribution to Year of the Oceans) Initially national, then only federal Initially driven by PM&C, then Council of Ministers National Oceans Office (NOO) Focus on Regional Marine Plans (RMPs) Multiple use Wide stakeholder engagement Regional scientific assessments Insert presentation title

Australia’s Oceans Policy Outcomes Only one RMP ever developed Review in 2004  Council of Minsters replaced by single minister (environment) NOO subsumed into Environment Department Threats to existing power structures RMP  Marine Bioregional Plans National Representative System of MPAs Achieved in 2012 but change of government in 2013 put implementation on hold AOP in effect no longer exists Insert presentation title

Managing multiple uses and the scope of EA Or one ring to rule them all? (and in the darkness bind them!)

Comparisons GBR EBFM AOP 40 years of place based management of an iconic area Authority to manage “local” threats but susceptible to global threats Generally successful but … EBFM 15-20 years of single threat based management Built on already successful management model AOP Place and threat based 6 years then switched focus Clearly unsuccessful Insert presentation title

Conclusions Lessons learned Place or threat based approaches can be successful Strong stakeholder engagement critical but in case of AOP too unwieldy Strong and continuing political support also vital AOP: “Failure of governance, science, funding and nerve” Strong institutions essential … Insert presentation title

Implications of loss of trust in institutions? Presentation title | Presenter name | Page 19

Sources Rice and Smith (2015) Ecosystem-based management: Opportunities and challenges in the ocean forest. In S. Rossi (ed.) Marine Animal Forests. Springer International, Switzerland. Vince et al (2015) Australia’s Oceans Policy: past, present and future. Marine Policy, 57: 1-8 Insert presentation title

Thank you CSIRO Marine Laboratories, Hobart